Judge Glanville: Lawbreaker Or Misunderstood?

Fulton County Chief Judge Ural Glanville was accused of breaking the law during the trial of Atlanta rapper Young Thug. Glanville was accused of holding an improper meeting with prosecutors and a witness for the prosecution, without the defendants or their attorneys being present. The judge was also criticised for holding the defence attorney, Brian Steel, in contempt of court and sentencing him to jail time after he refused to reveal his source of information about the meeting. As a result of these actions, multiple defendants filed complaints and motions to recuse, and Glanville was ultimately removed from the case.

Judge Glanville's secret meeting with prosecutors and a witness

Judge Ural Glanville, the presiding judge in the case of the State of Georgia vs. Young Thug (Jeffrey Williams) and others, was removed from the case after holding a secret meeting with prosecutors and a witness for the prosecution. The meeting, which took place on June 10, 2024, included the witness, Kenneth Copeland, and his lawyers, but no defence lawyers were present or even informed of the meeting. Copeland had been jailed for contempt of court after refusing to testify, and was released on June 10, the same day as the secret meeting.

Brian Steel, the attorney for Young Thug, filed a motion for mistrial based on the "improper conduct" of the court and prosecutors. Steel was held in contempt of court and sentenced to jail time for refusing to reveal his source for knowledge of the meeting. This sentence was later overturned by the Georgia Supreme Court.

In her decision to recuse Judge Glanville, Judge Rachel Krause said that she believed Glanville could have continued presiding fairly, but that "the 'necessity of preserving the public’s confidence in the judicial system' weighs in favor of excusing Judge Glanville from further handling of this case."

The trial against Young Thug and others, which began in January 2023, has been described as the longest in Georgia's history. It has been beset by delays, and the recusal of Judge Glanville will likely cause further postponements.

Judge Glanville's refusal to disclose the meeting transcript

Judge Ural Glanville's refusal to disclose the transcript of the ex parte meeting with the witness, Kenneth Copeland, and the prosecution was deemed "improper" and "illegal". Brian Steel, the attorney for the rapper Young Thug (Jeffrey Williams), filed a motion for a mistrial, citing that the meeting violated his client's "Constitutional and Statutory rights, including the right to due process, a fair trial, a fair tribunal, ethical prosecutors and the right to be present at every critical stage of the proceedings".

Glanville's refusal to provide the transcript of the meeting was a significant factor in the decision to recuse him from the case. In her ruling, Judge Rachel Krause noted that while she believed Glanville could have continued presiding fairly, maintaining the "public's confidence in the judicial system" took precedence. She also cited case law, stating that while a judge could disclose information about their potential recusal, it must be done objectively and without argument. Glanville's comments about the recusal requests, where he "added facts, provided context, questioned the veracity of allegations, and otherwise explained his decisions and actions", were deemed inappropriate.

Glanville's refusal to disclose the transcript and his handling of the situation led to widespread criticism and calls for his recusal. Atlanta-based appellate attorney Andrew Fleischman stated that Glanville's remarks threatening someone who had moved to recuse him were "another reason for him to step down". Legal commentator Pam Keith also argued that Glanville should recuse himself, not only for holding an "improper" ex parte meeting but also because he "made himself a witness to a crime" by holding Steel in criminal contempt.

The refusal to disclose the transcript of the meeting and the subsequent motions for recusal caused a significant delay in the trial, which was already the longest in Georgia's history. The new judge, Shukura Ingram, would have to decide whether to move forward or recuse herself, potentially causing further delays.

Judge Glanville's threat to defence attorney Doug Weinstein

Judge Ural Glanville's threat to defence attorney Doug Weinstein was an indirect one. Glanville held a secret meeting with prosecutors and a state witness, Kenneth Copeland, in which he is said to have pressured Copeland to testify by threatening to hold him in jail indefinitely if he refused. Copeland had previously indicated that he would exercise his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.

Weinstein, along with co-counsel Katie Hingerty, representing Deamonte Kendrick, filed a motion to recuse Glanville from the case, citing "serious breaches" of Georgia's Code of Judicial Conduct that violated their client's constitutional rights. Glanville denied the motion and obstructed defence counsel's attempts to have a disinterested party review the allegations.

Weinstein and Hingerty's emergency petition stated that Glanville's "obstruction of (the) defendant's right to a fair and impartial trial" had risen to a level that any attempt to resolve the matter in Fulton County Superior Court would be ineffective. They also claimed that Glanville had "hindered defence counsel's ability to effectively pursue relief by claiming judicial privilege".

Glanville denied wrongdoing and refused to provide a transcript of the meeting. He also demanded to know how the defence attorneys had found out about the meeting. When Weinstein's colleague, Brian Steel, refused to divulge his source, Glanville held him in criminal contempt and sentenced him to 20 days in jail.

Judge Glanville's refusal to issue a certificate of immediate review

Judge Ural Glanville's refusal to issue a certificate of immediate review is one of the many controversies surrounding the YSL RICO trial of rapper Young Thug (Jeffrey Williams) and others. The controversy began when Glanville held an "ex parte meeting" with the prosecution, lawyers representing witness Kenneth Copeland, and Copeland himself, without the knowledge of the defence. Copeland had previously been held in contempt of court and jailed for refusing to testify.

In response to this meeting, Brian Steel, Young Thug's attorney, filed a motion for a mistrial, accusing Glanville and the prosecution of witness tampering. Steel also refused to reveal his source of information about the meeting, leading Glanville to hold him in contempt of court and sentence him to 20 days in jail. Steel appealed this sentence and was granted a stay by the Georgia Supreme Court.

Doug Weinstein, another defence attorney in the trial, then sought Glanville's recusal and requested a halt to the trial until the motion was heard by another judge. Glanville denied this motion, stating that it would require him to do something "extrajudicial". Weinstein disagreed with this characterisation and asked Glanville if he was interested in removing the "cloud" hanging over the case. Glanville responded by warning Weinstein to be "very careful".

Weinstein's request for a certificate of immediate review was also refused by Glanville, who claimed that he would not grant a motion for such a certificate. This refusal was labelled as "an error" by Weinstein.

Glanville's actions throughout the trial have been widely criticised, with some arguing that he demonstrated bias, created a conflict through his actions, and made himself a witness to a crime by holding Steel in contempt. Ultimately, Glanville was officially recused from the case and replaced by Judge Shukura L. Ingram.

Judge Glanville's improper conduct and judicial misconduct

Judge Ural Glanville's improper conduct and judicial misconduct during the trial of Atlanta rapper Young Thug and others led to his recusal from the case. Here are the details of his improper conduct and judicial misconduct:

Improper Meetings and Witness Tampering

Glanville was accused of holding an "improper" and "secret" meeting, or an ex parte meeting, with prosecutors and their witness, Kenneth Copeland, without the knowledge or presence of the defence attorneys. This was deemed a violation of the defendants' rights to due process and a fair trial. There were also allegations that Copeland was coerced into testifying by threatening him with indefinite jail time if he refused.

Contempt of Court

Glanville held defence attorney Brian Steel in contempt of court and ordered him to jail when Steel refused to disclose how he learned about the secret meeting. Steel argued that he was protecting his client's constitutional rights and should not be forced to reveal his source of information. The Supreme Court of Georgia later granted Steel a Supersedeas Bond, and he did not have to serve time in jail.

Intimidation and Threats

During the trial, Glanville was accused of intimidating and threatening defence attorney Doug Weinstein, who sought his recusal. Weinstein claimed that Glanville's remarks were inappropriate and provided further evidence for his recusal.

Failure to Provide Transcript

Glanville initially denied the defence's request for the transcript of the ex parte meeting, which was seen as a refusal to provide crucial information and a lack of transparency.

Bias and Impropriety

Glanville's conduct throughout the trial gave the appearance of bias and impropriety. Defence attorneys, including Weinstein, stated that Glanville's actions and comments demonstrated bias against the defendants. Judge Rachel Krause, who granted the recusal, also noted that preserving the public's confidence in the judicial system was a factor in her decision.

Judicial Misconduct and Improper Role

Legal commentators and analysts, such as Pam Keith and Phil Holloway, argued that Glanville engaged in judicial misconduct by holding an improper ex parte meeting and making himself a witness to a crime by holding Steel in contempt. They also criticised his attempts to strong-arm counsel and his refusal to recuse himself despite the apparent conflict of interest.

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