YNW Melly celebrated a major victory earlier this year. Earlier this year, news broke that he would no longer be facing the death penalty in his upcoming murder trial. However, that W didn't last long. The latest reports reveal that he could once again be facing a fatal sentence if convicted.
As Billboard reports, a Florida appeals court shared its decision earlier this week on Wednesday (November 9). They came to the conclusion that Judge Andrew Siegel's decision from this summer needs a second look. Despite prior claims, it came to light that the Florida native was provided with proper notice about the death penalty possibility.
State law mandates by 45 days after one's arraignment, one must be notified of a prosecutor's plan for capital punishment. In the "Murder on My Mind" artist's case, state attorneys filed a notice upon his initial 2019 indictment. However, they didn't include the same notice in a superseding indictment given to him earlier this year.
Though Siegel initially took Melly's side, details brought to his attention saw him halting the case until a state appeals court could rule on it.
"We find that the state complied with its statutory obligations when it filed its notice of intent to seek the death penalty within 45 days of arraignment," Judge Spencer D. Levine wrote in a statement for the appeals court. "The fact that the state filed a superseding indictment, requiring a second arraignment, does not vitiate the already filed and timely notice of intent," they continued. "Notice is notice."
Additionally, the state court wrote, "Clearly, in the present case, the defendant was noticed and apprised of the state seeking the death penalty in 2019."
"The defendant has had nearly three years to start the preparation of his defence to the state seeking the death penalty. The record contains no evidence that the defendant was prejudiced in any way," Judge Levine's statement concludes.
Melly now awaits the Supreme Court's ruling as they're describing his case as a matter of "great public importance."
In a statement to Billboard, the 23-year-old's attorney, Philip R. Horowitz admits that he and his client were left feeling disappointed over the ruling. However, they "look forward to [their] opportunity to argue [their] position before the justices."
What are your thoughts on the latest update in YNW Melly's legal battle? Sound off in the comments, and check back in with HNHH later for more hip-hop news updates.
[Via]
