Attorney Brian Steel had a blunt response when Killer Mike brought up the federal government’s famously lopsided win rate in court.
Steel made the comment while appearing on Mike’s Conversate podcast, where the Atlanta rapper asked about the feds’ conviction rate. When Mike referenced the oft-cited “94, 95 percent” figure, Steel cut in immediately: “Not with us.” Mike agreed, adding that he already knows Steel’s track record is different.
The perception behind the question is grounded in reality. According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, the vast majority of federal cases are resolved through guilty pleas, with roughly 97% of defendants pleading guilty rather than going to trial. Because so few cases are decided by juries, and because federal prosecutors typically pursue cases they believe they can prove, the overall conviction rate appears overwhelmingly high.
Steel’s comment reflects his reputation in several high-profile hip-hop cases where the stakes were enormous and outcomes closely watched.
He served as lead counsel for Young Thug in Georgia’s sprawling YSL RICO prosecution. While the case was brought in state court rather than federally, it carried significant potential penalties.
Young Thug ultimately entered a negotiated plea that resulted in a 40-year sentence structure, including time credited as served and a lengthy probationary period, avoiding the possibility of a life sentence if convicted at trial.
More recently, Steel joined the defense team for Diddy in the Southern District of New York federal case. Diddy was acquitted of the most serious racketeering and sex trafficking charges but was convicted on prostitution-related counts under the Mann Act. He was later sentenced to 50 months in prison and fined $500,000, far below the life-sentence exposure tied to the top allegations.
The oft-cited 94–95% federal conviction rate largely reflects the plea-driven nature of the system, not necessarily jury trial outcomes. With nearly all federal cases ending in guilty pleas, prosecutors’ overall success rate remains high on paper.
Steel’s stance on the podcast suggests he sees his team as an exception to that statistic, particularly in complex, high-visibility cases where the defense strategy focuses not only on trial wins but also on reducing exposure and reshaping the outcome.