The state of Florida has dropped the death penalty in the case of YNW Melly ahead of his double-murder trial.
The death penalty has been dropped in the case of YNW Melly ahead of his double-murder trial in Florida. The rapper, born Jamel Maurice Demons, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in February 2019. Authorities say he and another rapper, YNW Bortlen, murdered two of their close pals, Anthony "YNW Sakchaser" Williams and Christopher "YNW Juvy" Thomas Jr. Melly's original death sentence was commuted due to his attorneys' success in eliminating physical punishment from his sentence on a technicality. On April 27, the attorneys for the Florida rapper filed a motion citing a specific rule in the state's criminal procedure that would eliminate the death penalty in his sentencing. According to the court document, "if the prosecutor intends to seek the death penalty, the prosecutor must give notice to the Defendant of that intent." Furthermore, it stated that the notice was to be filed with the court within 45 days of his arraignment. According to the filings, because Melly was arrested "on or about March 2, 2022," the state "never filed a Notice of Intent to Seek the Death Penalty detailing the aggravating reasons it plans to show as it relates to this additional or superseding occurrence."