They say the various defendants in the case took part in a pattern of racketeering activity that ranged from armed robbery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon to murder. No bond hearings for Gunna had been set as of Thursday afternoon.įulton County prosecutors claim Kitchens, Williams, and the other defendants are members or associates of the alleged “criminal street gang” called Young Slime Life (YSL), a purported offshoot of the national Bloods gang. Novay said in a statement sent to Rolling Stone. Kitchens has been an advocate for his community, and it is our privilege to advocate for him,” his defense lawyers Donald F. Kitchens, an entertainer and philanthropist, created the first ever local free in-school grocery and clothing store feeding over 400 children weekly, and nationally sponsored giveaways for victims of disasters and food shortages. The indictment falsely portrays his music as part of criminal conspiracy. Sergio Kitchens, known as Gunna, is innocent. They added that Kitchens, 28, is a life-long Georgia resident who “regularly donates his own funds and his time to numerous philanthropic organizations.” Kitchens.” They said their client “ultimately entered a guilty plea to a window tint violation.” 24, 2017 stems from a separate case where the district attorney of Dekalb County “dismissed all charges against Mr. With regard to Count 1, they say the allegation that Kitchens was in a car with a stolen firearm, methamphetamine, oxycodone and marijuana on Sept. Kitchens,” they argue.Īccording to the lawyers, the indictment presents their client’s history in “a misleading manner.” In fact, a large portion of the quoted lyrics were not written or performed by Mr. Kitchens mostly describe non-criminal conduct such as quoting song lyrics. “The few ‘overt acts’ in the indictment that mention Mr. It cites the lyrics, “for slimes you know I kill” and “pay for that casket, that’s just if we whack em” from the song “Take It To Trial” and references to a gang and a firearm in “Ski.” The grand jury indictment that led Gunna to turn himself in Wednesday, May 11, cites his collaborations with Young Thug, real name Jeffery Williams, in videos released on social media over the last two years. Under the state’s theory, any artist with a song referencing violence could find herself the victim of a RICO indictment,” the motion reads. These lyrics are an artist’s creative expression and not a literal recounting of facts and circumstances. “It is intensely problematic that the state relies on song lyrics as part of its allegations. In their new motion seeking Gunna’s release on bond, the lawyers say the “Drip Too Hard” hitmaker is a Grammy-nominated artist with “no significant criminal history” who shouldn’t be in a position where song lyrics are used to keep him locked up. Gunna’s legal team is blasting his RICO indictment as “intensely problematic” and fighting to get the rapper sprung from custody after he was booked into a Georgia jail in the sprawling gang conspiracy case that also landed fellow Atlanta rapper Young Thug behind bars this week.
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