ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia’s highest court on Tuesday reversed a judge’s contempt ruling against a lawyer for rapper Young Thug who refused to tell the judge how he found out about a meeting between the judge, prosecutors and a prosecution witness.
Defense attorney Brian Steel represents the rapper, who is currently on trial in Atlanta on numerous charges including violation of Georgia’s anti-racketeering and gang laws. Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Ural Glanville in June found Steel in contempt and ordered him to spend the next 10 weekends in jail, an order that was put on hold pending Steel’s appeal.
Steel argued that his information was subject to attorney-client privilege, that he didn’t interfere with the court’s proceedings and that Glanville was required under due process to recuse himself from the contempt proceeding since Steel was accusing the judge of wrongdoing.
The Supreme Court justices agreed with Steel that due process required Glanville to remove himself from the handling of the contempt issue.