Juror Believes YNW Melly Is ‘Being Framed’ In Double-Murder Case

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Anthony Walker

Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for 2wenty 2wenty Music

The holdout juror responsible for the July 22 mistrial in YNW Melly’s double murder case is convinced that the 24-year-old rapper is the victim of a conspiracy. The Fort Lauderdale resident, identified only as Juror Number 7, spoke with The South Florida Sun Sentinel about her lack of faith in the prosecution’s case. 

“I believe that he didn’t do it, and it wasn’t proved in court…This was a really bad situation of being framed. Melly was a very good person. He always tried to help out people around him,” she said.

The juror also takes credit for persuading two of her colleagues to side with her “not guilty” verdict, leading to a 9-3 stalemate that will give Jamell “YNW Melly” Demons another day in court.  

Juror Number 7, who is black, also pointed to the prosecution’s insistence on tying the October 2018 shooting deaths of Demons’ friends Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams and Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr. to gang activity as racial profiling. In a case where the victims and suspects were Black, and the investigators and prosecutors were white.

“This was not a matter of fact but a matter of race,” she said.

She also doubts the legitimacy of the phone evidence presented, questioning the text messages that show a rift in the group of friends and the records that show Demons’ phone never left the car where the victims were killed. 

According to the Miami Herald, the Miramar Police Department “is looking into” an excessive force complaint against lead investigator Detective Mark Moretti filed by Demons’ mother’s attorney. Defense attorney Stuart Adelstein accused Moretti of repeatedly threatening Melly’s manager with deportation to Haiti and a “disease-ridden sh*thole” jail in his home country.

Despite speculations that YNW Melly was granted bail on Saturday, journalist Bryson “Boom” Paul said the story is “false.” A bond hearing is scheduled for later this month. Jury selection for the retrial of the “Murder On My Mind” rapper is scheduled to begin on Oct. 9.

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