Police booking photo of Jamell Demons a.k.a. YNW Melly. February 13, 2019.
Broward's Sheriff's Office via Getty Images
Attorneys for Jamell Demons a.k.a. YNW Melly filed a court motion on Friday asking for the Florida rapper to be released on bond, according to court documents reviewed by The FADER. Melly is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the February shooting deaths of Anthony "YNW Sakchaser" Williams and Christopher "YNW Juvy" Thomas — the state of Florida is seeking the death penalty.
According to the new filing, Melly's behavior surrounding the case shows that the rapper is not a flight risk, and thus deserves bond. After a warrant was filed for Melly's arrest in the case, federal authorities went to a Washington D.C. club where the rapper was scheduled to perform — the agents ended up arresting someone they misidentified as Melly.
The rapper's lawyers argue: "The Defendant poses no flight risk, as he knew what the charges were pending against him and he still chose to self-surrender. If he wanted to run, he would have ran when learning of the misidentification of the other individual that was arrested at the venue in the District of Columbia."
The filing makes a separate, troubling prediction: that Melly's lyrics in his hit "Murder On My Mind" will be used against him in the upcoming trial, as they were in a previous case for aggravated assault and battery. The filing reads: "The defense anticipates that the prosecution will attempt to use the same song and lyrics in the same manner for the above referenced case."
The FADER has reached out to YNW Melly's representative for comment.
