Court Calendars

Jury selection in the ALEX MURDAUGH double murder trial that the entire country has seemingly been bingeing for the past month began Jan. 23 in Walterboro, S.C., and jurors are expected to hear closing arguments today, after 24 days of testimony. By contrast, jury selection in the sprawling, controversial and already messy racketeering trial of YOUNG THUG and his YSL label/crew began Jan. 4 in Atlanta, and as of the end of last week, no jurors—not a one—had been seated. Legal experts tell Vulture the nature of the charges (i.e. racketeering), the expected length of the trial (it could take a year) and the celebrity of the defendants all figure into the difficulty of finding people willing and able to serve on the jury. And willing and able, if the state wants to win its case, to accept that Young Thug and his colleagues’ songs might constitute confessions of actual criminal guilt. Prosecutors say YSL is a gang and its art is hiding some of the evidence in plain view.

On the other side of the country, an appellate court on California last week overturned the murder conviction of a San Bernardino man in the first successful application of a state law that limits the use of songs, videos and other forms of creative expression as evidence in criminal trials. TRAVON RASHAD VENABLE SR.’s conviction had hinged largely on his appearance in a video by his younger brother, a rapper named YOUNG TROCC. Prosecutors played the video three times during the trial, including during closing arguments, when the jury was told, “That’s our victim’s murder. There he is.” GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM signed the bill targeting over-aggressive use of song lyrics in October. Similar bills have been considered in New York and New Jersey, as well as in Congress.

But not in Georgia. Young Thug’s most prominent co-defendant, GUNNA, pleaded guilty to a racketeering charge in December and may be called to testify against the crew. The prosecutor, FANI T. WILLIS, is unapologetic about going after rappers’ art. “I have some legal advice,” she said in announcing an indictment against another crew, DRUG RICH, last year. “Don’t confess to crime on rap lyrics if you do not want them used. Or at least get out of my county.” Country singers, crime novelists and filmmakers may want to heed that threat/warning, too. Or maybe not, since none have been targeted. The New York Times’ JOE COSCARELLI and RICHARD FAUSSET lay out the issues in this recent longread that notes the controversy and the criticism (and the complications of external factors like social media) while also laying out the very real gang problem the prosecutor is facing.

As for the ongoing search for a jury, Young Thug lawyer BRIAN STEEL tells Vulture, “Trials are not judged by the amount of time, they’re judged by the fact that it’s a fair trial. No matter how long or short this trial will last, so long as the verdicts speak the truth of not guilty, it is fine with me.”

Dot Dot Dot

CARDI B’s and OFFSET’s lyrics are being used against them, too—not in court but at MCDONALD’S, where the Wall Street Journal reports (paywall) that some franchisees are refusing to promote their “Famous Orders” meals, which were announced during the SUPER BOWL. The fast-food chain says the pop star couple’s promotion has widespread support at its restaurants, but the Journal said a number of franchisees, especially in the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern US, have either complained or are sitting the promotion out because the couple's “lyrics and lifestyles aren’t aligned with the company’s brand”... TIDAL changes course on royalty splits... How a single $5 show 30 years ago in San Francisco grew into the citywide NOISE POP festival... Why we rave... Why the SPINNERS belong in the ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME... Dublin’s vinyl-only soccer stadium.

Rest in Peace

DORIAN ZEV KWELLER, 16-year-old singer/songwriter son of singer/songwriter Ben Kweller, who recorded under the single name “Zev.” He was killed in a car crash Monday night, two weeks before he was scheduled to play his first-ever gig, at SXSW.