BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Rapper YNW Melly and Cortlen “Bortland” Henry, who is a co-defendant in the rapper’s double murder trial, are both charged with witness tampering, Local 10 News learned Wednesday.
Henry was arrested Monday in Miami-Dade County on an out-of-county warrant for the new charge, the South Florida SunSentinel reported.
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As of noon Wednesday, Henry was not appearing in the online jail database in Miami-Dade or Broward counties.
According to an arrest warrant obtained by Local 10 News, Henry, “along with others,” engaged in “misleading conduct toward another person with the intent to cause or induce (that person) to withhold testimony” during Melly’s first trial, which ended in a mistrial.
Detectives say Henry’s actions against the witness occurred from around April 10 to July 22. The witness’ identity is redacted from the publicly released warrant.
Melly, whose real name is Jamel Demons, appeared in bond court Wednesday for the new charge and was ordered to remain behind bars without bond as he awaits his retrial.
Melly is accused of fatally shooting Christopher “Juvy” Thomas Jr., 19, and Anthony “Sakchaser” Williams, 21, while they were in a Jeep Compass on Oct. 26, 2018, in Broward County.
Henry is accused of driving the Jeep and helping to cover up the murders.
According to authorities, Henry reported there was a drive-by shooting and that Thomas and Williams were the victims.
The prosecution accused Demons of killing Thomas and Williams and Henry of helping him to cover it up, but the defense said during the first trial that Demons had nothing to do with the shooting and placed the blame on Henry, saying he lied “about where the incident occurred, he lies about how it occurred, and he lies about not having a phone.”
Henry had been on house arrest for his alleged role in the murders prior to Monday’s arrest. He is expected to go to trial in January.
Melly’s retrial is scheduled to begin next Monday.
A motions hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. this Friday, at which time the state is expected to try to squash a subpoena, claiming it was “improperly” served by Melly’s defense team.
The defense is trying to subpoena State Attorney Harold Pryor, Deputy Chief Assistant State Attorney Regina Faulk, Assistant State Attorney Christopher Killoran and Assistant State Attorney Michelle Bourtros to testify at a hearing on the defense team’s motion to recuse the Broward State Attorney’s Office.
VIEW ARREST WARRANT BELOW: