"You always have a Monday morning quarterbacking analysis" — Fani Willis opens up about whether she has any regrets about YSL RICO trial

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has opened up on whether she has any regrets about the infamous YSL RICO trial case involving rapper Young Thug.

In an interview with Atlanta's WSB-TV, Willis was asked whether she has any regrets about the case and her thoughts on the matter. The attorney said she had "no regrets" and explained:

“There were lives lost and their lives that matter, and as long as I’m the DA, no matter your socioeconomic status, or your race, your life is going to have value if you’re harmed in this community. Obviously, when you try a case, you go back and you look at things and you always have a Monday morning quarterbacking analysis."

Fani Willis also mentioned that she is willing to continue working on the case as there are five YSL defendants whose fates are yet to be determined.

“I’m not going to get into the details of that case. As you know, I have five defendants pending," Willis added.

The highly-publicized YSL RICO trial ended in December 2024 nearly two years since the jury selection. The final two defendants in the case, Deamonte Kendrick, aka Yak Gotti, and Shannon Stillwell were found not guilty. Kendrick was acquitted of all charges while Stillwell was found guilty of only gun possession.

Rapper Young Thug (real name Jeffrey Williams), who was charged in the case, was released from jail on probation after he pleaded guilty in October 2024 to drug, gun, and gang charges.

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Fani Willis used anti-racketeering laws to file charges against 28 people in the YSL RICO trial

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The YSL RICO trial began in November 2023 over a 56-count indictment where Fani Willis accused Young Thug, Gunna, and 26 other members of the Young Slime Life (YSL) collective of racketeering charges.

The attorney charged them for allegedly violating the anti-racketeering RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act. The trial is considered the longest criminal trial in Georgia history.

Thug spent 567 days in jail over the allegations before the opening arguments of his case began in November 2023. The indictment forming the basis of the trial alleged that YSL aka Young Slime Life is a "criminal street gang" and quotes 182 alleged instances of their participation in criminal conspiracies and gang activity.

In her indictment, Fani Willis cited lyrics, social media posts, and merchandise with SLIME embodied in them as supposed evidence. The case was filed amid a reported 60% rise in violent criminal cases in Atlanta which Fani Willis promised to fight against.

Ahead of the case's first hearing in November 2023, one of the defendants, Gunna, was released from jail in December 2022. Gunna signed the Alford plea, which allows defendants to plead guilty while maintaining their innocence as it is in their best interests.

Shortly after Gunna's release, seven other defendants also signed plea deals and were released before January 2023. Young Thug was one of the six defendants who remained in jail awaiting his trial by the end of 2023. In July 2023, Young Thug was denied bond for the third time after Judge Ural Glanville cited reasons of threat of witness intimidation, the threat of fleeing, and dangers to the community.

However, Glanville was removed from the YSL RICO trial in May 2024 over alleged secret meetings with prosecutors and one of the witnesses, Kenneth "Lil Woody" Copeland. After months of multiple court hearings and trials, Young Thug was released on probation in October 2024 after pleading guilty.

Among the remaining defendants, Yak Gotti and Shannon Stillwell were found not guilty, marking a major blow for Fani Willis in the trial. However, Willis is keen on continuing the trial for the five remaining defendants in the case.

It is worth noting that Fani Willis also used the RICO Act to file charges against President-elect Donald Trump for his alleged attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential elections.