Music artist turned wildlife conservationist acquitted of murder and manslaughter following Old Bailey trial on killing of YouTube personality in June 2020
Rabah Kherbane, led by Patrick Gibbs KC (Three Raymond Building) represented YG who was acquitted of murder and manslaughter following a six-week trial at the Central Criminal Court.
The allegation concerned an “unsolved” stabbing on 23 June 2020, where SM, a YouTube content creator and brother of a high-profile rapper ‘Morrison’, was stabbed and killed in a car park in Epping. SM had, by chance, stumbled into a music video shoot at the time. He was intoxicated. He then drove his car into the cast and crew at the music video shoot. He was then stabbed.
The prosecution case was that YG had been jointly responsible, with his co-defendant at trial, for the stabbing of SM. The defence case involved review and analysis of considerable unused material gathered over the course of the six-year investigation, and presentation of an alternative defence case. The case also involved consideration of alleged gang evidence, as well as rap music and props used as evidence.
YG had since become a wildlife conservationist, covered by Sky News, and was suddenly arrested again in July 2025. He had been remanded in custody for nearly 12 months awaiting his trial. Today, he was discharged from custody following Not Guilty verdicts. His co-defendant in the case was unanimously convicted of murder.
Rabah was instructed by Ayeh Nowroozi at Lewis Nedas Solicitors.
The case has been covered in the national press, including on:
