YNW Melly could possibly face capital punishment if convicted in his upcoming murder trial.
Legally known as Jamell Demons, YNW Melly was initially indicted in 2019 and charged with the murders of Anthony Williams (YNW Sakchaser) and Christopher Thomas Jr. (YNW Juvy). According to reports, the shooting took place while the men were driving in Miramar, Florida. Prosecutors say Demons pulled the trigger while another individual, Cortlen Henry, was driving.
The trial for Demons was set to begin in July however Circuit Judge, Andrew Siegel, ruled that the prosecutors could not seek the death penalty because they failed to give the rapper’s attorney’s ‘proper notice’.
In last week’s ruling, the Fourth District Court of Appeal found that prosecutors acted properly and had already notified the court about the seek to death and was not required to repeat the notification.
“Nowhere does the statute or rule require the state, after a superseding indictment, to file an additional notification to the defendant that the state is seeking the death penalty,” the appellate court wrote in its decision. “The state complied with the statute, and rule, requiring notice within 45 days of arraignment.”
Demons and his attorneys will not know whether he’ll be given the death penalty until the Florida Supreme Court rules on the case.
In July, the rapper shared on his Instagram, “Today Melly wins motion to remove death penalty against prosecution – management”.
Demons trial was originally scheduled to being in April 2022 but was postponed. Hence another trial was scheduled for July 2022 but was yet again delayed over the ongoing dispute regarding the death penalty.
The next court date has not been set.