Young Thug’s co-defendant handed him a painkiller in court, DA says video shows

Fulton County, Georgia prosecutors allege that one of Young Thug’s co-defendants handed him a prescription painkiller in open court Wednesday — and that they have the surveillance footage to prove it.

In a motion filed Thursday evening, the district attorney’s office said the award-winning rapper, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, was given a Percocet by co-defendant Kahlieff Adams.

Courtroom security footage obtained by Channel 2 Action News appears to show Adams stand up and walk over to Williams before handing him something. Williams was seated at a separate table next to his attorney at the time.

“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 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 motion, which argues that the actions delayed jury selection.

Attorney Keith Adams, who represents Williams, disputed the facts in the motion and said it tries to blame Williams for others’ actions.

“The state’s motion is replete with factual inaccuracies, embellishments and attempts to make Mr. Williams responsible for someone else’s actions,” the attorney said in a statement. “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. He is set to stand trial along with 13 other alleged associates.

Chief Judge Ural Glanville placed court in recess shortly after the alleged contraband incident took place.

“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.

Deputies approached Williams after the alleged handoff and demanded he turn over the contraband. According to the motion, Williams gave deputies the Percocet.

Deputies then searched Khalieff Adams, who initially resisted, and found Percocet, marijuana, tobacco and other contraband wrapped in plastic and food seasonings to hide the odor, according to the motion.

“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.

Khalieff Adams was then taken to Grady Memorial Hospital after he appeared to have ingested other items of contraband that he had in his possession in what the motion said was an effort to conceal further crimes.

Adams, who is serving a life sentence at Hays State Prison after he was convicted of murder in 2019, was back in court Thursday morning. He is charged with conspiracy to violate the RICO Act and attempted murder.

As a result of the contraband incident, Adams was 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. Ryan was charged with unauthorized possession of a prohibited item by an inmate, and Blalock was charged with obtain/procure/give inmate 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,” Keith Adams said.

All three had their first appearance hearings during a lunch break Thursday and were denied bond on their new charges.

The incident was the third involving contraband brought into the courthouse in recent days.