The YNW Melly trial has picked up again in Broward County, FL, with attorneys for the defense objecting to disparaging text messages between their client and his mother being read aloud in court.
Law & Crime Network was on the scene on Wednesday (July 12), when David Howard made his objection before Judge John Murphy.
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“There are a number of mothers on the jury who may be inclined to convict just because they have heard irrelevant, unrelated conversations between Mr. Demons [YNW Melly] and his mother,” he said. “He is calling her the b-word, and all sorts and manner of disrespect. That is clearly off-putting to anyone.”
He continued: “And under the pretext that [the State of Florida] is trying to prove that the phone belongs to Mr. Demons […] the state is introducing reams and reams, and tons and tons, of inadmissible evidence.”
#YNWMelly’s defense attorney objected to the presentation of text messages between the rapper and his mother in court Wednesday. “He’s calling her the b-word and all sorts of manner of disrespect,” David Howard said. pic.twitter.com/VEDIM0UIcG
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) July 12, 2023
Ultimately, Judge Murphy denied the motion with two words — “motion denied” — and the state of Florida introduced the texts into evidence.
Despite the seemingly disparaging texts between YNW Melly and his mother, Jamie King has taken extra safety precautions after it was revealed that she’d allegedly received threats from one of the victims’ sister.
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On Tuesday (July 11), the rapper’s defense team raised concerns about King’s safety before testimony resumed during his murder trial.
According to Law & Crime reporter Terri Austin, the sister of YNW Juvy — one of two associates alleged to have been killed by Melly in October 2018 — threatened Melly’s mother on social media. It’s unclear what the threats were exactly.
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“Earlier this morning outside the presence of the jury, Defense counsel said that Juvy’s sister posted online that she would attack Jamie King,” Austin wrote on Twitter. “Jamie now has a body guard. Wow.”
In response, Judge John Murphy offered to provide additional security to King if needed, although the court determined that one bodyguard was enough protection for now.
Last month, YNW Melly’s team suffered a legal setback when crime scene detective Sgt. Christopher Williams — who was called to the witness stand by the prosecution — determined that the fatal bullets that killed the YNW members came from inside the car that they were riding in at the time of their death, not outside.
“The shooting happened from somebody inside the car,” Williams claimed as he recreated the crime scene for the jury. He added “the angles” of the projectiles going into the victims’ bodies “do not change,” and that he likely missed these details the first time around because he had been testing the scene for a drive-by.
Sgt. Williams went on to say he believed Juvy (real name Christopher Thomas Jr.) was shot in the head at close range from the left in the “middle of his cheek” while he was facing forward.
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“Part of the wound had an abrasion ring on it,” he said of the entrance wound, citing the “tattoo of the stippling” as evidence.
YNW Melly was arrested and charged with two counts of premeditated murder in 2019 and faces life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. If convicted, he could get the death penalty.
