Second judge recuses herself from YSL, Young Thug RICO case citing former court deputy’s involvement
Two days after she was assigned to take over the case against Young Thug and his alleged associates, Fulton County Judge Shukura Ingram recused herself. Ingram said because her courthouse deputy had a romantic relationship with a co-defendant in the case, Christian Eppinger, it could create an “appearance of impropriety.”
She issued an order on Wednesday recusing herself and asking that the case be reassigned.
Ingram was randomly assigned to take the helm of the 19-month-old racketeering and gang case after after Judge Ural Glanville was removed. Eppinger’s case was severed from the rest of the YSL defendants last year after it was alleged the deputy tried to sneak contraband to him in jail with the help of one of his family members. RELATED: Judge recused in Young Thug, YSL trial, documents show Referring to that episode, Judge Ingram wrote the deputy “could be called as a witness in any future proceedings in this case” and so she might “be called upon to assess this deputy’s credibility, or rule on matters related to her criminal prosecution.” “This may undermine the public’s confidence in the impartiality of the proceedings,” Judge Ingram wrote. “While the Court does not regard the aforementioned situation as creating any actual bias for or against any party to this case, the Court does view this as a matter that could cause a reasonable person to question the Court’s impartiality and reasonably give rise to the appearance of impropriety should the Court remain on this case.”