After 19 days of hearing arguments, Judge John Murphy declared the trial a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous decision on YNW Melly’s double murder charges.
Jamell Demons, whose stage name is YNW Melly, faces two first degree murder charges in the October 26, 2018 murders of Anthony Williams, 21, and Christopher Thomas, 19, in Miramar.
Closing arguments concluded Thursday and the case was handed over to the Broward jury, which spent two full days deliberating on the outcome of the case. The trial began last month.
The jury asked the state and the judge if they could review some of the evidence again, but after a few hours and a lunch break, the jury was unable to come to a decision, forcing the judge to order a mistrial.
Demons, now 24, has pleaded not guilty and faces the death penalty if found guilty.
Demons, Williams and Thomas were riding in a Jeep driven by Cortland Henry, known as YNW Bortlen, after a recording session in Fort Lauderdale when Demons killed Williams and Thomas, prosecutors said. Henry is charged as an accessory to the case but will be tried separately.
Authorities said Demons and Henry staged the crime scene to resemble a drive-by shooting.
Prosecutors say the shooting was part of a gang action, while defense attorneys say the motive lacks credibility because the demons and victims were close friends.
The defense insisted Demons was sleeping at home at the time of the murders and claimed Henry was responsible.
Thomas went by the stage name YNW Juvy while Williams was known as YNW Sakchaser. They were childhood friends of Demons and part of the YNW collective.