Rapper YNW Melly double-murder trial declared a mistrial as Florida jury deadlocks

Rapper YNW Melly’s double-murder trial ended in a deadlocked jury with a Florida judge declaring a mistrial in the case that revolved around the shooting death of two of the musician’s friends. 

YNW Melly – whose real name is Jamell Demons – was in a Florida courtroom for the last three weeks facing murder accusations for the 2018 deaths of Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr. 

The two men, who were also rappers, were shot dead in October 2018 in Miramar, Florida. 

On Saturday, Broward County Circuit Judge John Murphy declared a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict in the case. 

Prosecutors are expected to retry the case with a new jury.  

Rapper YNW Melly saw his double-murder trial end with a deadlocked jury

YNW Melly faced the death penalty in the case. 

A three-week trial ended on Thursday and jury deliberations began. On Friday, the panel told Murphy they could not reach a decision. However, they were told they must continue to talk. 

On Saturday, when they still couldn’t reach a verdict, the judge declared the mistrial. 

Cortlen Henry is a co-defendant in the case and is being tried separately. 

Investigators said in 2018, Williams and Thomas, who were both rappers, were shot and killed. 

Police say YNW Melly and Henry conspired to make it look they were killed in a drive-by shooting following a recording session, according to Rolling Stone. 

After the two musicians were shot and killed, their bodies were taken to the Everglades, where prosecutors say, YNW Melly and Henry shot at their Jeep to make it look like a drive-by. 

‘The question is why?’ Prosecutor Kristine Bradley said during closing arguments, according to the Miami Herald. ‘Why does there need to be a cover up? Because there were two murders committed.’ 

Prosecutors said the killing was part of a ‘gang action.’ 

‘Yeah, he covered up a murder,’ Bradley said. ‘He did a very terrible job of it, but that’s what he did.’

Defense attorneys dismissed that argument saying the two victims were friends of YNW Melly. 

‘All this evidence is open for interpretation,’ Defense attorney Stuart Adelstein said. ‘That’s not proof beyond a reasonable doubt.’ 

The defense also questioned the police work in the case, saying that an investigator intimidated and threatened witnesses. 

‘Everything was directed to get this kid,’ Adelstein said while pointing at Melly. ‘That’s why he ignored everything. That’s why he intimidated and threatened anybody who said something different.’

YNW Melly, at 15 years old, started posting songs on Soundcloud, which is where he initially posted his breakthrough single Murder on My Mind in 2017.

The song garnered most attention after Demons became linked with the double murder for which he is now on trial, and peaked at number 14 in the Billboard Hot 100.

He subsequently collaborated with Kanye West and Juice Wrld, and released an album Melly vs Melvin in November 2019, nine months after his arrest.

The rapper had previously been arrested in 2015 for shooting at a group of students near a school, for which he was convicted of aggravated battery, discharging a firearm in public, and two counts of aggravated assault, seeing him serve several months in prison.

He is also a suspect in the murder of a sheriff’s deputy in Gifford, Florida, in 2017.