Judge finds no ‘cover-up’ in YNW Melly murder prosecution
Deep into jury selection in the retrial of Jamell “YNW Melly” Demons on two counts of first-degree murder, a Broward judge issued a formal ruling Wednesday denying a defense motion to dismiss the case and clearing the Broward State Attorney’s Office of deliberately withholding key information from the defense.
The ruling by Broward Circuit Judge John J. Murphy caps months of legal disputes about what prosecutors knew about allegations of witness misconduct, when they knew it, and what they did about it.
“The evidence does not show that (Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor or deputies Regina Faulk and Christopher Killoran) engaged in a cover-up” blocking defense lawyers from learning that another prosecutor, Michelle Boutros, had accused the lead detective on the case of asking a Broward deputy to lie about the execution of a related search warrant.
The lead prosecutor on the case, Kristine Bradley, was removed by the judge earlier this month for failing to tell defense lawyers about Boutros’ allegations before Demons’ first trial earlier this year.
Without finding that Bradley did anything improper, Murphy said the allegations of prosecutorial misconduct against her do not extend to her superiors at the State Attorney’s Office.
At worst, Murphy said in his decision, a violation of the state’s obligation to inform the defense about misconduct allegations would have resulted in a new trial, which Demons is getting anyway because the jury in his last trial failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
Defense lawyers Jamie Benjamin and Daniel Aaronson said they were crippled in their effort to prove further prosecutorial misconduct because Murphy did not allow them to formally question Pryor and his two deputies.
Jury selection in Demons; retrial is still in its first phase, with potential panelists being ruled out if they cannot devote the time needed to hear the case. The second phase of jury selection will determine whether they can be unbiased in hearing the case and, if necessary, imposing the death penalty.
Demons is accused of gunning down fellow rappers Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas and Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams two years ago after a late-night recording session in 2018. His first trial ended in a hung jury in July.