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YNW Melly Double Murder Trial Ends With Mistrial, The Internet Wonders If They’ll Really ‘Free Melly’

The shocking YNW Melly double murder trial ended with another twist: A mistrial from a deadlocked jury. Now, both supporters and critics wonder what happens next, and will they really “free Melly?”

Source: Jerritt Clark / Getty

The South Florida rapper escaped a possible death sentence… for now. YNW Melly, whose real name is Jamell Demons, was on trial for two first-degree murders.

Prosecutors accused him of fatally shooting 19-year-old Christopher Thomas Jr. and 21-year-old Anthony Williams on October 26, 2018. They were Melly’s childhood friends and fellow crew members who went by the stage names YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser.

#YNWMellyTrial: Remember the 1st verdict to determine if @YNWMelly is found “Guilty” or “Not Guilty” of 2 counts of 1st Degree Murder with a firearm must be a unanimous decision by the jury.

If “Guilty,” the court goes into the death penalty phrases. #ynwmelly #melly pic.twitter.com/La3elbfTD7

— Bryson “Boom” Paul (@brysonboompaul) July 20, 2023

Law & Crime reports a judge declared a mistrial against Melly. Despite the state’s confidence in the evidence against him, the jury couldn’t reach a unanimous decision.

After 19 days of the murder trial, closing arguments ended on Thursday. The sequestered jury asked to go back over the case evidence. They spent about nine hours deliberating over two days until they informed Judge John Murphy that they couldn’t agree on a verdict. See the courtroom after he declared the mistrial below.

“Our system doesn’t work without getting people from the community to come in here and listen to the facts of the case and make these types of decisions. They are hard decisions. We appreciate you gave us the time,” Murphy said.

Read more about the case and what the mistrial means for YNW Melly after the flip.

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