YSL Defendant Yak Gotti Rejects Plea Agreement, Lawyer Says

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – According to his attorney, Yak Gotti rejected the latest plea deal from the Fulton County Prosecutor’s Office in the YSL case.

Douglas Weinstein, who represents Gotti, said his client “fully intends to take this to a jury and get our verdicts of not guilty and go home.”

The trial has been in abeyance since last week when a the witness inadvertently read aloud a hashtag involving one of the defendants, prompting defense attorneys to seek a mistrial. Judge Paige Reese Whitaker said if granted, the mistrial would be without prejudice, allowing the state to retry the case.

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Since the incident, the Fulton County District Attorney’s office has been in negotiations with defense attorneys regarding plea deals. Details of the potential deals were limited until Tuesday, when one of the defendants accepted a plea deal in exchange for dropping most of his charges.

Previous plea agreements in the YSL RICO trial

Developments come a day later two co-defendants in the trial entered into plea agreements to their charges.

Rodalius Ryan, also known as Lil Rod, and Marquavius ​​Huey, known as Qua, entered into plea deals Wednesday afternoon in Fulton County Court.

Ryan, 18, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the state’s anti-racketeering law. His plea Wednesday meant his 10-year sentence on the RICO charge would be commuted to time already served, allowing him to focus on challenging a felony conviction he received when he was 15.

One of Ryan’s lawyers, Leah Abbasi, said they “strongly and categorically deny that YSL is the dangerous criminal street gang it has been made out to be.” She said her client was making the best decision for his future.

Huey’s deal came shortly after Ryan’s. Originally indicted on 19 counts, including RICO violations, multiple counts of armed robbery and participation in a criminal street gang, Huey saw some charges dropped or reduced.

One of Huey’s attorneys, Careton Matthews Sr., said he “categorically and vehemently denies” some of the charges read by the prosecutor, but concedes there is enough evidence to support the charges to which he is pleading guilty. He also pointed out that his client has already been in custody for about four years, which should be considered against the nine years in custody.

The judge sentenced him to 25 years, of which he will serve only nine in prison, and warned him not to violate the terms of his agreement.

“You have a huge opportunity to turn your life around,” she told him, noting that he would likely be out of prison in just a few years.

Tuesday, Quamarvious Nichols, 29 years oldaccepted a plea deal. All but one charge against Nichols was dropped in exchange for his guilty plea to one RICO charge.

Remaining Defendants in YSL RICO Trial

After the plea deals, only three defendants remain on trial, Young Thug, Deamonte “Yak Gotti” Kendrick and Shannon Stillwell.

Jeffery Williams (Young Thug or Slime): Conspiracy to violate RICO, 2 counts of participating in criminal street gang activity, 3 counts of violating the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felonies and possession of a machine gun.

Deamonte Kendrick (Yak Gotti): Conspiracy to violate RICO, murder (2015 murder of Donovan Thomas), participation in criminal street gang activity, 3 counts of violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act, possession of a firearm while commission of a felony, possession of a machine gun, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon previously convicted of a felony involving the use or possession of a firearm.

Shannon Stillwell (Shannon Jackson or SB): Conspiracy to violate RICO, 2 counts of murder (2015 murder of Donovan Thomas Jr. and 2022 murder of Shymel Drinks), 2 counts of participation in criminal street gang activity, 2 counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon previously convicted of a felony involving the use or possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

FOX 5 Atlanta has been following this trial for nearly a year after a jury selection process that lasted nearly 10 months. It is now the longest trial in Georgia’s history.