YNW Melly's Lead Attorney Motions For Mistrial

BYGabriel Bras Nevares4.6K Views
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Reports indicate that the defense believes the jury to be tainted after unjust evidence was presented by the state.

On the fourth day of YNW Melly's double murder trial, his case took an interesting and possibly foreboding turn. Moreover, correspondent Bryson "Boom" Paul reported via Twitter that the rapper's lead attorney, David A. Howard, requested a mistrial in the case. It's unclear, at least based on Paul's initial report, what the motive behind the motion was. Other reports suggest that the mistrial was suggested by the defense after the state brought in evidence that caused too much prejudice in the trial. For those unaware, this refers to evidence that does not further the facts of the case, but rather creates a bias in favor of or in this case against the defendant.

In any case, it seems like the involvement of family members, ex-girlfriends, leaked DMs, and more have cause the jury to become too tainted in the defense's eyes. Furthermore, Paul reported that Judge Murphy III took the motion for a mistrial under advisement. The court will discuss on Tuesday, June 20 once trial resumes. Until that day comes, this is the last we will hear of YNW Melly's case in the courtroom.

Read More: YNW Juvy’s Mom Says She Walked Out When YNW Melly Blew Kiss In Court

YNW Melly Defense Requests Mistrial

Regardless, debate erupted online as to whether this motion actually means that the Gifford native will walk. Many on Twitter pointed out that it is up to the judge to determine whether a mistrial is in order. As such, celebrations of the request from the "Mixed Personalities" MC's supporters are moot until it's approved. Others claimed that if the court deems a case a mistrial on prejudice, then the defendant cannot be tried again. However, this seems to be mostly speculative and largely unconfirmed by the courts, reporters, or other trusted sources. In most cases, an approved mistrial still allows the defendant to be tried again.

In addition, the court's decision will paint what this mistrial represents: an effort to preserve justice or to dismiss relevant evidence. While it for now seems to fall under the former category, no one can truly know for sure. This is also another potential victory after the court sided with the 24-year-old by not allowing other evidence to be presented based on prejudice. For the latest news and updates on the YNW Melly case, log back into HNHH.

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About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.