A judge in Florida has ruled to summon 500 potential jurors and broadcast live the picking of a jury for the retrial of YNW Melly in his double murder case, which is scheduled to begin on January 6, 2027. This was done by Broward County Circuit Judge Martin S. Fein on October 13, 2026, due to the high publicity of the case and difficulty in contacting the jurors in the past.
The judge orders that the screening of potential jurors be done in batches of 50 persons to select about 60 potential jurors. Public attendance will not be allowed in the courtroom during the selection process. Rather, there will be a live audio-visual transmission of the proceedings in another courtroom. Information regarding jurors will remain confidential, and there will be more security with additional support from the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
The judge mentioned “numerous incidents of inappropriate contact and inappropriate communication and attempts at communication” between prospective jurors and numerous members of the public. These incidents had created security challenges that required additional resources.
YNW Melly, whose legal name is Jamell Demons, faces two counts of first-degree murder in the October 26, 2018, deaths of childhood friends and fellow YNW members Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr., 19, and Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams, 21. Prosecutors allege the men were shot inside a vehicle after a Fort Lauderdale studio session and that the scene was staged to look like a drive-by. Melly has pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence. He has been held without bond in Broward County Jail since his February 2019 arrest.
His first trial ended in a mistrial on July 22, 2023, after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict following more than 14 hours of deliberations. A mistrial is neither a conviction nor an acquittal. Prosecutors chose to retry the case and continue to seek the death penalty if Melly is convicted, under current Florida law.
Co-defendant Cortlen “YNW Bortlen” Henry resolved his charges in 2025 with a no-contest plea to accessory after the fact and related counts. Murder charges against him were dropped. He received a 10-year sentence with credit for time served, plus probation, and must provide a sworn statement but is not required to testify against Melly.
Melly is now represented by Atlanta attorney Drew Findling, who was part of the team that secured an acquittal for Lil Durk in a federal murder-for-hire case, and Florida attorney Carey Haughwout. In early October 2026 the defense moved to suppress digital evidence from Instagram, Snapchat, Google, and an iPhone obtained through 2024 warrants, arguing the affidavits contained misstatements and omissions. A court appearance was set around October 27, 2026.
It is significant due to the fact that Melly has been incarcerated for more than seven years now without any convictions, and the unprecedented jury process makes it clear that it has not been easy to seat an impartial jury in a controversial hip-hop case with issues of openness and jury protection. Other issues that are still to be addressed are the motion on digital evidence and the January trial date.
