Fani Willis pushed back hard Thursday (June 5) when pressed about the lack of murder convictions in the sprawling YSL trial, calling the prosecution a success and defending her use of Georgia’s RICO law.
The Fulton County District Attorney clashed with a reporter during a press conference after being asked whether the years-long case was worth the taxpayer expense, given that no one was convicted of murder.
“My message to taxpayers is: it was an amazing outcome,” Fani Willis said. “We had 19 convictions, and the community is safer.”
The YSL case, which began with a sweeping 56-count indictment in 2022, initially named 28 defendants including rapper Young Thug. Prosecutors alleged the collective operated as a criminal street gang responsible for violent crimes across Atlanta.
Over time, most of the defendants accepted plea deals. Seven cases were dropped, and only one defendant remains on trial.
Young Thug received time served and 15 years probation after pleading guilty to gang and drug charges. Gunna took an Alford plea and got time served plus 500 hours of community service.
The final murder charge was dismissed earlier this week after a plea agreement, meaning the case will end without a single murder conviction.
Critics, including defense attorneys, have questioned whether the prosecution’s heavy reliance on Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act was justified given the outcome. But Willis stood firm.
“I’m going to continue to rely on it—because it works, it’s effective, and it tells jurors the full story,” she said.
When 11Alive’s Chase Houle asked whether the lack of murder convictions meant the case fell short, Willis fired back, accusing defense lawyers of being disconnected from the communities most affected by gang violence.
“You keep going to defense attorneys who put their children in private schools and communities that are not our communities,” she said. “What you need to understand is that there were 19 convictions.”
Willis also pointed to recent coverage of a YSL-linked killing of a 21-year-old mother in front of her toddler, saying it showed why her office’s focus on gang prosecutions mattered.
“Stop glorifying violence and stop acting like some victims don’t matter,” she said. “Victims of all races and all socioeconomic statuses matter.”
When Houle repeated his question about the absence of murder convictions, Willis doubled down.
“We made sure that we got the resolutions we wanted,” she said. “And if people are unhappy with the sentencing, they should elect other judges.”
Willis, who was re-elected with 68% of the vote, said her constituents supported her approach and pointed to falling crime rates in Fulton County as proof of progress.
“Crime here is lower than in most places in the United States,” she said. “I think we’re like number three, and it’s because of the efforts I’ve led against gangs.”
Related
