YNW Melly’s double murder retrial has finally been given a start date, and the rapper’s trial will now kick off in September.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin on September 10 as planned, and opening arguments are set to commence on September 16.
Melly, real name Jamell Demons, stands accused of orchestrating the cold-blooded killings of his longtime friends and YNW affiliates Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas and Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams in Miramar, Florida, back in 2018.
Prosecutors allege the “Murder on My Mind” rapper not only pulled the trigger but also went as far as staging the scene to make it look like a drive-by shooting.
His co-defendant and former day-one, YNW Bortlen, is also set to face trial in connection with the case.
Melly has been locked up since 2019, and his first trial in 2023 ended in a mistrial after jurors couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict. Despite the gravity of the accusations, the 25-year-old artist has continued to proclaim his innocence.
If convicted, prosecutors say they’re not ruling out seeking the death penalty.