Key takeaways
- Rapper YNW Melly (Jamell Demons) appeared in Fort Lauderdale for a motions hearing ahead of his re-trial.
- Prosecutors and defense attorneys argued which evidence will be admissible in the upcoming double-homicide case.
- Melly faces two counts of first-degree murder and witness tampering; his re-trial is set for January 2027.
- He is scheduled to return to court Jan. 12 for more motions; a witness-tampering trial begins Jan. 21.
Short hearing in Fort Lauderdale
Rapper YNW Melly, born Jamell Demons, appeared in a Fort Lauderdale courtroom Monday as prosecutors and defense attorneys filed and reviewed motions in advance of his re-trial on charges tied to a 2018 double homicide.
What happened in court
The hearing lasted roughly an hour. Attorneys for both sides presented motions to the judge to determine which pieces of evidence and testimony will be allowed at trial. Melly watched as the legal teams hashed out objections and procedural matters.
Charges and allegations
Demons is accused of murdering Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas and Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams following a late-night recording session in October 2018. Prosecutors allege the killings were staged to look like a drive-by shooting. Cortland “Bortland” Henry, Melly’s co-defendant, faces charges for allegedly driving the Jeep where the victims were killed and helping conceal the crime.
Background: first trial ended in mistrial
Melly’s first trial in 2023 ended in a mistrial after a 12-member jury could not reach a unanimous verdict following three days of deliberations. The earlier proceedings included allegations of witness tampering, messages passed from jail, and an alleged escape plot—issues that resurfaced in Monday’s motions hearing as the court considered what will remain part of the record in the new trial.
Upcoming dates to watch
The judge scheduled another motions hearing for Monday, Jan. 12 at 8:45 a.m., where attorneys will argue additional pretrial issues. Demons faces separate trial dates: a witness-tampering trial set to begin Jan. 21 and the re-trial on the double-homicide charges slated for January 2027.
What’s next
Legal teams will continue to dispute which witness statements, jail communications, and other evidence may be presented to a jury. The resolution of those motions will shape the case prosecutors present in 2027 and could affect the strategy of the defense. Authorities maintain the charges include two counts of premeditated first-degree murder and related offenses.
The case remains high-profile given Melly’s music career and the violent nature of the allegations. Court watchers and fans are likely to follow upcoming hearings closely as motions narrow the scope of the re-trial.
Image Referance: https://www.local10.com/news/local/2026/01/05/motions-filed-ahead-of-rapper-ynw-mellys-re-trial-for-double-homicide/