Murder convictions of 2 former YSL defendants upheld by Georgia Supreme Court
The Brief
The Georgia Supreme Court upheld the murder convictions of Damone Blalock and Rodalius Ryan for the 2019 killing of Jamari Holmes, affirming their life sentences and rejecting claims of ineffective assistance of counsel.
The defendants argued their attorneys failed to challenge key testimony, present exculpatory Instagram messages, and investigate an alibi, but the court found no evidence these actions would have changed the trial's outcome.
Blalock and Ryan were later indicted in the 2022 Young Slime Life (YSL) RICO case, but the Supreme Court's ruling ensures their murder convictions and life sentences remain unaffected.
ATLANTA - The Georgia Supreme Court has upheld the murder convictions of two former YSL (Young Slime Life) defendants – Damone "Bali" Blalock and Rodalius "Lil Rod" Ryan -- for the 2019 killing of Jamari Holmes, affirming the life sentences handed down in the case.
RELATED STORIES
2 teens arrested in deadly shooting
Teenager killed in shooting at Atlanta apartments identified
Blalock and Ryan were convicted in 2019 for the malice murder of Holmes and the aggravated assault of two others.
What we know
On appeal, they argued that their trial attorneys provided ineffective assistance by failing to challenge a witness's invocation of the Fifth Amendment in front of the jury and by not objecting to jury instructions on how to interpret the invocation.
However, the court ruled that their attorneys' decision to strategically use the testimony rather than objecting was reasonable and that some of the witness's answers actually supported the defense, negating claims of deficient representation.
The defendants also argued that their attorneys failed to present Instagram messages suggesting the victims had returned fire during the incident, which could have cast doubt on the prosecution's narrative.
Click to open this PDF in a new window.
What they're saying
The Supreme Court rejected this claim, finding no evidence that the messages would have changed the trial's outcome. The messages did not undermine forensic evidence showing the fatal bullet came from outside the victims' vehicle, nor did they significantly challenge testimony implicating Blalock and Ryan as the shooters, according to the Supreme Court.
Additionally, Ryan argued his counsel failed to investigate an alibi that could have proven he was not present at the scene. The court found that the decision to forgo the alibi defense was a reasonable strategic choice given inconsistencies in the evidence and the overall strength of the prosecution's case.
Blalock and Ryan were later indicted in 2022 alongside Atlanta rapper Young Thug in a sweeping RICO case involving the Young Slime Life (YSL) gang.
ORIGINAL STORY: Rapper Young Thug, associates arrested for RICO Act charges in Atlanta
Prosecutors alleged the Holmes murder was one of over 190 acts committed in furtherance of gang activity.
Ryan, the youngest YSL defendant, pled guilty on Oct. 30, 2024, to a single RICO charge and received a 10-year sentence commuted to time served.
Blalock's RICO charges were dropped after other co-defendants were acquitted of related charges.
RELATED: YSL RICO case: Prosecutors drop charges against 6 defendants
What's next
Despite their involvement in the high-profile RICO case, the Georgia Supreme Court's decision ensures their convictions and life sentences for the Holmes murder remain intact.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Road rule warning to Aussies after driver cops $1,775 fine, 22 demerit points in one go
Drivers are being reminded of their responsibility to follow the myriad rules of the road after one L-plater copped $1,775 in fines and a whopping 22 demerit points in one hit this past weekend. NSW Traffic and Highway Patrol are holding the driver of a silver Saab convertible up as an example of what not to do after the male, who held a NSW Learner's class C licence, was caught doing 129km/h on the Hume Highway on Sunday. It was the car's speed in the 110km/h zone near Penrose which initially alerted officers in Mittagong Highway Patrol to the driver's wrongdoing, but the offences didn't stop there. The learner licence holder, who was not displaying yellow L plates on the front or the rear of the car, can only do a maximum speed of 90km/h, making his speed actually 39km over the limit. After being stopped at 4.15 pm, officers then spotted a mobile phone positioned near the steering wheel playing a music video on YouTube. "When questioned about this, the male swiped the screen to a map app and replied 'no, I'm not using it, just looking at the map'," officers said of the interaction. It is illegal for learner and provisional licence holders in NSW to use a phone for "any purpose", even for directions. 😳 Alarming breach of well-known road rule as 8,500 Aussies cop $395 fine 🐉 New Aussie road markings aimed at giving drivers a 'sense of warning' 🛴 Aussies warned over $1,161 fine after parents' shocking e-scooter act on city road When police questioned the female passenger about her role as a supervisor, she replied, "I was asleep," officers said. The offences resulted in numerous fines and demerit points. They included: Exceeding speed over 30km/h, $1045 fine and five demerit points Learner using a mobile phone, $410 fine and five demerit points Not displaying L plates, $320 fine and two demerit points. Because it was a long weekend and double demerit points were in place, the male driver accumulated a whopping 22 demerit points. Because learner drivers can only accumulate a maximum of four demerit points, he was automatically suspended from driving with a pending extension from NSW Transport. The female passenger also copped a penalty infringement for failing to supervise. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tense scene at Weinstein trial as alleged perv appears to have medical episode after accuser's defiant gesture
Harvey Weinstein's Manhattan sex crimes retrial took a dramatic turn Tuesday when the accused serial perv apparently suffered a medical episode — sparking a frenzy of court officers to tend to him. The bizarre moment came after a former actress who accused Weinstein, 73, of raping her defiantly stared down the disgraced Hollywood producer after leaving the witness stand and pointed a finger at her eye, demanding that he look at her. The startling 'look at me' gesture by Jessica Mann, 38, prompted Weinstein's high-powered defense attorney Arthur Aidala to argue for a mistrial to Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Curtis Farber. As Aidala contended that the trial should be tossed, Weinstein bizarrely made gurgling sounds — and two court officers quickly surrounded him. The wheelchair-bound Weinstein took a sip of water, bringing the brief episode to an end. Asked later if Weinstein had a medical episode, Aidala told The Post that the Miramax founder's already-poor health has been getting worse. 'The short answer is yes, but it was alleviated,' the attorney said. 'He's not doing well. The last two weeks there has been a marked difference in his physical appearance and his stamina. I don't know if its the cancer kicking in, but he's definitely suffering.' Mann's daring gesture came after she wrenchingly detailed to jurors, between sobs, an alleged rape by Weinstein at a Beverly Hills hotel. But the convicted sex pest could only shake his head in response, before he descended into gurgling. 'That's absolutely inappropriate behavior by her,' Aidala wailed to the judge. Prosecutors argued Mann's reaction didn't even come close to grounds for a mistrial — and Farber agreed, denying Aidala's bid. Mann later returned to the stand and continued to recount the alleged California hotel rape, which took place around the beginning of 2014, recounting for jurors how she had taken an hours-long shower afterward. 'I'm going to bury this so deep and I'm going to forget about this and move on with my life,' she said she told herself. Mann testified that she decided to 'keep going' to pursue her Hollywood dreams – and continued to have contact with the powerful Weinstein, which led to a consensual sexual relationship. She recounted that she faked orgasms to end uncomfortable sexual encounters with Weinstein. 'I'm not saying I performed her performance but I made noises,' she said, comparing her fake orgasms to that of Meg Ryan's character in an infamous scene from the 1989 romantic comedy 'When Harry Met Sally.' 'It was definitely not the best I ever had,' she added when Aidala asked if it was a lie. Mann's first day of testimony Monday saw her tearfully detail another alleged rape by Weinstein in a Midtown hotel. She testified that after the attack, she found an erection-inducing drug needle apparently used by Weinstein in a hotel room's garbage can with a puzzling label. 'I found on Google that it basically meant 'dead penis,' and you inject it and it can only be used a certain amount of times back to back over a certain time,' she told jurors. Weinstein is only charged in the Midtown alleged rape. He has pleaded not guilty to charges in his sex crimes retrial. Weinstein in 2022 was found guilty of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault at a Los Angeles trial. He has appealed the conviction.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Immigration raids confirmed in Orange County, congressman says ICE is ‘inciting fear'
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids took place in Orange County on Monday, officials confirmed. 'We are aware of ongoing immigration enforcement activity in the Santa Ana Civic Center area,' announced the Santa Ana Unified School District in an X post Monday evening. 'We do not condone actions that disrupt our community or separate families.' The Santa Ana Police Department and city officials also issued a joint statement on Instagram, acknowledging the ICE activity and stating that they are aware the news causes 'fear and uncertainty' for community members. L.A. Protests: Live Updates A spokesperson for the police department told KTLA that they were made aware of the ICE activity in their city because of 'social media posts.' SAPD, similar to most other police departments in Southern California, has reinstated its policy of not participating in immigration enforcement efforts. Although federal or law enforcement officials have not revealed the specifics of the ICE raids, Rep. Lou Correa (D-Orange County) said he received reports that individuals in his district were being arrested for 'doing nothing but standing outside and being profiled.' Upon landing in Washington, D.C. on Monday, Rep. Correa issued a statement about the raids, saying, 'It's unacceptable, and shocking, that this is happening in my hometown of Santa Ana.' 'It appears agents are picking up hard-working, law-abiding taxpayers. Why?' read Rep. Correa's press release, which also shared that the congressman would be immediately returning to O.C. 'Yesterday, everything was good and boring in Santa Ana. Everyone was going to church and going to the grocery store—it was a beautiful day. Today ICE is coming in to raid and disrupt our neighborhood? These are the parents whose children went to school with my kids. They take care of our elderly, mow our lawns, and are a part of the fourth largest economy in the world. This is inciting fear in our community,' continued the release. Rep. Correa also urged those who resist 'unjust, illegal activity' to do so peacefully, referring to the lessons taught by Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Glendale terminates 'divisive' detainee holding contract with ICE 'You don't take on a tank or an M16 by walking into it—you do it in a smart, legal, and safe way. Our future depends on a strategic, effective response. One that protects our kids, their future, and their rights.' The congressman concluded his statement by asking the federal government to use restraint and 'common sense' to adhere to the Constitution and provide everyone with due process. In a Monday evening press conference with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, she shared these values, saying, 'Stop the raids, and give the power back to our Governor.' SAUSD offered resources to the community, advising individuals to contact their local school or visit if they or someone they know needs support or information. 'We stand with our community – today and always.' The city of Santa Ana also provided resources, saying, 'If you or someone you know has questions or concerns, contact your local Congressional office and visit the City's Know Your Rights webpage at for resources and information.' Rep. Correa also encouraged anyone with questions about their legal rights to reach out to his office. For more resource information, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
