John Smith
Jul 23, 2023 - 02:30

Rapper YNW Melly's murder trial concludes with a mistrial as jury fails to reach a verdict; possibility of a retrial arises

Deadlocked jury leads to mistrial in YNW Melly murder trial.

A mistrial has been declared in the double murder trial of rapper YNW Melly in South Florida due to a deadlocked jury. The 12-member panel was unable to reach a unanimous verdict after three days of deliberations. Broward County prosecutors, who were seeking the death penalty, will likely choose to retry the case with a new jury. In order to convict or acquit the defendant, a unanimous verdict is required.

The trial centered around the alleged murder of YNW Melly's friends, Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr. Prosecutors claimed that YNW Melly, whose legal name is Jamell Demons, shot the victims while they were all inside a Jeep. Williams and Thomas were members of the YNW collective, known as YNW Sakchaser and YNW Juvy, respectively. Prosecutors argued that the shooting was gang-related, while defense attorneys asserted that the claim lacked credibility due to the close friendship between Demons and the victims.

According to prosecutors, Demons, Williams, and Thomas were in a Jeep driven by Cortland Henry, also known as YNW Bortlen, after a recording session in Fort Lauderdale in October 2018. They alleged that Demons fatally shot Williams and Thomas. Henry is charged as an accomplice in the case and will face a separate trial.

After the shooting, prosecutors claimed that Demons and Henry drove the bodies to an area near the Everglades and shot at the back and passenger sides of the Jeep from the outside to make it appear as though Williams and Thomas were victims of a drive-by shooting. However, ballistics tests reportedly showed that the victims were shot from inside the Jeep.

Defense lawyers focused on the fact that the gun used in the shooting was never recovered. They also emphasized that YNW Melly had no apparent motive for the crime.

YNW Melly rose to prominence in 2017 and collaborated with Kanye West on the song "Mixed Personalities," released in January 2019, just a month before Demons, 24, was arrested on murder charges.