Mistrial Declared in YNW Melly’s Double Murder Case

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The Miami Herald reports that the double murder case involving YNW Melly has resulted in a mistrial after three days of the jury’s inability to reach a verdict. Despite being prompted by Broward Circuit Court Judge John J. Murphy III to continue their deliberations twice, the jury remained deadlocked, ultimately prompting a mistrial. Without a definitive guilty or not guilty verdict, the option for prosecutors to seek a retrial within 90 days of the original trial remains open.

Following the declaration of the mistrial, Judge Murphy expressed his gratitude to the jury for their effort and commitment during the lengthy trial. Acknowledging the challenging nature of their task, he commended their dedication and attempts to resolve the case, despite the unsuccessful outcome.

YNW Melly, real name Jamell Demons, stood trial for two first-degree murder charges concerning the deaths of Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams and Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr. in October 2018. The trial began in mid-June, almost four and a half years after the rapper’s arrest, and was broadcast live on the Law&Crime Network’s YouTube channel. Throughout the proceedings, from which the jury was absent, YNW Melly appeared nonchalant, even blowing kisses. Judge Murphy advised jury members to avoid seeking additional information about the trial.

The prosecution alleged that YNW Melly had murdered Williams and Thomas in a car following a recording session together in Fort Lauderdale. He subsequently dropped their bodies at a hospital, claiming they had been the victims of a drive-by shooting. Testifying for the prosecution were various witnesses, including Felicia Holmes, whose daughter was dating the rapper at the time of the incident. Holmes expressed feelings of intimidation about her testimony multiple times, which led to YNW Melly’s defense attorney filing a mistrial motion that was denied by Judge Murphy. Other prosecution witnesses included experts from crime labs and firearm specialists, a crime scene supervisor, and a detective specializing in gang activity, who wore a mask to maintain his undercover identity.

Mark Moretti, the lead detective on the murder case and the prosecution’s key witness, spent several days on the stand scrutinizing messages and other posts linked to YNW Melly. An Instagram message in which Melly supposedly wrote “I did that” was a crucial point in the trial, with the prosecution interpreting this as a tacit admission of guilt. One of Melly’s lawyers contested this, arguing that Melly would have used the slang “dat” instead of “that”. However, the prosecution provided evidence of Melly’s sporadic use of “that”. Another mistrial request from the defense in response to Moretti’s testimony was also denied by Judge Murphy.

The prosecution concluded its case on July 17. The next day, the defense called Adrian Green, a friend of YNW Melly, as its only witness. YNW Melly himself did not testify. Another member of the YNW rap group, Cortlen “YNW Bortlen” Henry, who was present in the car at the time of the incident, is due to face trial later in the year.

YNW Melly Faces Accusations of Murdering Two Friends: Here’s What Happened.

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More about YNW Melly Mistrial

• YNW Melly’s double murder case
• More about YNW Melly
• Details about the victims
• Understanding a Mistrial
• Mark Moretti, the lead detective on the case
• More about Cortlen “YNW Bortlen” Henry