The judge declared a mistrial in the double murder trial against rapper YNW Melly.
This happened after the jury was unable to come to a unanimous verdict. The rapper is accused of murdering his friends YNW Juvy and YNW SakChaser in October of 2018 and then staging the murders as a drive-by shooting in the Miami area.
The jurors deliberated for more than 9 hours between Thursday and Friday. Circuit Court Judge John Murphy III read a letter asking what the outcome would be if they could not come to a decision.
The State of Florida now has 90 days to bring forth a new double murder trial against YNW Melly. If the prosecution fails to do so, Melly’s defense will ask the court that the 90-day period has expired and can move to have the charges dismissed.
Here are the case details as a refresher, thanks for Law & Crime:
In October 2018, YNW Melly’s best friend, Cortlen Henry, aka YNW Bortlen, showed up to a Miami area hospital claiming his friends were hit during a drive-by shooting.
He said they were bleeding out inside his car, according to the rapper’s arrest affidavit.
Williams, aka YNW Sakchaser, and Thomas, aka YNW Juvy, were found dead with multiple gunshot wounds.
Henry told detectives he just left a recording studio with Williams and Thomas in Fort Lauderdale when a car pulled up and started shooting. Henry said he was able to duck from the bullets, but Williams and Thomas were hit.
When police arrived to the “crime scene,” they found no evidence that there had been a shooting.
Surveillance video showed Melly, Henry, Williams and Thomas together in Henry’s car when Henry claimed the shooting happened.
After looking at phone data and blood spatter evidence, detectives determined the group were together the night of the crime and the victims were shot in the car.
Police arrested Melly for two counts of first-degree murder in February 2019. If convicted, Melly faces the death penalty.
