There is no release date yet for YNW MELLY. The rapper is currently behind bars and will only be set free if he is found not guilty of the double homicide charge he faces. MELLY was jailed for the alleged murder of Anthony Williams (YNW Sakchaser) and Christopher Thomas Jr. (YNW Juvy), two of his label associates.
The double murder occurred in Florida on 26 October 2018, but charges were only brought in February 2019 against MELLY and one other individual named Cortlen Henry (YNW Bortlen). MELLY voluntarily surrendered to the authorities on 13 February 2019 and has remained in jail till date. The only way he can walk free is if he is found not guilty at the end of his trial.
Where is YNW MELLY Now?
YNW MELLY is presently at the Broward County Jail in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The rapper has been there since February 13, 2019, when he surrendered to the authorities to answer for the double homicide charges that were brought against him. YNM MELLY has spent more than four years in jail and only comes out for his court hearings.
It is left to his family members and managers to update the public on his condition, and they regularly do so. His mother, Jamie Demons-King, has alleged that her son is being maltreated and denied certain privileges in jail. She has also alleged that some officials want to beat him up and harm him. However, such is yet to occur, and the rapper is hale and hearty.
Why is YNW MELLY in Jail?
YNW MELLY is in jail for allegedly murdering two of his friends and label associates – Anthony Williams (YNW Sakchaser) and Christopher Thomas Jr. (YNW Juvy). The murder took place on October 26, 2018, and the authorities allege that MELLY and another YNW associate named Cortlen Henry shot the duo of Anthony Williams (YNW Sakchaser) and Christopher Thomas Jr. (YNW Juvy) dead and then staged the whole thing to look like a drive-by shooting.
Following nearly four months of investigation, YNW MELLY was charged with two counts of premeditated murder. He is currently facing trial and has denied having a hand in the death of his friends. According to his post on Instagram, “I lost my two brothers to violence and now the system wants to find justice. Unfortunately, a lot of rumors and lies are being said but no worries god is with me and my brother YNW Bortlen.”
When Was YNW MELLY’s Trial?
YNW MELLY’s first trial was from the 12th of June 2023 to the 22nd of July 2023. It lasted about a month and one week, during which the prosecution laid out their case. They alleged that the duo of Henry and MELLY were all in a vehicle together with Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr. Henry and MELLY are alleged to have gotten out of the vehicle and shot at Williams and Thomas Jr., after which Henry then drove the victims to the hospital where they were pronounced dead.
YNW MELLY’s defense team also got a chance to provide their evidence and at the end of the trial, the jury could not reach a unanimous decision on the guilt or innocence of the rapper. The first trial was thus declared a mistrial, and as such, an order was made for a second trial.
YNW MELLY’s second trial was supposed to start in October 2023, but there have been several delays, similar to what happened during the first trial. It is expected that jury selection will take place in December 2023, while the prosecutors will make opening arguments in February 2024. This means that the rapper will remain in jail till 2024 at least.
YNW MELLY’s Sentence
YNW MELLY has not been sentenced yet, as his trial has yet to conclude. His second trial has not even started and one can only be sentenced after they have been tried and found guilty.
As pointed out above, YNW MELLY’s second trial was supposed to have started in October 2023 but has suffered some setbacks. Jury selection will take place in December 2023 while trial will open in February 2024. It is only after that trial that we will know YNW MELLY’s sentence, which is if he is found guilty.
Does YNW MELLY Have a Death Penalty?
YNW MELLY is facing the death penalty for his alleged murder of his two pals, Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr. He could, therefore, be sentenced to death if found guilty of the allegations against him. MELLY and his team have previously fought against such a possibility, and it is a battle that dates back to day one of the whole trial.
When YNW MELLY was charged with murder in February 2019, the prosecutors made it obvious that they would seek the death penalty and gave him notice of their intention to do so in accordance with the law. However, MELLY’s defense team later went to court to ask the judge to rule that the prosecutors could not seek the death penalty for the rapper.
They relied on the fact that he was arraigned a second time, and no notice of intent to seek the death penalty was given during that second arraignment. The judge bought this argument and ruled in MELLY’s favor, but the prosecution appealed.
In November 2022, the appellate court held that the prosecution need not issue a second notice of intent to seek the death penalty after the first. Therefore, YNW MELLY is facing the death penalty, and what makes things even scarier is that in 2023, the state of Florida passed a law reducing the threshold for the death penalty from a unanimous jury decision to a decision of just 8-4.
When is YNW MELLY’s Jail Release Date?
YNW MELLY has no release date from jail. He would only be set free if found not guilty at the end of his murder trial. Although persons charged with crimes are often granted bail, those charged with grievous crimes, as is the case of YNW MELLY, who is charged with two counts of premeditated murder, do not get bail.
MELLY has, however, made attempts to be freed. In August 2023, he filed an application for an Arthur Hearing so that he could be released on bond. Such a situation would have seen him leave jail, albeit on conditions such as putting up a lump sum of money, wearing an ankle monitor at all times, or being placed under house arrest. His application was denied by the court in September 2023 despite the fine arguments made by his lawyers.
The mother of one of his alleged victims, Leondra Phillips (mother of Thomas Jr.), also opposed the application, pointing out that MELLY was charged with a serious crime and that she didn’t want anything to happen to her or her family.
FAQs
Is YNW MELLY Still in Jail?
YNW MELLY is still in jail. He has been in jail since 13 February 2019 and will only be released if found not guilty at the end of his double homicide trial.
Why Did YNW MELLY Kill His Friends?
Prosecutors believed that YNW MELLY killed his friends because of selfishness and greed. Christopher Thomas Jr’s father, Thomas Sr. also believes that YNM MELLY killed his friends because of money that the group would have shared. MELLY has, however, denied this and maintained his innocence. His lawyers also argue that the prosecution has failed to provide a clear motive for why he would want to kill his “best friends.”
