The trial of a rising South Florida rapper accused of killing two other aspiring rappers nearly five years ago has been underway for the past three weeks.
Jamell Demons, whose stage name is YNW Melly, is facing two first-degree murder charges in the Oct. 26, 2018 killings of 21-year-old Anthony Williams - known as YNW Sackchaser - and 19-year-old Christopher Phillips - known as YNW Juvi - in Miramar.
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Prosecutors have said they'd be seeking the death penalty against Demons. Demons, now 24, has pleaded not guilty.
Here's is what we've learned so far during the course of the trial.
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Some of the top names in rap music have been a part of trial
Rapper Boosie was on hand for the opening day of the trial on June 12. On June 27, prosecutors introduced text messages between members of the Bloods gang that mentioned several high-profile rappers including Young Thug, French Montana, Juelz Santana and more that accused some of also being members of the gang.
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See the moment YNW Melly blows a kiss during murder trial — and victim's mom reacts
The "Murder on My Mind" singer had been seen smiling and laughing in court, but what's going viral was the moment where he appears to be praying and then blowing a kiss on June 14.
“He did it a couple times — that wasn’t his first time,” said Leondra Phillips, the mom of one of the victims.
She called the kiss disrespectful.
“I walked out,” she said. “Because, I don’t.. what you praying for? You sitting there like you ain’t got no remorse. Like every time I walk in, you smiling. This ain’t the time for that. This is sad, this case is serious."
Detectives determine crime scene was not the result of a drive-by shooting
In court on June 29, Broward Sheriff's Office Sgt. Christopher Williams testified that after he analyzed the case, there was only one shooter and it wasn’t the driver, rather the person sitting in the backseat.
Investigators said the two victims were in an SUV with Demons and Cortlen Henry after leaving a studio session when they were shot and killed. Police said Demons and Henry claimed they were victims of a drive-by shooting. But prosecutors argued that Demons was the shooter and killed his friends from the backseat.
