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The prosecution in the YNW Melly trial wants the rapper to be retried in October along with his friend YNW Bortlen. A trial date was set for October 2.
If granted by Judge John Murphy III might increase the prosecution’s chances of convicting Melly after his first trial ended with a deadlocked jury and a declaration of a mistrial.
On Friday at the rapper’s status hearing, the prosecution indicated that it will pursue a retrial led by lead Kristine Bradley and Camile Smith while YNW Melly will continue to be represented by defense counsel David Howard, Stuart Adelstein, and Raven Ramona Liberty.
In the meantime, Melly’s upcoming trial will be dealt with extensively on August 1-3, according to the schedule released by the Broward County courthouse. It’s speculated that the rapper’s lawyers will make a bid for bond to secure his freedom, as he has been incarcerated since 2019.
As for what the upcoming trial might look like, prosecutor Bradley has shared that she will be moving for a motion to allow the indictment to try both Melly and his crony Bortlen.
Melly is accused of being the one to pull the trigger, killing his friends Anthony Williams, called YNW Sakchaser, and Christopher Thomas Jr., called YNW Juvy. Police claim that Melly was in the car on the night when his friends were killed, and he received a ride from his friend, fellow rapper Fredo Bang, on the night of October 26, 2018, after shooting up the car to stage a drive-by.
YNW Melly faced two charges of first-degree murder in his trial, while Bortlen was to be tried as an accessory to murder for allegedly covering up the shooting by claiming that it was a drive-by and taking the victims to a nearby hospital.
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During Friday’s hearing, Bradley indicated that she will be seeking the court to try Melly and Bortlen together.
Prosecutors faced an uphill battle placing Melly at the crime scene, particularly as no murder weapon was found, and a motive for the killing could not be established to show that the rapper had the requisite intention to kill his friends.
It’s expected that the judge will decide as to whether the indictment will be severed to have both Bortlen and Melly tried together at the retrial set for October 2.
I have no idea why Kristine Bradley wants Bortlen and Mellys cases tried together. Their cases have already been severed. I knew she was gonna try some sneak shit on this next trial. Smh #YNWMellyTrial #ynwmelly #melly #Broward #Florida #retrial pic.twitter.com/somNOxuEo9
— TrueCrimeChroniclesLB (@TCChroniclesLB) July 28, 2023
#YNWMellyTrial2: @YNWMelly will appear in front of Judge Murphy III next on August 1-3, 2023, according to @Florida_Courts.#ynwmelly #melly #ynwmellytrial pic.twitter.com/agP1VzFWTw
— Bryson “Boom” Paul (@brysonboompaul) July 28, 2023
