ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 03: Rapper Young Thug attends the game between the Phoenix Suns and the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on February 03, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
Young Thug‘s RICO trial has been shaken up a bit after two of his YSL co-defendants’ attorneys revealed they are pregnant, and now the pair may face trial at a later date if prosecutors get their way.
Prosecution filed a motion this week to sever Tenquarius Mender and Kahlieff Adams from Thug’s trial following to the revelation that their lawyers are pregnant, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Adams and Mender’s attorneys have “impending and imminent personal leave of absence” in the near future ahead of Thug’s trial, prosecutors say, which is set to last upwards of six to nine months, the outlet reports. It’s unclear exactly how far along each woman is in their pregnancies.
Mender’s and Adams lawyers dismissed the idea that they cannot fully represent their clients while pregnant, with the former’s attorney Nicole Megan claiming “if Rihanna can do it, I’m sure that we can both adequately represent out clients.”
“I don’t think pregnancy should be treated as a disease or a disability,” Mender’s lawyer Nicole Fegan told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “If Rihanna can do it, I’m sure that we can both adequately represent our clients.”
Last year, Fegan had requested the court to severe her client from Young Thug’s case, however her motion was denied. Interestingly enough, she is now objecting to the state trying her client separately, calling the move “expensive and potentially prejudicial.”
“I think at this point, trying them separately would be expensive and potentially prejudicial because the jury selection process has already started,” Fegan contended. “We’ve been on this case since May, and in May I wasn’t pregnant.”
Meanwhile, Adams and Mender have not expressed any interest in obtaining new legal counsel. This new motion will be heard at the earliest Tuesday (Feb. 21).
Young Thug and 13 co-defendants are currently facing trial in a sweeping RICO case against YSL members. The group, known as Young Slime Life, have been characterized as a Bloods-affiliate street gang responsible for a number of crimes in recent years.
Jury selection remains ongoing and will likely take months, the outlet reports.
Adams, one of the two co-defendants in question, was caught on camera handing a Percocet to Thug during the middle of court last month, The Shade Room reported.
Adams claims he was assaulted by court officers immediately after passing the drugs to Young Thug.
There were initially 26 YSL co-defendants, but 13 have taken plea deals, including Thug’s own brother Unfoonk and fellow rapper Gunna.
As for Young Thug, the rapper is only receiving eight charges after initially facing a total of 65 counts, a judge announced last month, per The Shade Room.
The eight charges include conspiracy to violate the R.I.C.O. act, two counts of participation in criminal street gang activity and possession of both marijuana and codeine with intent to distribute.
