Tick's Testimony Continues
Trontavious Stephens continued to testify in the YSL case despite ongoing delays.
Quick stats
Witnesses who have testified: 36 (of roughly 400 witness for the state)
No. of days Trontavious “Tick” or “Slug” Stephens has testified: 7
My assessment
I can’t help but wonder how the delays in this already lengthy case are being perceived by jurors. After taking last week off, court was only in session for two days this week.
Witness Testimonies
Trontavious Stephens aka Tick/Slug
Relevancy: Stephens accepted a plea deal to one count of conspiracy to violate RICO in this case last year, during which he admitted that YSL is a gang that he co-founded.
Read notes about his testimony from previous weeks here and here.
Stephens continued to assert that there’s nothing “sinister” about the use of the word “slime” while being cross examined by Thug’s attorney Brian Steel. In an interesting attempt to show that gang culture is prevalent in hip-hop, Steel introduced video of Snoop Dogg crip walking and wearing blue during his performance with Dr. Dre at the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime show.
Stephens didn’t seem familiar with Tupac’s “Playa Young Thugs,” the song Steel asserts inspired Young Thug’s name. The witness did say the stage name stands for “Truly Humble Under God,” echoing Steel’s opening arguments. When re-examined by Love, Stephens could not point to any song lyrics that specifically reference this acronym.
Max Schardt, attorney for Shannon Stillwell (Jackson), asked Stephens about the incident relating to the carjacking of the Pink Pony South “house mom” in 2013. Stephens said he didn’t participate in the carjacking.
Recall: Stephens was arrested at the apartment complex where the stolen car was found. APD’s Reginald Pettis said Stephens pointed a gun in his direction and was subsequently arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. During cross examination, Pettis said he never saw Stephens interact with the stolen car.
Stephens said he never pointed the gun in the officer’s direction, but admitted to displaying it. He said he didn’t know the men were police officers and was worried they were trying to rob him for his money and drugs.Regarding his drug sales, Stephens said they were “petty” and referred to them as “nickling and diming.” “It wasn’t no life changing money,” he said.
Stephens also denied the prosecution’s assertion that YSL had exclusive claim to selling drugs at several places on Cleveland Ave.