On September 9, YNW Bortlen, real name Cortlen Henry, took a plea deal that shortened his potential prison sentence by decades. The first-degree murder charges, stemming from an alleged double homicide committed by him and co-defendant YNW Melly, got dropped.
Instead, he pleaded no contest to one count of witness tampering, two counts of accessory, and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Because of this deal, he will presumably be released in 2031. That is a stark contrast from the potential life sentence that came with a murder conviction.
In addition, he is providing a statement about his role in the events that transpired, which some immediately interpreted as Bortlen snitching for his freedom. Both Bortlen and his attorney maintain that he is not implicating anyone with his words. Moreover, anything Bortlen says cannot legally be used against himself or Melly in the coming years. Bortlen recently reiterated as much in an Instagram Story caught by Akademiks TV.
"For every mf playin on my name be ready to break it off later," he wrote. "N I see I got a few [duck emoji]s."
YNW Melly Trial
Bortlen taking a plea deal does not mean the end of the legal saga involving himself and Melly. Melly's retrial was supposed to begin on September 10, but got delayed by almost 16 months to January 2027. His initial trial ended up being a mistrial. The jury could not reach a unanimous decision and several jurors were unwilling to shift their opinions.
However, it does presumably mean that Bortlen will not testify against his longtime friend, despite the theories to the contrary. John M. Williams, the lawyer for the family of YNW Sakchaser, confirmed that he already asked for Bortlen's deposition, and hopes to receive it within the next few weeks.
