Rapper Yak Gotti, who was indicted alongside Young Thug, stabbed in jail
Yak Gotti, a co-defendant in the prolonged case against YSL, rapper Young Thug's alleged street gang, was stabbed in jail Sunday, authorities and his lawyer confirmed.
Gotti, whose real name is Deamonte Kendrick, is one of two men still awaiting a verdict after being indicted alongside Young Thug in 2022 on gang, murder, drug and gun charges.
"Kendrick received treatment for minor injuries from a sharp object at the Fulton County Jail," Fulton County Sheriff's Office communications director Natalie Ammons said in an emailed statement to Paste BN Monday. Ammons confirmed that Kendrick would appear in court Monday and that an investigation was underway.
"The incident occurred at the South Annex in Union City where both men were being housed," Ammons wrote. It is unclear who the assailant was.
"I spoke to Deamonte last night, and while he sounded tired I expect him to make a full recovery," Kendrick's lawyer Doug Weinstein wrote in an X post Monday morning. "I expect to be able to see him in court today and will know more then. Please keep Deamonte in your prayers, along with all those housed in our Fulton county jails."
The news of Kendrick's stabbing is just the latest incident in a long and winding trial which included deliberations on whether or not rap lyrics can be used as evidence and attorneys themselves being taken into custody.
Shannon Stillwell, who is on trial alongside Kendrick, was also stabbed in a 2023 incident. The men are the only two remaining defendants in a case that named 28 co-conspirators in the state's RICO case, facing allegations of violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
President-elect Donald Trump was charged under the same law in Georgia for conspiring to Georgia's electoral votes. The law allows prosecutors to connect the dots of multiple crimes (and multiple defendants) to tell a clear story of conspiracy.
The larger case against YSL or "Young Slime Life," which prosecutors allege was the name of a violent street gang, represents the longest criminal trial in Georgia's history. Young Thug was accused, along with conspirators, of founding YSL, perpetrating violence and using his music to promote it. The defense team countered that YSL is merely an acronym for Young Stoner Life, a record label.
Young Thug himself, whose real name is Jeffery Lamar Williams, pleaded guilty in October, but avoided prison time with probation. Several other defendants have accepted plea deals while Stillwell and Kendrick have not.
Jury deliberations will resume Monday for both Kendrick and Stillwell as the Georgia courts prepare to wind down the marathon-length legal proceedings.
Contributing: Edward Segarra, Ken Tran