Witness Text Messages From Fani’s Office Made Public
On Monday, shocking text messages were revealed in court, showing that an investigator with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' office had hit on a witness while working on a high-profile case. The trial in question is the RICO trial against rapper Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffrey Williams, and several co-defendants. As proceedings continued, new details emerged about the inappropriate conduct of an investigator for the DA's office.
During the questioning of a female witness identified as A. Bennett, Williams' attorney Keith Adams brought up messages she had received from county investigator Hamilton. One message read, "Hit me up if you're bored later. We're not gonna talk shop." When asked by Adams what the investigator had wanted to speak about, Bennett testified that Hamilton had asked her out on a date.
Shocking revelations continued to come to light as it was revealed that Hamilton had referred to the witness as "mama" multiple times in his messages. In one message, he stated, "Go[o]d mo[rning] Mama. Hope you slept well. Again don't come at 1:30. I have a feeling the defense will keep this same witness from yesterday all day again today." The witness testified that she felt uncomfortable with this language and the way the investigator was treating her.
Bennett is providing testimony in the case involving a robbery that Williams and two others allegedly committed in 2013. The incident is part of a larger RICO case that Willis brought against Williams and 27 others in May 2022. Willis is accusing Williams of being the leader of Young Slime Life, an Atlanta-based street gang affiliated with the notorious national Bloods gang.
The YSL trial has been ongoing since November and is expected to conclude well into 2024. Monday marked the 54th day of the trial, and the shocking text messages played by Williams' defense team are the latest allegations in a series of sexual harassment claims.
Last month, Bennett made the startling claim that Hamilton had sexually harassed her, even going as far as to state that he wanted to "take her out when the investigation was over." She testified that the investigator had wanted to meet her alone at a restaurant to discuss the case, but she felt uncomfortable and ultimately brought her 2-year-old son along.
Defense attorney Keith Adams asked Bennett whether the fact that "an employee of the district attorney's office was trying to date you" played a role in her decision to testify or not. To which she responded, "Yes," implying that the harassment impacted her decision to testify.
In addition to Hamilton's alleged harassment, Bennett also testified that she had felt uncomfortable around other members of the district attorney's office, including Chief Deputy District Attorney Adriane Love. She claimed that she was continuously harassed by members of the office, even after stating that she had nothing more to say about the alleged robbery.
In light of these reports, Williams' legal team sought to have Love disqualified from the case, arguing that she had made herself a witness by "voluntarily and continuously" involving herself in the investigation. However, the judge overseeing the case ruled against disqualifying Love last week, allowing her to continue on the case.
The revelations in court on Monday raise serious concerns about the behavior and conduct of the Fulton County District Attorney's office. The alleged harassment of a key witness in a high-profile case could have significant implications for the outcome of the trial. Additionally, the fact that other members of the DA's office have been accused of making the witness feel uncomfortable raises questions about the office's culture and practices.
As the trial continues, it is crucial that all parties involved prioritize fairness and justice for both the prosecution and the defense. The allegations of harassment and misconduct must be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate actions must be taken to ensure that fair proceedings are being conducted. The implications of these revelations extend beyond this specific case and could have an impact on the trust and credibility of the entire justice system.
In response to these serious allegations, Newsweek reached out to the Fulton County District Attorney's office for comment. At the time of publishing, no response has been received. As this story continues to develop, it is crucial that these issues are addressed and that the justice system takes appropriate actions to maintain the integrity of its proceedings.