FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Day 1 of jury selection wrapped up Wednesday in Broward County ahead of the retrial for rapper YNW Melly who is accused of killing two of his childhood friends in 2018. Prosecutors also filed new charges against Melly and two other men.
Melly, whose real name is Jamell Maurice Demons, faces a possible death sentence if convicted of first-degree murder in the 2018 slayings of Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas and Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams. Their stage names all include “YNW” because they belonged to the same hip-hop collective. It stands for “Young New Wave” or another phrase that includes a racial slur.
Prosecutors say Melly, after a late-night recording session, shot Thomas and Williams inside an SUV and he and Cortlen “YNW Bortlen” Henry then tried to make it look like a drive-by shooting.
The first trial last summer ended in a hung jury.
Developing overnight before the first day of jury selection, it was announced that Melly would face additional charges. In addition to a witness tampering charge filed weeks ago, six others have been filed not only against Melly but also against Henry and inmate Terrence Mathis. Those charges are: directing the activities of a criminal gang, two charges of soliciting to commit tampering, conspiracy to create tampering and two charges of unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
Prosecutors allege that these crimes happened from April 10 through July 22 during the first trial. The state also alleges that Melly solicited Henry and Mathis to engage in conduct to cause a witness, who is Melly’s ex-girlfriend, to prevent her from testifying.
Witness tampering in a capital case carries the possibility of life in prison.
Jury selection is expected to continue at least for the next several weeks. About 200 potential jurors were brought in and out of the courtroom on Wednesday. Some have already been dismissed.
Opening statements are tentatively scheduled to begin on Jan. 8.
The 24-year-old rapper remains jailed without bond.