ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – A case against several high profile rap artists, the longest trial in Georgia’s history, essentially ended on Monday.

With the final defendant in the Young Slime Life racketeering case taking a plea deal, the proceedings that lasted over 500 days came to an abrupt end. It saw charges brought against high-profile rappers Young Thug, Gunna, Yak Gotti and other members of YSL — which defendants claim was a record label but prosecutors argued acted as a violent criminal enterprise.

One of the case’s most fascinating sticking points was the attempts by prosecutors to use the artist’s song lyrics as evidence, saying they pointed to proof of actual crimes having been committed. After reviewing their argument, a judge allowed roughly a dozen lyrics to be entered into court.

The fight over that evidence got the attention of state Representative Kasey Carpenter, a Dalton Republican. Carpenter, a huge fan of the arts – especially rap music – swiftly crafted a bill that would require a judge to review all artistic expressive material before it’s shown to a jury. That included song lyrics, art, dance, and any other artistic medium.

“It basically would allow that evidence to be brought before a jury, but it just had to be vetted on the front side by the judge,” said Carpenter on Monday. “Because I think it’s important to allow our artistic folks to express themselves. I mean that’s their jobs.”

House Bill 237 didn’t pass this legislative session, but Carpenter and his sponsors will fight hard for its passage when lawmakers return to the Gold Dome.

“As a big fan of our artistic community in the state, that it was important to get out in front on this issue,” he said. “It’s not just this particular case, there’s cases all over the United States dealing with this stuff.”

Carpenter also said he feared artists leaving Georgia, a state with a successful entertainment industry, if they’re in fear of their work being used as evidence.

“They’re not going to live in the state of Georgia, they’re not going to spend their money in the state of Georgia, they’re not going to pay taxes in the state of Georgia if they feel fear of retribution,” said Carpenter. “We need to create an environment where they continue to thrive in the state of Georgia, not push them to places that are more advantageous for them to live.”

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“He started his racing career this year and was on a path to make his mark in the industry,” Dixie Speedway Vice President Mia Green wrote about Croft in a Facebook post.

Authorities located the body of a 17-year-old boy in a Georgia Lake on Friday after he went missing the day before.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Game Wardens located Jackson Cole Croft just before 4 p.m. ET on Friday, June 6 from Allatoona Lake, Georgia DNR Public Affairs Officer Mark McKinnon told USA TODAY. Croft was recovered shortly after, from 22 feet in the water, by local divers. Located in northwest Georgia, Allatoona Lake is about 35 miles north of Atlanta.

Croft was reported missing on Thursday, June 5 after a boat he was on was found circling in the lake with no driver, McKinnon previously told USA TODAY.

Georgia racing, rodeo communities mourns loss

Croft and his family were avid members of the racing community in Woodstock, Georgia. The 17-year-old had recently begun driving racing car No. 9 at the Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, about 30 miles north of Atlanta.

“This precious family has been a huge part of Dixie Speedway’s history and dear friends for many years,” Dixie Speedway Vice President Mia Green said in a Facebook post on June 6. “Jackson had been around racing his entire life with his dad, Jason Croft. He started his racing career this year and was on a path to make his mark in the industry.”

The Tri-County Racetrack in Brasstown, North Carolina also extended its condolences on social media.

“The entire Tri-County Racetrack family is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jackson Croft, a vibrant young man whose life was tragically cut short,” a Facebook post reads. “While words can never ease the pain, please know that your racing family stands with you in prayer, love, and support.”

Croft was also involved in Georgia’s rodeo community, specifically through RockN’5L Rodeo Company’s Jr. Pro Division.

To celebrate Croft’s life, the rodeo company, located in Cedartown, Georgia, is hosting a tribute to the late teen on Saturday, June 14. Attendees are encouraged to wear green, as Croft’s favorite color was camo green.

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.

Severe weather swept across Georgia this weekend, leaving behind widespread power outages and property damage from high winds, heavy rain, and lightning. Utility crews from across the state, including Georgia Power and local EMCs, have been working nonstop to restore power and ensure public safety.

As of Sunday morning, Georgia Power reported it had restored electricity to more than 190,000 customers since Saturday. Still, thousands remain without service. Significant damage was reported in areas including Athens, Alpharetta, and Rome. Georgia Power noted that its “smart grid” technology enabled remote switching and faster restoration in some areas, even as storms continued to move through the state.

Across North Georgia, electric membership cooperatives have faced similar challenges. Habersham EMC crews worked through the night to repair several broken poles and remove downed wires. The cooperative warned that restoration will take time due to the extent of the storm’s impact, and urged residents to steer clear of fallen lines.

“We know being without power is not pleasant,” Habersham EMC stated. “We greatly appreciate your continued patience and understanding. We won’t stop working until all power has been restored.”

Hart EMC reported 3,593 members still without power Sunday morning and identified five broken poles that need replacement. Three were replaced overnight, despite the labor-intensive nature of the work—each pole taking 3–4 hours to change out. Additional support came from ten Utiliclear workers who cleared trees and debris to assist linemen.

“Our crews are exhausted and hungry, yet they continue working to restore your power,” Hart EMC stated. “Please remember to stay clear of downed lines.”

Meanwhile, Blue Ridge EMC crews are addressing more than 4,000 outages caused primarily by toppled trees and lightning strikes. The utility reported 17 broken poles and asked for the public’s patience as repair efforts continue.

Jackson EMC and Amicalola EMC also responded to widespread outages. At the latest report, Jackson EMC had over 9,000 customers without power, and Amicalola EMC was working to restore service to nearly 4,000 members.

Despite the round-the-clock efforts, utility companies caution that more outages could occur. With the ground already saturated from days of rain, additional wind gusts may bring down more trees and power lines.

Safety remains top priority

Utilities are urging all residents to stay away from downed lines and poles, which could be energized and extremely dangerous. Other safety reminders include:

• Never touch or move tree branches entangled with power lines.
• Avoid standing water or saturated areas where lines may be hidden.
• Do not approach chain-link fences that could conduct electricity.
• Use generators only in well-ventilated areas and follow all manufacturer instructions.
• Unplug sensitive electronics to protect against surges when power is restored.

Stay informed

Georgia Power and local EMCs are providing outage updates through their websites, social media channels, and outage maps. Customers are encouraged to sign up for outage alerts and check for real-time restoration estimates.

Visit GeorgiaPower’s online outage map for updated outage information.

Use the Georgia EMC outage map and alert systems for localized updates.

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