Credit: Wikimedia

YNW Melly was set to appear in court this week, but refused to appear at a status hearing.

The rapper is facing murder charges after being accused of killing his childhood friends, YNW Sakchaser (real name Anthony Williams) and YNW Juvy (real name Christopher Thomas Jr), in October 2018.

According to NBC 6 South Florida, Melly failed to appear for the hearing ahead of his January 2027 trial.

The hearing was to pick a date for motions, which involved modifying conditions of his pretrial release. A hearing to persuade the judge to grant his bond request is scheduled for April 30th.

It’s currently unclear why the rapper refused to make an appearance in the courtroom.

Last month, Melly asked the judge to be released on bail ahead of his trial. His attorney, Drew Findling, claimed he’s living in “dehumanising” conditions at Broward County Jail.

Melly allegedly entered solitary confinement in December 2021, requiring him to be alone in a cell for 23 hours a day and allowed out for just one hour with no interactions.

He claims he hasn’t been allowed phone calls or visits for four years after his visitation and phone privileges were revoked in 2022, citing potential psychological damage, long-term physical issues, and mental illness.

If found guilty, the rapper faces a potential death penalty or life sentence, with police claiming he staged the crime scene to appear as a drive-by shooting. Sakchaser and Juvy suffered multiple gunshot wounds, with prosecutors alleging that YNW Bortlen drove their bodies to an emergency room.

Melly’s lawyer, Findling, has previously worked with the likes of Donald Trump, including Lil Baby, DaBaby, Gucci Mane, NBA YoungBoy, and Offset.