Young Thug’s attorneys are seeking to dismiss a tour bus lawsuit filed by Lil Wayne’s former driver.
On Monday (Aug. 17), lawyers for Young Thug appeared in court in Cobb County, Ga., to defend the rapper against a 2017 lawsuit filed by a driver, Alvin Lewis, stemming from an April 2015 incident in which Weezy’s tour bus got shot up. No one was injured in the shooting, but in court documents obtained by XXL, Lewis claimed severe emotional distress following the harrowing incident and is seeking punitive damages.
In his suit, Lewis is accusing Thugger, born Jeffery Williams, and Cash Money Records CEO Birdman, born Bryan Williams, as being directly responsible for the reckless shooting, citing conflict between their gang affiliations. However, both Thug and Birdman deny involvement in the shooting.
According to a Courthouse News report, published on Tuesday (Aug. 18), Thug’s attorney Jeffrey Reilly contend that Lewis is relying on biased gang-related testimony and conjecture regarding the friction between Wayne and the defendants before the shooting. But Lewis’ lawyer Jeffrey Gewirtz argued that Thug and Baby paid Jimmy Winfrey, also known as Peewee Roscoe, who was arrested in connection with the shooting after Atlanta police found his white Camaro with an assault rifle.
In November of 2015, Winfrey was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the tour bus shooting, but Georgia’s Supreme Court reversed that conviction later that year. In December of 2024, Winfrey accepted a plea agreement regarding his involvement in the YSL RICO case, admitting guilt to racketeering, firearm, and narcotics counts. He received a sentence of time served for those specific charges.
Additionally, Gewirtz pointed to a recorded jail phone call between Thug and Winfrey which showed he was trying to gain “street cred” and was being rewarded for not being a “rat.” But defense attorneys for the YSL leader argued that the $25,000 sent for Winfrey’s attorney fees was merely an act of generosity for a lifelong friendship rather than anything more sinister.
The hearing concluded with Cobb County Chief Judge Eric Brewton saying he would rule in a timely manner on whether Lewis’ lawsuit will proceed further to trial.
XXL has reached out to Young Thug’s attorney for comment.
Watch WSB-TV Report: Man Who Shot Lil Wayne’s Tour Bus Sentenced to Prison
Watch Atlanta News First Report: Former Cobb County Officer Testifies About Lil Wayne Tour Bus Shooting in Young Thug Trial
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