The double murder trial of YNW Melly is currently underway in Florida. If convicted, the rapper faces the death penalty. But according to YNW Melly’s defense lawyer, there are several holes in the prosecution’s case. During opening statements, attorney David Howard berated the prosecutors for the allegedly weak case.
“Prosecutors are given great power, endless resources to perform their mission of pursuing justice, but that’s not what occurred here,” Howard said. “What they will bring you is a case that is riddled with reasonable doubt, that is founded on an incompetent and incomplete investigation and exercised poor judgement at every turn. The state cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt the allegations they have made, and there’s a reason for that.”
#YNWMelly’s lawyer, David Howard, attacked prosecutors’ case and claimed the investigation into #JamellDemons was “incompetent and incomplete.” pic.twitter.com/PfSFDQtarC
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) June 12, 2023
As for the prosecution, they are still convinced YNW Melly is responsible for the 2018 murders of YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser as are the victims’ family members. One could be heard whispering, “He did it. He killed my baby.”
Attorney Bradford Cohen, who was previously on the case, appears to side with the defense. As he wrote on Instagram, “I feel like this case is going to go very poorly for the prosecution. This is so far from a slam dunk case. Very difficult issues to prove here. They still need to prove that he pulled the trigger, that he was the killer. The faulty investigation, motive, no DNA, no GSR [gunshot residue], no murder weapon, no evidence that he pulled the trigger. Very tough case for prosecutor. Defense is doing a very good job at pointing out those large holes I spoke about and the rush to judgement.”
YNW Melly was arrested alongside YNW Bortlen in February 2019. Evidence suggested Melly concocted an elaborate plan to make it look like his two friends were killed in a drive-by shooting. YNW Bortlen then reportedly drove the two deceased victims to the emergency room in the early morning hours of October 26, 2018.
WATCH: Video shows #CortlenHenry, aka #YNWBortlen, who is the co-defendant of #YNWMelly, arriving to a hospital on Oct. 26, 2018 after an alleged drive-by shooting. pic.twitter.com/Cbb3QQkt8E
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) June 12, 2023
When Bortlen arrived, he asked the medical staff to help his two friends who were just shot in a drive-by. Police said both victims—real names Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr.—were pronounced dead at the hospital after suffering multiple gunshot wounds.
Bortlen told police he and his two friends had just finished a late night studio session and as he was getting off the freeway, a vehicle pulled up to his driver’s side and opened fire. Police confirmed there were eight bullet holes on the right side of the car where Williams and Thomas were sitting. Nobody else was hit. The more police investigated Bortlen’s story, the more forensic evidence they found suggesting his account was fabricated. Cops said they discovered a shell casing inside his vehicle and eight more at another location where police think YNW Melly and YNW Bortlen shot up the car to stage a drive-by.