Mistrial in YNW Melly murder case; rapper avoids conviction

Rapper YNW Melly received good news on Saturday as a mistrial was declared in his years-long double murder case that sought the death penalty for a 2018 incident in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Melly, whose given name is Jamell Demons, was accused of killing childhood friends Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr. in an alleged fake drive-by shooting perpetrated with another friend.

After beginning deliberations Thursday, the jury in the case was unable to reach a decision. Judge John Murphy declared a mistrial on Saturday, freeing the 24-year-old for the time being.

Prosecutors claimed Demons and his co-defendant shot their friends, who had also been members of the YNW rap collective, and then drove their bodies to a spot near the Everglades.

There, they allegedly shot at the back and passenger sides of the vehicle to make it appear as though a drive-by attack had occurred, before later taking their bodies to the hospital.

Police said forensic evidence led them to believe Demons was responsible for the killings and that he allegedly drove around in the car with the dead bodies “for a period of time” before arriving at the hospital.

Demons’ lawyer Stuart Adelstein attempted to poke holes in the accusations during his closing argument, and claimed police lacked substantial evidence while also ignoring other potential suspects.

The rapper had been behind bars since February 2019 awaiting trial, but his music still flourished during that time. He now holds 10 platinum and six gold plaques in his discography, where he had zero before his arrest.

The mistrial ruling means Demons is now free, but typically, prosecutors can still pursue a new trial within 90 days. So far, it’s unclear whether or not the state plans to bring the case back to trial.

With News Wire Services