FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A person who served as a juror during Florida rapper YNW Melly’s first trial for the murders of two of his fellow YNW Collective rappers in Broward County told Local 10 News that the majority wanted a guilty verdict.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the juror blamed the mistrial on one woman who served on the jury and who appeared to be determined to acquit Jamell “Melly” Demons for the 2018 murders of Christopher “Juvy” Thomas Jr. and Anthony “Sakchaser” Williams.
Recommended Videos
“From day one, she had issues with the foreperson selected, at one point crossing her arms and saying she was ‘Done!’ When another juror asked to not shut down and set her feelings aside, she exploded ... She was explosive, manipulative, she was rude, she yelled insults at anyone who had a different opinion.
“She was there to cause chaos,” the former juror said.
During voir dire, when prospective jurors are questioned to decide whether they can be fair and impartial, the woman said she had previous experience with the legal system because of past family issues. She insisted this would not affect her ability to serve as a juror.
On the last day of deliberation, the former juror said that while it appeared they were 11-1 to convict Demons of manslaughter with a deadly weapon, the woman pulled two other jurors aside and spoke to them for a few minutes — convincing them to come to her side.
“Then, she came over and announced to the group that they had changed their minds, but when another juror asked why she was speaking for them, she exploded,” the former juror said, adding that the woman then hurled insults — including gay slurs — at the man who questioned her.
Without an agreement, Broward County Circuit Judge John J. Murphy declared a mistrial on July 22.
“It’s something we’re never going to forget,” the former juror said. “We were shaking at the end.”
The former juror said the decision to speak up about what happened behind the scenes resulted from reports that Demons’s mother, Jamie Demons-King, was saying the jury was deadlocked at 9-3 in favor of acquittal. The former juror said it was actually the opposite: Nine of the jurors believed Demons was guilty.
“That’s just not true. I don’t want someone out there changing my vote,” the former juror said. “You tell a lie enough and it becomes the truth.”
The next hearing in the case is on Aug. 4. Demons’s defense team and prosecutors agreed to start jury selection for the second trial on Oct. 2.
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
The court is in recess
The fourth week of the trial: Testimony continues
The fifth week of the trial: State and defense rest