By Kristen Hernandez
Five years after the double murders of Christopher Thomas Jr. (YNW Juvy) and Anthony Williams (YNW Sakchaser), local Miramar rapper Jamell Demons, aka YNW Melly, will face retrial for the killings and is scheduled to begin this October. Cortland Henry (YMW Bortland) is the alleged accomplice and will be tried separately. Both victims and the two accused men are part of the YNW collective.
During a brief hearing in August, jury selection was pushed back a week and will now begin October 9. Demons was all smiles and appeared confident as he stood before the judge.
Another inmate leaving his own hearing shouted “Free Melly” as he left, drawing laughter from observers. On his way out the courtroom, Demons appeared to mouth “I’m coming home” or “I’m going home” to his attorney.
Juror Speaks Out About Chaos During Deliberations
Broward County Circuit Judge John Murphy III asked the jury on two occasions to try and reach a unanimous decision.
A juror spoke out recently about tensions behind closed doors during deliberations. She spoke under the condition of anonymity with WPLG reporter, Ian Margol. She claimed jurors initially voted to convict Demons 11–1 on the lesser charge of manslaughter, except one juror who was “there to cause chaos.”
“From day one, she had issues with the foreperson selected, at one-point crossing her arms and saying she was ‘done’,” the juror told Margol. “When another juror asked her to not shut down and set her feelings aside, she exploded. She yelled insults at anyone who had a different opinion.”
She also claimed the hold-out juror “manipulated” two other jurors’ opinions about the rapper’s guilt and persuaded them to change their vote.
“She announced to the group that they changed their minds, but when another juror asked why she was speaking for them, she exploded,” the former juror said. She added that the woman viciously threw insults, including gay slurs, at the man who questioned her.
On their third attempt at reaching a verdict, the jury was deadlocked. Without a unanimous decision, Judge Murphy formally declared a mistrial.
“It’s something we’re never going to forget. We were shaking at the end.”
The anonymous juror reportedly felt the need to set the record straight after Demons’ mother, Jamie Demons-King, claimed incorrectly in social media posts that the jury was deadlocked 9–3 in favor of acquittal. She said it was the exact opposite, that nine jurors were convinced of Demons’ guilt.
“That’s just not true. I don’t want someone out there changing my vote.”
The Facts as We Know Them
On October 26, 2018, Demons and Henry, along with victims Christopher Thomas Jr. and Anthony Williams, left New Era Recording Studio in Miramar in two separate vehicles. They are not seen again
until Henry showed up at the hospital with two dead bodies, 103 minutes later. All four men have been friends since elementary school.
Prosecutors allege the appearance of possible gang members in YNW Melly’s music videos and social media posts prove the shooting was part of gang action, but the defense said that claim lacks credibility.
Authorities believe Demons and Henry staged a drive-by shooting by taking the car to a remote area and then fired several rounds into the back and sides. However, contradicting forensic evidence proved bullets were shot from inside the vehicle, from the left at close range.
The defense team called just one witness, Adrian Davis, to testify at the first trial. Davis said he was with Demons the entire time, and when they heard about the murders, they cried together.
What Happens Next
Demons’ attorneys filed a motion last month to re-dispose lead Miramar police detective, Mark Moretti, before the new trial. Demons has added two new lawyers to his defense team and is reportedly replacing attorney David A. Howard with Jamie Benjamin in an attempt to rejuvenate his defense.
Co-defendant, Cortland Henry, is also accused of two counts of first-degree murder and will be tried separately. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty in Henry’s case. Henry did not testify at Demons trial.
The murder weapon has never been located. Demons has pleaded not guilty.
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