ATLANTA — The judge presiding over Young Thug’s lengthy gang and racketeering trial on Monday released the transcript of a secret meeting he held in chambers last month with Fulton County prosecutors and a key state’s witness.

Prosecutors told witness Kenneth Copeland in the June 10 meeting that if he refused to testify, he could be jailed until defendants all have their cases adjudicated, a process that could take years.

Outraged defense attorneys said they were excluded from the meeting and accused Chief Judge Ural Glanville of colluding with prosecutors to coerce the witness. When confronted about the meeting, Glanville held Young Thug’s attorney Brian Steel in contempt for refusing to disclose how he learned about it.

Two of those attorneys sought Glanville’s recusal, and the judge announced Monday that all proceedings are halted until another judge determines whether he should remain on the case.

Glanville said the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office requested the meeting, held in his chambers, but did not give him a subject matter. The judge’s court reporter was present according to the transcript created, Prosecutor Adriane Love raised concerns about Copeland’s understanding of an immunity agreement entered in exchange for his testimony.

Copeland on June 7 was held in contempt and jailed for refusing to answer prosecutors’ questions. At the time, Copeland said he would invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. (After a weekend behind bars, he did testify).

Love explained in the meeting that she had received an email from Copeland’s attorney, John Melnick, accusing prosecutors of endangering Copeland by forcing him to testify.

“You are going to get him killed. You have made him, you are making him a target,” Melnick wrote, according to Love in the transcript. “F--- you.”

Melnick was out of town during the meeting, and had sent another attorney, Kayla Bumpus, to represent Copeland.

Bumpus asked how long Copeland could be held in custody for if he refused to testify. Both Love and Glanville told her it could be a long time.

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