Attorney in YNW Melly case under investigation for witness tampering
Florida rapper YNW Melly has been incarcerated for years as he faces trial for double murder. In 2019, Melly was arrested and charged in February 2019 with first-degree murder following the killing of his collaborators, YNW Sakchaser and YNW Juvy, in 2018.
Following his arrest, the artist remained in jail without probation. His co-defendant, Cortlen Henry, otherwise known as YNW Bortlen, was also arrested and charged. Melly could face the death penalty if found guilty. However, this is not certain. Considering the multiple charges against the rapper, the minimum sentence will be life.
The alleged murder committed by Melly occurred after a recording session outside a Florida studio. The victims were his supposed friends and collaborators. Still, this is not Melly’s first brush with the law. In 2016, the emcee was convicted of battery, discharging a firearm in public, and assault, which saw him serve less than a year in prison before getting released on parole.
Still, akin to Young Thug’s YSL RICO case, this trial has become long and incredibly drawn out. Last year, the Broward County judge presiding over the case, John Murphy, disqualified the prosecutor and state attorney, Kristine Bradley, after she asked a deputy police officer to provide false information.
Furthermore, last October, the Miami emcee got charged with witness tampering following the discovery that both he and TNW Bortlen were attempting to convince Melly’s ex-girlfriend, Mariah Hamilton, not to testify. All of the above resulted in a mistrial.
Now, the ‘Murder On My Mind’ rhymer is set to have a retrial. However, the case has been subject to yet another delay. As reported by legal affairs correspondent Meghann Cuniff, it has now been revealed that Melly’s attorney is being investigated for witness tampering. According to the judge, the emcee has to choose who he wants to represent him in this trial.
As one of his attorneys is being investigated, other members of his legal team have suggested that he needs more information before deciding whether or not he still wants the accused lawyer to stay on the case. Prior to this development, a two-page lawsuit against the Broward Sheriff’s Office by one of Melly’s lawyers, Michael A. Pizzi Jr, about the inhumane conditions in jail, including solitary confinement, communication restrictions, and more.
Part of the motion reads: “These restrictions are not related to any legitimate security concerns and are instead punitive measures designed to deteriorate Melly’s mental health and impede his ability to prepare for his trial. No non-black inmates are subjected to such punitive restrictions.” It continues: “The emotional and psychological toll of his prolonged isolation is enormous. The ongoing interference with his right to counsel is a blatant violation of his constitutional rights.”