FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Rapper YNW Melly was back before a Broward County judge on Thursday as he seeks to get bond ahead of his retrial for a double murder case that is set for 2027.
Attorneys for the rapper, whose real name is Jamell Demons, highlighted that the 26-year-old has been in jail for seven years and hasn’t been convicted.
Demons is accused of murdering his childhood friends Christopher Thomas and Anthony Williams in October 2018 after a late-night recording session and then making it look like a drive-by shooting.
His first trial ended in a mistrial in 2023 after the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. That trial included allegations of witness tampering.
Thursday’s hearing included testimony from the rapper’s family members and a Broward Sheriff’s Office detention officer regarding the rapper’s living conditions while in custody, which include no access to a phone.
The BSO detention officer testified as to Demons’ recreational opportunities, stating he gets outside exercise three times per week.
A judge will determine if he can be released on bond or remain in custody as he awaits retrial.
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