A Florida judge rescheduled a hearing for YNW Melly’s co-defendant YNW Bortlen in a double murder case. YNW Bortlen’s court date was pushed back to January 12, 2024, per Law & Crime’s Bryson Paul. The hearing was originally scheduled for Friday (September 29).
YNW Bortlen, whose real name is Cortlen Henry, faced a delay while prosecutors focused on retrying YNW Melly for the 2018 murders of YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser. Jury selection for the retrial starts on October 9.
Prosecutors accused YNW Melly of shooting and killing his friends after a studio session. Authorities said the suspect and his alleged accomplice YNW Bortlen tried to cover up the murders by staging a drive-by shooting.
YNW Melly’s first murder trial began in June but it ended with a hung jury. Judge John Murphy declared a mistrial in July. Prosecutors quickly announced plans to retry the 24-year-old rapper. YNW Bortlen will be tried separately.
Earlier this month, Judge Murphy denied YNW Melly’s request for bond. The rapper, whose real name is Jamell Demons, has remained in jail since his 2019 arrest.
His attorneys attempted to get the double murder case dismissed in a motion filed on Tuesday (September 26). Defense lawyers accused the Broward County State Attorney’s Office of prosecutorial misconduct, claiming prosecutors withheld evidence about the lead investigator in the case.
The defense awaits Judge Murphy’s decision on the motion to dismiss.
