FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – During Florida rapper YNW Melly’s trial, his defense has been incriminating another YNW Collective rapper in two 2018 murders.
The prosecution accused Jamell “Melly” Demons of the Oct. 26, 2018 murders in Broward County of Christopher “Juvy” Thomas Jr. and Anthony “Sakchaser” Williams.
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The prosecution also accused Cortlen “Bortlen” Henry, who is awaiting trial in the case, of helping Demons to cover up the murders of Thomas, 19, and Williams, 21.
“Henry shows up at Memorial Hospital Miramar,” Attorney David Howard, who is representing Demons, said during his opening statement on June 12. “You don’t see him sitting there, but where you will see him is on the driver’s seat.”
Howard was referring to the surveillance videos that the prosecution later showed the jury of Henry getting into the driver’s seat of a Jeep Compass and later walking into the hospital while the two bodies were inside the Jeep.
“When [Henry] shows up, he shows up with a change of clothing, change of shirt, powder residue on his hands, evidence in that he has discharged a firearm, and he lies,” Howard told the jury. “He lies about where the incident occurred, he lies about how it occurred, and he lies about not having a phone.”
The jury also watched a video of Henry telling investigators that Thomas and Williams had been the victims of a drive-by shooting and that he had survived without injury.
“I am driving, ducking for my life, trying to make sure I don’t get hit,” Henry said, according to the video.
Tarah Helsel, a forensic scientist, later testified that Henry had gunpowder residue” on his hands. Detectives did not find a murder weapon. The prosecution has been relying on circumstantial evidence such as an alleged gang association and the estimated trajectory of the bullets.
A grand jury indicted Demons on Feb. 7, 2019, and he surrendered to Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies on Feb. 13, 2019. He pleaded not guilty. Deputies have held him without bond for over four years.
If convicted of the two counts of premeditated first-degree murder, Demons faces the possibility of life in prison without parole or the death penalty under the new state law that no longer requires unanimous agreement. The court is in recess until July 10 in Demons’ trial.
Henry appeared in court on June 30. His trial for two counts of premeditated first-degree murder and two counts of accessory after the fact. is set to start in October.
Broward County Circuit Judge John Murphy is presiding over both cases.
INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC
TRIAL TIMELINE
The first week of trial: Opening statements were on June 12
The second week of trial: Prosecution’s witnesses continue to testify
The third week of trial: Testimony continues