CNN
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The Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug and a racketeering co-defendant conducted a melee drug deal during a court hearing, prosecutors said in a motion filed in Atlanta.
Fulton County prosecutors said the alleged exchange was captured on courtroom surveillance video Wednesday.
The rapper, real name Jeffery Lamar Williams, and Kahlieff Adams are charged with conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and participation in criminal street gang activity, among other charges.
According to the motion seeking clarification on the record, Adams “got up from his chair (…) and walked unsupervised” towards Young Thug and gave him Percocet.
The motion says Young Thug tried to hide his hand under the table. Sheriff’s deputies took the painkiller and searched Adams, who resisted. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital after “appearing to ingest other contraband items he was carrying, in an attempt to conceal the extent of his crimes in the courtroom”.
During Adams’ search, deputies found Percocet, marijuana, tobacco and other contraband, “wrapped in plastic and food seasoning to mask the smell of marijuana,” the police said. motion.
Percocet is the brand name of a drug that mixes oxycodone, which is an opioid, and acetaminophen, which is the generic name for drugs such as Tylenol.
Keith Adams, one of Young Thug’s attorneys, told CNN on Friday, “The state deliberately distorts and embellishes the events of Wednesday.”
He said Young Thug neither asked for nor accepted the pill.
“As seen in the courtroom video footage, Mr. Williams IMMEDIATELY gave it to the courtroom deputy who was directly in front of him,” he wrote in a message.
Adams said an investigation cleared Young Thug of any wrongdoing and the responsible party was charged. He said prosecutors’ allegations were “a blatant and disappointing fabrication.”
Teombre Calland, an attorney representing Kahlieff Adams, released a text message to CNN affiliate WSB-TV saying, “On behalf of Mr. Adams, these allegations are just that: mere statements made by the state in the purpose of counteracting the length of the jury selection process.
CNN reached out to Brian Steel, another attorney for Young Thug, and Calland.
Young Thug won a Grammy Award in 2019 for his work with Childish Gambino and Ludwig Göransson on the hit song “This is America.”
The rapper was originally charged in May with conspiracy to violate RICO law and involvement in criminal street gang activity.
A new indictment filed Aug. 5 in Fulton County Superior Court charges him with nine new charges, including involvement in criminal street gang activity and violations of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act.
He was also charged with other counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a machine gun.
Jury selection is underway.
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