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YNW Melly won't be facing trial for witness tampering after all because state prosecutors have dropped those charges.
According to a report NBC 6 in Miami published on Tuesday, January 20, four charges were dropped, including tampering with a witness, directing activities of a criminal gang, criminal solicitation to commit murder, and conspiracy to tamper with a witness on a capital felony. Prosecutors didn't provide a reason why they wouldn't pursue the charges. The charges were dropped just a day before a jury selection for the trial was set to begin. Now he will only have to deal with his second double murder trial.
"On behalf of Jamell Demons, we welcome the dismissal of the alleged tampering and gang-related charges in court this morning," Melly's attorney's Drew Findling and Carey Haughwout told TMZ. "As his newly retained legal team, it became immediately apparent to us that no crimes had occurred. Unfortunately, for 652 days while these charges were pending, the State did not reach the same conclusion until the cusp of trial."
Prosecutors alleged that Melly, born Jamell Demons, attempted to prevent an imperative witness from taking the stand during his double murder trial in 2023. The "Mixed Personalities" rapper stood trial for the murders of his best friends, Christopher Thomas, Jr. and Anthony Williams. He was accused of teaming up with his other friend, Cortlen "YNW Bortlen" Henry, to make the murders look like a drive-by shooting. Following weeks for testimonies, the jury became deadlocked after one juror refused to find Demons guilty and convinced two others to vote "not guilty." The judge ruled a mistrial.
Henry accepted a plea deal that resulted in prosecutors dropping his two murder charges. He was sentenced to 10 years for witness tampering and accessory after the fact. Meanwhile, Demons' double murder retrial is scheduled for January 2027.