What does Nolo Contendere mean? Explaining what Young Thug pleaded to after his release on house arrest

Young Thug accepted a non-negotiated plea deal and changed his plea to guilty on gang-related charges in Fulton County, Georgia. Following his guilty plea, the rapper was released on house arrest. This comes after the rapper was sentenced to time served and 15 years of probation. The singer pleaded nolo contendere to two charges, among pleading guilty to multiple other charges.

According to the non-negotiated plea deal, the rapper pleaded nolo contendere to violation of the state’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and street gang leader charges. He also pleaded guilty to multiple other charges that included gang and weapon-related charges.

It is worth noting that "nolo contendere" is a Latin phrase that translates to "I do not wish to contend."As per the Cornell Law School, a defendant may enter a plea of nolo contendere if they do not wish to accept or deny responsibility for certain charges. This would mean that the defendant neither accepts nor denies the charges against them.

Since the rapper has entered a ‘nolo contendere’ plea, the court is authorized to proceed as if a guilty plea were entered.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker questioned the rapper on whether the decision to enter a guilty plea was because he was guilty.

“Is it your decision to waive these rights and enter a guilty plea because you are in fact guilty?” Whitaker asked.

Although Young Thug said yes, his attorney interjected on one of the charges against the rapper.

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Young Thug’s initial charges explored as rapper gets released on house arrest

Young Thug was initially charged on May 10, 2022, with one count each of conspiring to violate the state’s RICO Act and participating in criminal street gang activity. The rapper, whose real name is Jeffrey Lamar Williams, was later slapped with an additional count of participating in street gang activity. He was also charged with possession of a firearm while committing a felony, possession of a machine gun, and three counts of violating the Georgia Controlled Substances Act.

Along with Young Thug, 27 associates from his Young Stoner Life (YSL) Records music label were charged with violation of the RICO act.

Prosecutors argued that YSL stood for a criminal gang called Young Slime Life, which has been tied to numerous felony offenses. These included murder, carjacking in Atlanta, and armed robbery.

The trial of Young Thug and his RICO charges began in November 2023 and stands as the longest-running trial in Georgia. The indictment drew widespread outrage as prosecutors used YSL lyrics as evidence of the gang’s alleged criminal actions.

The trial saw numerous incidents, including Williams’ attorney arguing that Judge Ural Glanville met prosecutors and a key witness in a private and “improper” meeting on July 10. However, the judge had denied these allegations.

Williams’ lead attorney, Brian Steel, was also found in criminal contempt in June after refusing to reveal how he learned about the aforementioned meeting. A Fulton County deputy was also arrested during the trial for allegedly attempting to smuggle contraband to a defendant.

Williams has been ordered to serve 100 hours in community service and is banned from remaining in the metropolitan area of Atlanta for the first 10 years of his 15-year probation. This includes exceptions like weddings, funerals, and anti-gun and anti-gun presentations that he is ordered to host four times a year. He is also banned from contacting other gang members or co-defendants.

Earlier this week, three of Young Thug’s co-defendants entered plea deals as well. The remaining defendants, Deamonte Kendrick and Shannon Stillwell, plan to move ahead with their trials as per the BBC.

With Young Thug entering the plea deal, this brings an end to the YSL RICO case.