Jury selection for YNW Melly’s murder retrial will not begin in Broward County, Florida on Monday (October 9). The 24-year-old rapper must continue to wait while Judge John Murphy sorts out several motions in the case.
Judge Murphy confirmed the delay at a hearing on Friday (October 6). Jury selection cannot move forward until the defense and prosecution settle a legal battle over alleged prosecutorial misconduct.
YNW Melly’s lawyers want the Broward State Attorney’s Office thrown off their client’s double murder case. The defense accused prosecutors of committing felony obstruction of justice.
Defense attorneys claimed prosecutors withheld evidence to “sanitize” the actions of Detective Mark Moretti, the lead investigator in YNW Melly’s case. The defense said prosecutors covered up Detective Moretti’s alleged misconduct to protect him as a witness in the rapper’s first trial.
The prosecution will argue its motion to quash the defense’s subpoenas of prosecutors on Tuesday (October 10). YNW Melly’s legal team planned to call Assistant State Attorney Kristine Bradley as a witness if Judge Murphy allows it.
Judge Murphy will hear arguments for the defense’s motion to dismiss YNW Melly’s murder case on October 13. If the judge does not dismiss the case, more motions will be heard the week of October 16.
YNW Melly, whose real name is Jamell Demons, is accused of killing YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser in 2018. The rapper was tried for the murders over the summer, but the proceedings ended in a mistrial. He remains in jail awaiting his retrial.
