Who Is YSL Woody? The Star Witness In YSL Trial

Within the high-stakes trial of rapper Younger Thug, one identify has repeatedly surfaced as a central determine within the courtroom drama: Kenneth Copeland, higher often known as YSL Woody. Copeland has change into the focus of a case that has captivated the state of Georgia and hip-hop at massive. His testimony has been each erratic and unpredictable, creating additional issues in an already convoluted trial. As a former affiliate of Younger Thug, Woody’s cooperation—or lack thereof—might show pivotal within the prosecution’s try and hyperlink the rapper to felony actions.

YSL Woody, born Kenneth Copeland, has a checkered historical past that extends far past his involvement with Younger Thug. His felony document features a 2018 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, stemming from an incident the place he left an assault rifle on the bleachers of a leisure heart in Atlanta. Regardless of the presence of youngsters and different neighborhood members, Woody reportedly appeared unfazed, leaving the weapon unattended whereas he performed basketball. This reckless conduct led to his arrest and subsequent federal jail sentence.

In 2021, Woody discovered himself in authorized bother once more when a site visitors cease revealed he was carrying a weapon, a severe offense for a convicted felon. Going through a possible decade-long sentence, Woody selected a special path: he turned an informant. Throughout a three-hour interrogation, he supplied detectives with vital data on a number of crimes, each previous and future, and even expressed willingness to assist safe a confession from Younger Thug, a element that later leaked to social media.

Woody’s involvement within the Younger Thug trial is much from simple. Because the prosecution’s star witness, his testimony has been marked by erratic conduct. Earlier this yr, on the stand, Woody has alternated between cooperation and defiance, typically showing disinterested or confused. His antics have included yawning, spinning in his chair, and often questioning the prosecutors with “whatchu imply?” This unpredictable conduct has led to repeated admonishments from Fulton County Superior Court docket Chief Decide Ural Glanville (who has since stepped down from the case), who needed to remind Woody to face when jurors enter and go away the courtroom.

Woody’s actions haven’t solely annoyed the prosecution however have additionally led to rigidity along with his authorized illustration. He abruptly fired his stand-in lawyer in the course of the trial, declaring, “She fired. I don’t need her.”

Regardless of his erratic testimony, Woody’s authorized workforce has managed to safe case immunity for him, that means his statements in courtroom can’t be used towards him regarding his earlier 11 convictions. Nonetheless, this immunity has not quelled Woody’s reluctance to testify. His lawyer indicated that Woody meant to invoke his Fifth Modification proper, a call that might result in contempt of courtroom prices if he refuses to testify regardless of the immunity granted.

The scenario took a dramatic flip when it was revealed that Woody’s authorized workforce may need disclosed an ex parte dialog—a non-public dialogue between the choose and the prosecution—to Younger Thug’s lawyer. This revelation led to Decide Glanville ordering a listening to to find out whether or not Woody and his lawyer ought to be held in contempt of courtroom.

The YSL RICO trial has unfolded with a collection of developments which have added layers of complexity to the case. Among the many most stunning was YSL Woody’s confession that he had fabricated allegations towards Younger Thug. Throughout his testimony on August 12, Woody recounted how he intentionally accused the rapper of crimes to divert legislation enforcement’s consideration away from himself. “The police have been continually concentrating on me,” Woody said. “So, to shift their focus, I began claiming, ‘Thug did this, Thug did that,’ regardless of figuring out these have been false accusations.” Woody’s admission introduces a big wrinkle within the prosecution’s case.

Woody’s testimony additionally revealed that the persistent focus of legislation enforcement on Younger Thug compelled him to proceed his deceit. He described how investigators repeatedly talked about Younger Thug, main him to falsely affirm their assumptions. “They have been fixated on Thug, so I advised them what they appeared to count on,” Woody confessed. “I mentioned, ‘Sure, he dedicated this crime, he did that,’ as a result of I believed they might by no means really pursue him.” Moreover, Woody claimed that the prosecution pressured him to testify in courtroom, regardless of being conscious of the inaccuracies in his prior statements. This assertion raises vital issues concerning the prosecutorial conduct and the integrity of the proof being offered towards Younger Thug.

Although Younger Thug and his co-defendants proceed to struggle their prices, Woody has seemingly leveraged his newfound viral fame right into a profession of types. He’s appeared on a lot of media platforms, together with the 20 V. 1 velocity courting collection. Most lately, he dropped a track titled “I Don’t Recall” following his viral courtroom look.