Wednesday, September 4, 2024
@JozsefPapp_
Judge Whitaker has taken the bench as attorneys work through some issues before Antonio Sledge, a co-defendant who took a plea deal in December 2022, takes the stand to testify.
Attorneys are arguing about what limiting instruction to give jurors about Sledge's guilty plea and the state's intention to use that plea agreement during Sledge's testimony.
Whitaker is on recess until attorneys can review more information and they can resolve these issues.
Antonio Sledge has taken the stand.
Sledge said he knows Kenneth Copeland, Young , Shannon Stillwell, Deamonte Kendrick, Damekion Garlington, Quindarious Zachary, Quantavious Grier (Young 's brother).Sledge said he doesn't know Rodalius Ryan and only knows of Marquavius Huey and Quamarvious Nichols.
Sledge testified that he met Young when the rapper was only 16-years-old.Sledge said he met Shannon Stillwell around 2014-2015.
Sledge said he doesn't have the same relationship with Stillwell since he has been in custody.Deputy DA Love quickly asked Judge Whitaker to strike that testimony and attorney Max Schardt stood up to ask for a mistrial after Sledge's testimony about Stillwell being in jail.
Schardt said there is no reason, with Sledge cooperating with the state, that Sledge should have said that about Stillwell. Love quickly asks the mistrial motion to be denied.
Whitaker is going to deny the call for a mistrial.
Sledge is back. He clarifies that he does know Rodalius Ryan and identified him inside the courtroom.
Sledge said he met Kenneth Copeland in 2014 over a disagreement but it wasn't that serious but doesn't recall what the disagreement was about.
Sledge said he met Deamonte Kendrick back in 2014 and thinks he was introduced to him at a party and built a good relationship.
Sledge said he met Quantavious Grier, Young 's brother, in 2019 after they both got out of custody and said they build a relationship.
Sledge said he knows Young personally and has known him for 15 years and met him when he started to go to Cleveland Avenue to play basketball.
"Once I met Jeffery, we had a great relationship," Sledge said about meeting him in 2009.Sledge said he used to go to a couple of his shows at nightclubs and support Young .
Sledge testified that he would visit Young 's home a lot and knows the rapper's parents and had a good relationship.Sledge, who was outside the courtroom yesterday, he said he spoke to Young 's father but did not discuss the YSL case.
Sledge seems to be comfortable testifying and answering Deputy DA Love's questions.
Sledge is turned towards the jury when answering questions.
Sledge said he worked together with Kendrick, Stillwell and Young while going on tour.Sledge said he was head of security for the YSL record label and he personally picked the security guards at each city.
Sledge said he started working as head of security for YSL in 2015 for Young 's Rodeo tour with Travis Scott.Sledge said he used to party with Kendrick, Stillwell and Young at nightclubs and Young 's house.
"YSL is not a gang," Sledge said after Love asked him if he was part of a gang called YSL.Sledge also testified that he has never been a part of a gang known as YSL.
Sledge seems to have changed his tone in answering questions after Love started to ask about YSL being a gang.
Sledge showing a YSL “hand signal” to the jury.
Sledge said he loves Stillwell, Kendrick and Young and had a personal relationship with all of them.He also loves Garlington and Copeland.
Sledge said he has heard members of YSL "Slime" and has called members of YSL "Slime.""It's just a slang word we use towards each other," Sledge said, adding that he also calls random people "Slime.”
Sledge said he has heard Kendrick, Stillwell and Young say "Slime" before.
Sledge testified that nobody has committed a crime on behalf of YSL that he knows of.
Love is reading directly from the factual acknowledgments of Sledge's plea agreement when asking her specific questions.
Sledge asked to talk to his lawyer, so we are on a break.
