YNW Melly’s double murder retrial is officially scheduled for September 25, 2025. This means the rapper will continue to stay behind bars for over a year as he awaits his day in court. A pre-trial hearing is set for December 5, 2024.
The initial trial ended in a mistrial when a Miami jury couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict. “These types of decisions are hard decisions,” Judge John Murphy remarked, expressing gratitude to the jurors for their efforts.
Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP
Who’s YNW Melly?
YNW Melly, 25, hails from Gifford, Florida, and rose to fame with hits like Murder on My Mind and Mixed Personalities featuring Kanye West. His legal issues began in 2019 when he was arrested for the murders of his friends, Anthony Williams (YNW Sakchaser) and Christopher Thomas Jr. (YNW Juvy).
Melly was accused of shooting both men on October 26, 2018, in Miramar, Florida. Prosecutors allege that Melly and his associate, YNW Bortlen, attempted to stage the shooting as a drive-by. Melly has been in custody since February 2019.
A striking video of Melly attempting to surrender to police while concealed in a suitcase has surfaced, although it was not shown to jurors. In the video, he quietly states, “I’m going to turn myself in,” explaining his unusual hiding spot.
The prosecution is pursuing the death penalty, bolstered by forensic evidence suggesting Melly’s involvement and possible premeditated motives that remain somewhat unclear, involving alleged disputes within their group.
Delays in the trial process have been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and various legal strategies from the defense.
While awaiting his retrial at the Broward County Jail, Melly’s bond requests have been denied. Meanwhile, Bortlen, who was initially released on bond in August 2021, has faced new troubles, including charges of witness tampering stemming from a raid in October 2023.
Melly’s Mental Health Claims
In 2022, Melly’s team requested he be declared unfit for trial due to mental health issues, a claim the prosecution has countered. Melly has spoken about having multiple personality disorder, indicating he has six distinct personalities, only revealing Melly and Melvin to the public. He describes Melvin as a protective figure, while Melly embodies a more sociable aspect of his persona.
Other Trials in Hip-Hop
The unresolved murder of Tupac Shakur, shot in Las Vegas in 1996, continues to echo in hip-hop culture, with charges finally brought against a suspect last October, Duane “Keefe D” Davis. He is said to be the last surviving member of the group implicated in the shooting.
In more recent events, Patrick Clark is set for court on January 23, 2024, for allegedly killing Migos rapper Takeoff in 2022. Meanwhile, Young Thug faces serious charges under Georgia’s RICO Act, with ongoing legal proceedings tied to criminal gang activities.