"This is an instant mistrial" — Kodak Black’s lawyer Bradford Cohen weighs in on Young Thug’s attorney Brian Steel's arrest during YSL Rico trial

Kodak Black's lawyer, Bradford Cohen, has come out in defense of Young Thug's attorney, Brian Steel, after he was arrested during the YSL Rico trial on Monday (June 10) for contempt of court. After the trial, Bradford Cohen defended Steel on X and criticized the judge for his decision, calling it an "instant mistrial."

"This case and judge is off the reservation. This is an instant mistrial. I cannot believe the Judge thinks taking a defense atty into custody isn't a mistrial. BRIAN STEELE is a real one," he tweeted.

Brian Steel was reportedly charged with contempt of court after he refused to reveal the source of his information concerning an alleged private meeting between the judge, the prosecutors, and key witness Kenneth Copeland.

When Steel refused to reveal his sources, Judge Ural Glanville gave the attorney a 20-day jail sentence that has to be served on weekends. The judge also accused Steele and his colleague Keith Davis of attempting to “extort the court.”

Brian Steel is supposed to begin his jail sentence on June 14. The lawyer has reportedly appealed against the order and asked for a bond.

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Brian Steel allegedly accused Judge Glanville of holding a private meeting with the prosecutor and key witness

Brian Steel is serving as the attorney of rapper Young Thug in the ongoing YSL Rico Trial case after he was accused of violating Atlanta's anti-racketeering and gang laws.

The rapper was first charged with his alleged crimes in May 2022. Another indictment followed in August 2022, where Thug and 27 others were accused of violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, popularly known as RICO.

Thug was accused of reportedly cofounding a criminal street gang and promoting them with his music. The indictments included 65 charges of felony, out of which six applied to Young Thug. The trial was supposed to begin in December 2023 but was delayed to January 2024.

On Monday (June 10), during a hearing of the RICO trial, Brian Steel reportedly accused Judge Ural Glanville, the prosecutors, and important witness Kenneth Copeland of having a private meeting.

According to USA Today, Steel said that he found out that prosecutor Simone Hylton allegedly told key witness Copeland that he could be held in custody as long as all defendants get their cases disposed of. Speaking in the context of the alleged meeting, Steel said:

“If that’s true, what this is is coercion, witness intimidation, ex parte communications that we have a constitutional right to be present for?"

Brian Steel's accusation enraged the judge, who demanded to know the source of his information.

“How did you come upon this information? Who told you? You don’t get to extort the court. It doesn’t work that way,” the judge said.

Despite multiple attempts, Steel refused to reveal the source of his alleged information to Judge Glanville. The lawyer also asked why he "wasn't there" during the alleged meeting. Judge Glanville mentioned that he would be sent to jail if he did not reveal how he knew the information, but the attorney did not budge. The judge said:

“You will go into custody at five o’clock today or whenever we finish if you don’t tell me."

Since Brian Steel did not reveal his alleged sources, Glanville handed the attorney a 20-day jail sentence to be served on weekends. Steel's wife, Collette Steel, has reportedly filed an appeal to the order of contempt.

As per Complex, Steel reportedly asked for a mistrial before leaving the courtroom and mentioned that his client Young Thug would not want to go forward with the trial without his presence.

"[Young Thug] does not wish to go forward without me being here. You’re removing me against his will, my will, and you’re taking away his right to counsel. You’re conducting material parts of this trial without me present and I can’t learn about it by watching online, and so for that reason additionally, I ask for a mistrial," he said.

Although Steel's colleague Keith Adams protested against the continuation of the trial without the presence of Brian Steel, Glanville said he would not "halt anything."

The judge also mentioned that the leaking of sensitive information from the alleged meeting was "a violation of the sacrosanctness of the judge’s chambers," as seen in court footage provided by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.