Co-founder of YSL gang denied bond in RICO conspiracy case tied to rapper Young Thug

ATLANTA — A judge denied bond Tuesday for another man accused of being a co-founder of the gang known as YSL, or Young Slime Life.

Police arrested more than two dozen people, including rapper Young Thug, and accused them of running the violent gang.

After the judge’s bond ruling against Walter Murphy, his attorney Jacoby Hudson admits he went off.

“He’s changed, judge! He’s crying. He’s doing the right thing,” Hudson told the judge.

The defense lawyer said Murphy’s situation is tied to a high-profile co-defendant in the YSL case to the gang and RICO conspiracy charges against famous rapper Jeffery Williams, a.k.a. Young Thug, whose attorney Brian Steel has said, “Mr. Williams committed no crime.”

“The whole case is about Young Thug — Jeffrey Lamar Williams. That’s who they want. My client don’t want to talk about Jeffery Williams,” Hudson said.

A prosecutor with the Fulton County District Attorney’s office said Hudson was told if Murphy cooperated with the DA’s office, the office would cooperate with him routinely in such cases.

Hudson said he acknowledges before Murphy, who surrendered on the YSL racketeering conspiracy indictment, went to prison in 2016.

RELATED STORIES:

• Rapper Gunna surrenders on RICO charges related to gang indictment of Young Thug, YSL members
• Here are the people facing charges in the indictment that includes rapper Young Thug
• ‘I’m gonna fight for him to the end:’ Young Thug’s father says he’s been wrongly accused

“I did my time like a man,” Murphy told Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne in a previously exclusive interview.

“He was messed up in 2012, and ‘13 and ‘15, but he has since changed,” Hudson said.

The YSL RICO conspiracy count alleges acts by Murphy, including an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on or about Sept. 11, 2013, and attempted murder involving four different victims on or about April 12, 2015.

Hudson said Murphy had been charged in those incidents years ago and he pled guilty or guilty in what’s known as an Alford Plea, basically to reduced charges, and until his surrender, had been out on parole since early this year.

Winne spoke to Murphy when he was free.

“I spent seven years in prison. While I was in prison, you know, I stayed out the way and I just got my GED, completed all my classes,” Murphy said.

A prosecutor said a victim in one of the incidents in Murphy’s past lost part of his head in the shooting.

Hudson said Murphy was present — not the triggerman — in the shooting of a man who lost part of his head.

Hudson acknowledges the pleas he worked out to Murphy’s earlier cases were sweet deals, but he maintains Murphy made the most of them and since his release, has not associated with YSL and has held a steady job.

“He changed his tune and changed his life,” Hudson said.

RELATED NEWS:

Prosecutors say Young Thug, alleged gang members have been committing crimes for past decade Here is a look at some of the cases that we have covered related to this week's indictment.

©2022 Cox Media Group