In most cases it’s best practice to defer to the judge’s way of handling the proceedings. The YSL RICO trial is not one of those cases. Recognizing that Judge Glanville is now also a witness in the damned trial, Young Thug’s lawyer Brian Steel wanted the case given to a different judge. Due Process, you know. I’d also imagine it’s less than enjoyable to argue your case in front of a judge that tried to imprison you.
Newsweek has coverage on Steel’s attempt to kick Glanville off the case, and he minced no words:
“This court has falsely and wrongly accused Affiant, specifically Brian Steel, of being unprofessional and unprepared in front of the jury. Neither claim was close to the truth or was accurate,” Steel said in a sworn affidavit Monday. “The prosecutor sat silent as Affiant was wrongly and falsely accused of improper conduct. This court has violated every neutrality, impartiality that it was sworn to undertake.”
…
“Judge Glanville must cease from any further contact with this case and another judge shall be assigned to hear this Motion to disqualify/recuse Judge Glanville,” the filing read. “Judge Glanville cannot, in any way, oppose this Motion.”
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There are several prima facie reasons for Judge Glanville’s recusal. Andrew Fleishchman took the time to find the specific case law and judicial rules that Glanville is clearly ignoring.
Another valid basis for recusal is continuing, over-the-top rudeness to counsel in front of a jury. For instance, telling a lawyer to "sit down and shut up" when he tries to make an objection.
— Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) June 19, 2024
If a motion to recuse is "sufficient," which is to say, if it would require recusal if you assume everything in it is true, then you are entitled to have another judge rule on the motion to recuse.
— Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) June 19, 2024
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It’s like having a junior associate who’s never off the clock.
And about that ex parte meeting? Judge Glanville has tried to claim that it’s privileged based on attorney-client-and-oh-also-the-judge privilege. It seems like there might’ve been several more hyphens in this new brand of privilege:
Clip of Kayla Bumpus, lawyer for Lil Woody, confirming there were 14 people present in the “secret” ex parte meeting that Judge Glanville claims was privileged. pic.twitter.com/O7eC72ul3c
— THUGGERDAILY ひ (@ThuggerDaily) June 20, 2024
If all this isn’t enough to sway you that Glanville must recuse, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that you aren’t alone. The bad news is the only other person that you’re sharing a table with is Glanville himself. And, given that his takes on judicial ethics are so plainly wrong any 1L would do a double take, I don’t think that’s a table you want to be sitting at. For example:
https://twitter.com/KathrynTewson/status/1803079017752559794
Really makes you wonder what conduct the other judges are up to if a Chief Judge thinks that doing this during a high profile & live streamed case is above board.
Judge in Fani Willis Case Hit With ‘Nuclear’ Recusal Filing [Newsweek]
Earlier: There’s No Going Back To Normal For The YSL Case
Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s. He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at [email protected] and by tweet at @WritesForRent.