Fulton County prosecutors allege that Kahlieff Adams, one of Young Thug’s co-defendants, handed him a Percocet pill in open court Wednesday — and say surveillance footage proves it.
Courtroom security footage obtained by Channel 2 Action News appears to show Adams handing something to Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams.
“Defendant Adams, who is currently serving a life-without-parole sentence for murder, conducted a hand-to-hand drug transaction with Defendant Jeffery Lamar Williams, in open court,” the state’s motion said. “As a result of Defendant Williams’ and Defendant Adams’ possession and distribution, respectively, of contraband, court was delayed and adjourned before a single juror hardship was addressed for the day,” according to the state’s motion, which argues that the actions delayed jury selection.
Attorney Teombre Calland, who represents Adams, dismissed the claims.
“Mr. Adams adamantly maintains his innocence and looks forward to the conclusion of this trial,” she said.
Attorney Keith Adams, who represents Williams, said the motion “is replete with factual inaccuracies, embellishments and attempts to make Mr. Williams responsible for someone else’s actions. The end result of an investigation into (Wednesday’s) incident was that Mr. Williams was not engaged in any wrongdoing.”
Williams is accused of being the leader of Young Slime Life, an alleged criminal street gang based in southwest Atlanta. He is set to stand trial along with 13 other alleged associates. The defense maintains YSL is just a record label, not a gang.
Suri Chadha Jimenez, who represents co-defendant Cordarius Dorsey, said in a motion the DA’s office “deliberately published” its version of events knowing media coverage would follow.
Courthouse visitors must go through security checkpoints, empty their pockets and remove jackets and bags. Deputies then usher them through a metal detector while their belongings are run through an X-ray machine.
There have been multiple contraband instances at the Fulton County jail. In June, a 45-year-old maintenance worker was arrested after jail officials accused him of bringing marijuana, cigarettes and a cellphone to detainees.
A month earlier, a 24-year-old medical worker attempted to bring in drugs and tobacco products. The woman panicked during questioning and bolted, leaving behind 192 grams of pot, 20 grams of suspected crack cocaine and tobacco, officials said. She was arrested weeks later in Mississippi.
Another contracted medical assistant was arrested at the jail earlier this month after deputies found marijuana and tobacco inside her food containers, authorities said.
Chief Judge Ural Glanville placed court in recess shortly after Wednesday’s incident, the third incident involving contraband brought into the courthouse in recent days.
“The reason for the delay is that we’ve had yet another instance of alleged contraband being introduced to our space. As a result of that and a subsequent investigation, one of our inmates unfortunately had to go to Grady hospital,” Glanville said, referring to Kahlieff Adams.
Deputies approached Williams after the alleged handoff. According to the state’s motion, Williams gave deputies the Percocet.
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Deputies then searched Kahlieff Adams, who initially resisted, and found Percocet, marijuana, tobacco and other contraband wrapped in plastic and food seasonings to hide the odor, the state said.
“Deputies quickly apprehended the detainee and took possession of the contraband, and completed a search to ensure no more contraband was present,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Kahlieff Adams was taken to the hospital after he appeared to have ingested items in what the state said was to conceal further crimes.
Jimenez said Kahlieff Adams was taken to a holding area following the encounter. Defense attorneys saw “at least two officers remove their belts and firearms” before going into the holding area, he said, then heard “several minutes” of loud noises coming from the back.
He asserts that deputies used a Taser on Kahlieff Adams before taking him to the hospital.
“Mr. Adams was also transported because he needed medical assistance after being tased several times by officers,” Jimenez wrote, raising concerns that some potential jurors heard the commotion.
He asked that the GBI investigate whether a crime took place in the courtroom and whether excessive forced was used by deputies.
Kahlieff Adams, who is serving a life sentence at Hays State Prison for a 2019 murder conviction, was back in court Thursday morning. He is charged with conspiracy to violate the state’s RICO Act and attempted murder in the sprawling gang case. He is now also charged with possession of schedule II controlled substances, two counts of willful obstruction of law enforcement officers, possession of marijuana less than an ounce and possession of an alcoholic beverage by an inmate.
Co-defendants Rodalius Ryan and Damone Blalock were also charged in Wednesday’s incident. Ryan was charged with unauthorized possession of a prohibited item by an inmate, and Blalock was charged with giving an inmate a prohibited item without authorization.
Williams was not charged in the incident.
“The responsible parties were charged and appeared in court for first appearances (Thursday) morning,” said attorney Keith Adams, who is not related to defendant Kahlieff Adams.
All three had their first appearance hearings and were denied bond on their new charges.
More than 600 potential jurors were summoned to court at the beginning of the year. Weeks later, prosecutors and defense attorneys are still working through hardships and haven’t seated a single person. Most of those who have asked to be excused say they can’t afford to miss work to serve on a jury for six to nine months, which is how long the trial is expected to last.
