Kodak Black’s lawyer has something to say in defense of Young Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel.
Steel was held in contempt of court on Monday in the ongoing YSL Rico trial after he refused to disclose his source who conveyed information about a closed-doors meeting between the prosecutors, the judge, and key witness Kenneth Copeland.
As a result, Judge Ural Glanville handed Steel a 20-day jail sentence to be served on weekends, accusing the attorney and his colleague Keith Davis of attempting to “extort the court.” Steel is set to begin his jail sentence on June 14.
Now Kodak Black’s lawyer, Bradford Cohen, is speaking out in defense of Steel, criticizing the judge on social media and insisting the incident should result in a mistrial.
“This case and judge is off the reservation. This is an instant mistrial. I cannot believe the Judge thinks taking a defense [attorney] into custody isn't a mistrial,” wrote Cohen on his X account on Monday. “BRIAN STEELE [sic] is a real one. Defense lawyers across the country should be terrified by the lack of judicial knowledge.”
Cohen represented Kodak Black, 27, for his July 2022 drug case where he was accused of possessing a controlled substance without a prescription, as well as trafficking oxycodone. Cohen maintained Kodak's innocence, suggesting that the drug was legally prescribed.
Before he was escorted out of the courtroom on Monday, Brian Steel told the judge, "[Young Thug] does not wish to go forward without me being here. You’re removing me against his will, my will, and you’re taking away his right to counsel. You’re conducting material parts of this trial without me present and I can’t learn about it by watching online, and so for that reason additionally, I ask for a mistrial."
Per legal journalist Meghann Cuniff, Steel is appealing the order and asking for bond.
