YNW Melly's case was deemed a mistrial by Judge John Murphy recently. The rapper is accused of shooting and killing two of his YNW associates, Juvy and SakChaser. His defense insists the men were killed in a drive-by shooting, however, investigators have brought forth evidence that appears to suggest otherwise. Last week, the jury reached deliberation, and reportedly could not come to a unanimous decision on whether or not Melly's guilty. Due to this, a mistrial was declared.
Another one of Melly's YNW associates, YNW Bortlen, was allegedly in the vehicle at the time of the murders. According to footage shown in court, he drove the two victims to the hospital after they were shot to be treated for their injuries. He's set to begin his own trial in October at the Broward County Courthouse. On the same day that Melly's mistrial was declared, Bortlen shared a cryptic Tweet with followers. "Mind games dont work on people like me [handshake emoji]," he wrote. It's unclear what he meant by the Tweet and, of course, it could have nothing to do with the alleged double murders or Melly. The message, however, did get fans' attention due to its timing.
YNW Bortlen's Cryptic Tweet
At the end of last month, Bortlen appeared in court in Florida, where the start date of his trial was revealed. His defense motioned for the rapper to be permitted to work while he awaits the trial. Assistant State Attorney Kristine Bradley was not on board. She noted that Bortlen had previously violated the terms of his bond agreement. In 2021, the 24-year-old allegedly went to various strip clubs and residences, which was picked up by his ankle monitor. The judge denied his defense's motion.
Following news of the mistrial, Melly’s manager 100K Track shared his thoughts. “I’m happy with it,” he claimed, “It’s not the verdict we would want of course, but it’s a second chance, and I take that literal for everything. It’s a second chance at life, a second chance at a better defense, so I’m excited. I really feel like Melly’s coming home. I’ve felt like that, but this just confirmed it.”