Fulton DA Fani Willis’ other high-profile cases

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has gained national prominence since her decision to investigate and criminally charge former President Donald Trump and his allies in Georgia’s election interference case.

The judge presiding over closely watched proceedings ruled Friday that Willis must either step aside or cut ties with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she hired to head the Trump investigation, after the pair’s previous romantic relationship came to light.

Aside from the Trump investigation, Willis’ office has taken on other high-profile cases:

• The slow-moving gang and racketeering trial against Atlanta rapper Young Thug and others. Jury selection began in January 2023; it’s now the longest criminal trial in state history, and defense attorneys say the case could stretch well into 2025. Nine of the 28 people initially indicted have taken plea deals; another 12 had their cases and will be tried separately.
• Willis used the state’s gang and racketeering laws to prosecute another rapper, YFN Lucci. The musician, whose real name is Rayshawn Bennett, pleaded guilty in January for his role in a drive-by shooting that left one man dead.
• Willis is pursuing the death penalty against the 2021 spa shooting suspect. While running for office in 2020, Willis said she couldn’t foresee a case in which she would pursue the death penalty, calling life in prison without the possibility of parole “an appropriate remedy.” That changed after authorities say Robert Aaron Long went on a shooting rampage at three metro Atlanta spas, killing eight people and wounding a ninth. Six of the eight killed were Asian women. Long pleaded guilty in the Cherokee shootings and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
• Willis has indicted a number of current and former law enforcement officers in police shootings and other use-of-force cases.
• Rather than retrying Tex McIver for the 2016 shooting death of his wife, Diane, Willis’ office in January agreed to let him plead guilty to lesser charges, including involuntary manslaughter.
• Willis made a name for herself as the lead prosecutor in the Atlanta Public Schools test cheating case, which prior to YSL was the longest trial in Georgia history.

Atlanta Rapper Young Thug sits in court ahead of the second week of his trial on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023. Miguel Martinez /miguel.martinezjimenez@ajc.com