I asked Hamasaki how much social media played a role in the Drakeo case. “You gave me PTSD,” he sighed. “I think we had 4 terabytes of discoveries. Direct messages, photos, videos. Backup accounts on Instagram or Twitter. Everything they could get electronically now, they did. The problem is, prosecutors can go in and get from here And pick snippets out there to paint a picture. From the defensive end, you’re going in and you have to fill the picture.” Using these lyric snippets and social media, prosecutors will try to build on YSL’s history as a hierarchical criminal organization.
Hamasaki added that the use of social media as evidence doesn’t just happen in high-profile cases. “Social media is a regular tool in law enforcement’s toolbox,” he said, adding that police departments often obtain warrants by exploiting activity on social media. “They’ll put it in legalese, but they’re basically saying, ‘Here’ — on social media — ‘is evidence of X’s crime.’ Warrants are awarded multiple times a day.”
The Thug and Gunna indictment is filled with seemingly damning charges against their 26 co-indictees, including attempted murder of young rapper YFN Lucci and aggravated assault on elder statesman Lil Wayne. There are also allegations of possession of cocaine and oxycodone.
If there is evidence of these charges, Fulton County prosecutors may bring strong charges against the co-defendants. But the way these alleged crimes are linked to Gunna (aka Sergio Kitchens) and Thug (aka Jeffery Williams) is through content posted online. Some versions of the following are stated over and over in the indictment: “Defendant JEFFERY WILLIAMS, a partner of YSL, appeared in a video posted on social media titled ‘Eww’ in which Defendant said ‘Red and Elmo’ Same, but never a fucking smirk’…a blatant act that fuels a conspiracy.”
I asked Hamasaki if he thought the prosecutors in the Drakeo case were making their arguments in good faith. Do they really believe that a lyric about murder is a confession? Hamasaki chose his wording carefully, saying, “I do find it hard to find their inability to distinguish fact from fiction to be credible.”
in a situation like this In the case of Thug, Gunna and YSL, the definition of artistic expression became a matter of debate. After their arrests, Willis noted that the First Amendment is a “precious” American right, but “if it does, it still doesn’t protect people from prosecutors using it as evidence.” But as Gunna’s attorneys put it, “the state’s inclusion of lyrics as part of its charges is highly questionable. The lyrics are the creative expression of the artist, not a literal account of facts and circumstances.”
Producer JoogSZN is a collaborator and friend of Drakeo. “It’s the only art form that’s seen as an autobiography rather than an art form,” he said.Joog and Drakeo were released months before Drakeo was released Thanks for using GTL, a critically acclaimed album, recorded over the phone via the inexpensive Global Tel Link prison phone service. Joog, who spoke with Drakeo every day during his incarceration, said their conversation was filled with laughter as they slammed around the basic suspicions surrounding the prosecution’s case.
