Florida Judge John Murphy declared a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous decision in rapper YNW Melly‘s double murder case.
Formally known as Jamell Demons, the rapper faces two first-degree murder charges stemming from the Oct. 26, 2018, killings of 21-year-old Anthony Williams and 19-year-old Christopher Thomas in Miramar.
Closing arguments ended Thursday and Broward jury spent two days deliberating on Melly’s outcome, NBC Miami reported.
The jury asked to review some of the evidence again, but after a few hours and a lunch recess, jurors could not come to an outcome, forcing the judge to order a mistrial.
Demons, now 24, has pleaded not guilty and faces a possible death sentence if convicted.
Demons, Williams, and Thomas were riding in a Jeep driven by Cortland Henry, who also goes b YNW Bortlen, after a recording session in Fort Lauderdale when Demons fatally shot Williams and Thomas, prosecutors allege, adding that Henry and Demons staged the crime scene to resemble a drive-by shooting.
Henry has been charged as an accomplice in the case but will be tried separately.
Prosecutors argued that the shooting was gang, while defense attorneys say their argument lacks credibility because Demons and the victims were close friends.
Demon’s legal team also says he was home sleeping at the time of the murders, and says Henry is responsible.
Thomas went by the stage name YNW Juvy while Williams was known as YNW Sakchaser. They were childhood friends of Demons and part of the YNW group.
YNW Melly’s reaction in court after a mistrial was declared his double-murder case pic.twitter.com/nzOTObGeHB
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) July 22, 2023
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