YNW Melly's Double Murder Retrial Receives New Start Date Following Mistrial
YNW Melly, the rapper facing a retrial for a double murder case, has been granted a new start date for his trial following a brief delay and a mistrial last month.
According to court reporter Bryson "Boom" Paul, YNW Melly's attorney, Stuart Adelstein, made a request on Friday, August 4, to push back the trial date from October 2 to October 9. Judge John J. Murphy III approved the request, accommodating Adelstein's vacation plans.
During the hearing, there was no discussion about bond, but as YNW Melly (whose real name is Jamell Maurice Demons) left the courtroom wearing an orange jumpsuit and shackles, he was seen grinning and silently mouthing the words, "I'm coming home" to his family in the gallery.
YNW Melly is being retried for the double murder of his friends YNW Sakchaser (Anthony Williams) and YNW Juvy (Christopher Thomas Jr.), which occurred in October 2018. The previous trial ended in a mistrial as the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
Judge Murphy III announced the mistrial on July 22 after three days of deliberation, acknowledging the difficult nature of such decisions when the outcome is inconclusive.
The legal process for the first-degree murder charges has taken four and a half years to unfold. YNW Melly was arrested in 2019 for allegedly shooting and killing his associates months earlier. The state accused him of orchestrating the murders and attempting to cover them up by staging a drive-by shooting.
Assistant State Attorney Kristine Bradley stated that one of the victims, Anthony Williams, was shot in the back of the head while he was sleeping, indicating premeditation and planning. The prosecution argued that there was already an alibi in place for the crime.
While the details of the jury deliberations remain undisclosed, a former juror spoke to Local 10 News and revealed that a "manipulative" woman influenced two other jurors to vote not guilty, resulting in a 9-3 mistrial.
According to the anonymous juror, this woman had issues with the selected foreperson from the beginning and displayed disruptive behavior, including being rude, explosive, and verbally attacking those who held different opinions.
