In a development in the almost never ending murder retrial of YNW Melly, Florida prosecutors have dismissed a witness tampering charge against the rapper, just days before the allegation was set to be tried on its own, according to multiple reports.
The dismissal was filed Tuesday, Jan. 20, one day before jury selection was scheduled to begin in the witness tampering case. Prosecutors had accused the artist, whose legal name is Jamell Demons, of attempting to influence a key witness tied to his pending double murder prosecution. The alleged conduct was said to have occurred ahead of his 2023 retrial.
Despite the dropped charge, Demons, 26, continues to face two counts of first-degree murder related to the October 2018 deaths of Christopher Thomas Jr. and Anthony Williams, both described as close friends of the rapper.
Authorities with the Miramar Police Department allege that Demons fatally shot Thomas and Williams inside a vehicle after leaving a recording studio in Fort Lauderdale late on Oct. 26, 2018. Investigators further claim the scene was staged to resemble a drive-by shooting near the Everglades.
Police have said Demons and co-defendant Cortlen Henry initially told officers they had been victims of gunfire. Investigators later determined forensic evidence did not support that version of events.
Demons was previously tried on the murder charges in 2023, but the case ended in a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict. Defense attorneys later stated that a single juror opposed conviction and convinced others to hold out.
Henry later reached a plea deal with prosecutors, receiving a 10-year prison sentence on charges including witness tampering and accessory after the fact. In exchange, the murder charges against him were dropped.
Demons is scheduled to be retried on the double murder charges in January 2027. Prosecutors have not said whether they will again pursue the death penalty, which remains an option under Florida law.