YNW Melly murder trial now underway with jury selection

The YNW Melly murder trial is now taking center stage in Florida following the conclusion of the XXXTentacion murder case.

YNW Melly’s mother, Jamie King, confirmed Monday (April 10) that the jury selection trial was underway. She also sounded optimistic about her son’s prospects of beating the case, despite prosecutors convincing the judge to keep him behind bars for four years until his trial.

“When Melly got home today, I went to court expecting more delays, but we started jury selection,” King wrote. “I can’t explain how I feel like my fear is everywhere, but God got us. #mellyfree2023 @_ynwbslime saw his brother for the first time in 4 years on his birthday.”

Jamie King also noted that jury selection is expected to take place in the next two weeks and the official process is expected to begin on June 5, 2023. “Official update on YNW Melly, we started jury selection today and will continue over the next 2 weeks,” she added. “The process begins on June 5, 2023. No more delays. #freemelly2023.”

YNW Melly, real name Jamell Demons, was arrested on February 13, 2019 when he turned himself in and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting deaths of two of his friends, YNW Sakchaser whose name is Anthony D’Andre Williams and YNW Juvy, real name Christopher Thomas Jr. The jailed rapper’s other friend, rapper Cortlen Henry (YNW Bortlen), was also charged in the case. According to authorities, the two rappers conspired to kill their two friends in October 2018.

YNW Melly was being held without bail and the trial was delayed as defense attorneys and prosecutors debated what evidence to admit at trial. Among the evidence the judge allowed to be used at the trial is the rapper’s tattoos after prosecutors argued that they proved gang affiliation and that the two murders were gang related. Despite this, Melly scored a win last year when the judge ruled against the death penalty.

During a court hearing last September, prosecutors accused YNW Melly of plotting a prison break with the help of his attorney. The rapper and his legal team then rejected the allegation.

“On April 11, 2022, the Broward Sheriff’s Office received a confidential tip regarding inmates Nicholas Lewis and Jamell Demons, both of whom were being held in the same unit in the main prison, and who were plotting an escape from prison with the assistance of Demons’ attorney, two handcuff keys on the run,” part of the prosecutor’s statement said. Authorities say they were informed of the escape plan by another inmate at the prison.

After the hearing, Jamie King set fire to prosecutors, accusing them of attempting to smear Melly’s name while the trial was pending.

“It’s just another tactic for them to tarnish my son’s character in literally everything,” King said in a video shared on Instagram. “They don’t want him to have his lawyer visits in person which will result in invalid counsel so we went to court about it and they took his calls and they banned him, they have no evidence whatsoever that his lawyers were doing anything wrong Prove these allegations.”