YNW Melly faces two murder charges for the 2018 deaths of his friends and fellow rappers.
Despite pleading not guilty and asserting his innocence, Melly’s case has encountered multiple delays, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a mistrial, and accusations of misconduct against the lead detective.
Here’s the most recent information on his case and the potential date of his release from jail.
Mistrial and Retrial
Ynw Melly’s first trial ended in a mistrial on July 22, 2023, after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
The 12-member panel deliberated for three days but could not agree on whether he was guilty or not.
The Broward County State Attorney’s Office announced that they would retry the case with a new jury and seek the death penalty again.
The retrial was scheduled to start on October 9, 2023, but it was postponed after a heated hearing on October 6, 2023.
The defense filed several motions, including one to dismiss the case, based on allegations of wrongdoing by Miramar Police Detective Mark Moretti, who is the lead investigator on the case.
Allegations of Misconduct
The defense accused Moretti of lying about his seizure of a phone belonging to Ynw Melly’s mother, Jamie King, during an interview at the Broward courthouse in October 2022.
King was suspected of tampering with two witnesses: Mariah Hamilton, Ynw Melly’s ex-girlfriend, and Felicia Holmes, Hamilton’s mother.
According to the defense, Moretti told another officer to say that he was present when he executed a search warrant for King’s phone, even though he was not.
This was overheard by Michelle Boutros, a prosecutor from the Public Corruption Unit who was also in the room.
Boutros testified as a witness for the defense on October 6, 2023.
The defense also claimed that Moretti withheld evidence from them, such as phone records and DNA reports.
They argued that Moretti’s actions violated Ynw Melly’s constitutional rights and compromised the integrity of the investigation.
The prosecution denied any wrongdoing by Moretti and said that he followed proper procedures.
They also said that Boutros misunderstood what Moretti said and that there was no evidence of tampering or withholding.
Judge’s Ruling
Broward Circuit Court Judge John Murphy said that he would rule on the pending motions over the next two weeks.
He also said that he would decide whether top-level prosecutors, including elected State Attorney Harold Pryor, could be compelled to testify about their involvement in the case.
Murphy said that he wanted to expedite the case and avoid further delays.
He said that he would set a new date for jury selection once he resolved the motions.
Current Status
As of October 11, 2023, Ynw Melly remains in jail without bond.
He appeared in court for a hearing on October 11, 2023, but no major developments were reported.
He has been in custody since February 2019.
His fans and supporters have been campaigning for his release on social media using hashtags like #FreeMelly and #JusticeForMelly.
They believe that he is innocent and that he was framed by someone else.
His music career has also continued despite his legal troubles.
He has released several songs from jail, including “Mixed Personalities” with Kanye West and “Suicidal” with Juice WRLD.
His latest album, “Just A Matter Of Slime”, came out in August 2023 and featured collaborations with Lil Baby, Lil Durk, Young Thug, and others.
It is unclear when Ynw Melly will be released from jail or when his retrial will begin.
His case has been one of the most controversial and complicated in recent rap history.
He faces a possible death sentence if convicted of killing his friends.
