Law&Crime Sidebar - 7 Critical Pieces of Evidence in YNW Melly’s Double Murder Trial

Episode Date: June 14, 2023

Rapper YNW Melly, born Jamell Demons, is on trial for allegedly killing two of his friends in 2018. Prosecutors allege Melly shot and killed Anthony Williams, aka YNW Sakchaser, and Christopher Thomas Jr., aka YNW Juvy, before staging the murders as a drive-by shooting. The Law&Crime Network’s Sierra Gillespie breaks down seven critical pieces of evidence presented in the rapper’s double murder trial so far.LAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokePodcasting - Sam GoldbergWriting & Video Editing - Michael DeiningerGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa Bein & Kiera BronsonSUBSCRIBE TO OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Court JunkieObjectionsThey Walk Among AmericaDevil In The DormThe Disturbing TruthSpeaking FreelyLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of this Law and Crimes series ad-free right now. Join Wondry Plus in the Wondery app Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Agent Nate Russo returns in Oracle 3, Murder at the Grandview, the latest installment of the gripping Audible Original series. When a reunion at an abandoned island hotel turns deadly, Russo must untangle accident from murder. But beware, something sinister lurks in the grand. View Shadows. Joshua Jackson delivers a bone-chilling performance in this supernatural thriller that

will keep you on the edge of your seat. Don't let your fears take hold of you as you dive into this addictive series. Love thrillers with a paranormal twist? The entire Oracle trilogy is available on Audible. Listen now on Audible. What is that? Spent casing. Okay. Moving over to the right of photo marker number five, what is that? A spent casing. Did you collect both of those two spent cases. That is true. From bloody clothing to spent shell casings, we're taking a closer look at the seven most crucial pieces of evidence in the YMW Melly double murder case and what it means for both sides. Welcome to Sidebar presented by Long Crime. I'm Sierra Gillespie. So for the state of Florida, it's a case nearly five years in the making with Jamel Demons,

better known as YNW Melly now charged with two counts of first-degree murder. His co-defendant, 22-year-old Cortland Henry, otherwise known as Y&W Bortland, faces the same charges. Demons and Henry are charged with killing their friends and co-members of their YNW collective. 19-year-old Christopher Thomas, also known as Y&W Juvie, and 21-year-old Anthony Williams, who went by Y&W Sack Chaser. According to prosecutors, Henry pulled up to a Miramar Florida hospital on October 26, 2018, saying Thomas and Williams were bleeding out in his vehicle. He alleged it was a drive-by shooting, but when officials reached the vehicle, Thomas and Williams were already dead with gunshot wounds to their heads and torsos.

Investigators later found surveillance video of both victims, Henry and Demons, at a recording studio before the shooting. Detectives say blood spatter evidence and cell phone data prove all four were together the night of the murders. Demons was then arrested in February 2019. Only a few days into the trial, and we're already seeing some key pieces of evidence for the state's case. Durs have already gotten an inside look into the vehicle where Thomas and Williams were allegedly shot. What are we looking at in here? I'm going to zoom in here to the hood area. That is another piece of evidence tape used to see the vehicle in the same way that we seal the premises.

Prior to a search warrant, the vehicle and the vehicle. all of its entries are sealed prior to the search warrant being executed. So, for example, now looking at the screen down here at the bottom of the passenger side doors, that red item, is that the same evidence tape we've been looking at? Yes, it is. The evidence went into greater detail as jurors were shown the back seat of that vehicle. The evidence appeared to show blood stains covering the seats and the center console. What are we looking at?

This is the rear passenger side seat as well as the rear center console and cup holders and partial of the rear driver side seat. This area in the center with the two sprite cans, is that how you found it in the down position? Yes. As to photomarker number 10, did you collect the two sprite cans that were? there? Yes, I did. Going on to the rear of the vehicle, photo markers 12, 13, and 14. Did you collect the various items listed in this photo? Yes, I did. Did you have health and assistance in processing this vehicle? Yes, I did. Who helped you? Crime scene, technician, Tara, Carol. Did you guys have a plan of attack as to how to process the vehicle?

We split up the vehicle into certain sections and each process those areas of the vehicle and collected the items that were in the issues of those areas. So it's clear to the ladies, remember the jury. What section were you assigned? I was assigned to the driver's side of the vehicle. In terms of these photographs, they were all taken by you. Is that a correct statement? Correct.

Moving on to item number 18 and 17. Did you collect those two? Yes, I did. 19 and 20 as shown here. Did you collect those? Yes, I did. But it wasn't just blood in the backseat of the vehicle presented as evidence. Prosecutors also pulled photos of the victim's clothing covered in blood and showing

bullet holes. What's item jay? Picture of the g jacket that was provided by medical staff of the disease or from the disease. With regards to this next photo of item jay, there is an arrow indicating a circular area. Are you able to tell the ladies and gentlemen of the jury that is or is not a distressed portion of the jacket or is some sort of bullet defects? Based on my experience in training, it appears to be something similar to the report. Okay. With regards to the arrows, is that where you're putting those on there? That is correct.

Moving on to the back of Item J. Is that how it looked when you collected it? That is correct. Based on your training experience as a crime scene investigator, does the appearance of blood change over time as it's sort of evidence? evidence. That's still the same jacket that we have in evidence. That's correct. Aside from the gruesome bloody photos displayed to the jury, the state also called witnesses to testify about the alleged location of the shooting. Here's Morgan Curry describing

what was seen in those photos. So I want to go back to item number one, back on the south side. Can you describe what we're looking at in this photo here with photo marker number one? Yes. So the shell casing, spent casing, that is it. Okay. That's that particular item? That is correct. Was this item collected? Yes, it was.

Why do you take multiple photographs from different angles of these items? Just to get an overall picture on the specific item and then also accounting for lighting or better visibility of them. Okay. the glass appearing object underneath the casing did you collect any of that specific glass right there i do not believe it why not um i think um after uh discussing with the investigators um did not believe that it was in reference or pertaining to the case act did it have any characteristics of auto glass objection beyond the scope if she She knows.

Her expertise. Thank you. First, Dowell said she may know something about this. So, Investor occurring, part of your training in crime scene is it determining what evidence may be something that would be deflect? Yes. In terms of the facts of the case, is that something that you're familiar with and you're familiarize yourself with to know what types of evidence may exist?

Correct. For glass and glass with it, if you have any training and identity. in identifying potential sources of glass or other items that may be of evidence you're done. Yes, sir. With regards to the glass in the Jeep that was found at the hospital, had you had the opportunity to view that Jeep prior to November 21st of 2018? Yes, I have. The glass that was in the Jeep, was that consistent with the glasses?

is that they're in this photo marker number one? No, it was not. Moving on to photo markers, and so this is the establishing shot for which four photo markers? Four, five, six, and seven. Okay. Going to the close-up of photo marker number four,

what was the important item of evidence in this photo? Spent case. Okay. There's a scale on each photo marker. Why is that? So we're able to document the size of the specific item on the picture or that we'll put it right now. And are all of these items later on collected? Yes, they are.

Going on to photomarker number five. I'm going to start with the item to the left here. What is that? Spend casing. Okay. Moving over to the right of photo marker number five, what is that? A spend casing. Did you collect both of those two spent casings?

That is correct. Okay. And in terms of another view of these two casings on number five, is that what we're looking at here? That is correct. Moving on to photo marker number six. What? Now we'll move into the closer up one for photo marker number six. Let's start to the one to the left.

What is that? What is that? A spend case. Okay. Is that the same one that was next to photo marker number five? Not to my knowledge. And to the right photo marker number six. It's another spent case.

After the shooting, or as the defense claims drive-by shooting took place, surveillance video shows the moment where YNW. Bortland arrives at Memorial Hospital Miramar, Y&W Juvie and Sack Chaser in his car. The state's witnesses testified that Juvie and Sack Chaser were already dead by the time they arrived at the hospital. First responders testified the area was sealed off and treated as a crime scene. What are we seeing on the screen right now? So this is the sidewalk portion I was telling you about immediately on the bottom left corner of the screen with these those white dashes, that's for the cars right through. The dashes are heard on the seat pedestrian doesn't walking across into the yard. Then there's a sidewalk portion and just the two doors of the east.

is the left door on the left side of the video is the adult entrance and the right is the pediatric entrance but it's one big area and then in the middle is the park bench right behind that glass is mysterious of sitting in the middle of both of those doors and that subject that we see in the video that's the gentleman that the person may continuing to publish is this the where you indicated to us earlier that you had him sit down Portland Henry Now, you can't see the Jeep in the video frame, is that correct? Yes. The video, the Jeep would be located at the bottom left, my left of the screen.

Yes. Okay. And I noticed that you approached and you were talking into something. What was that? That's the my priority. Okay. Was that your, how you were able to request assistance? Yes, ma'am. And it's additional surveillance video that puts Melly with both victims ahead of the shooting. But jurors also heard ballistic testing. ballistic testimony from crime scene investigators who gave a visual representation of how the bullets

traveled in the vehicle. How many trajectory rods are in this photo that we're looking at here? They are seven. Going forward to the next photograph, what are we looking at here? This is the opposite side of the rear passenger side scene showing the trajectory rods comes judgment. Is the name of rejection? Yes, sorry, overruled.

Again, showing what? Showing the trajectory rods coming through the back of the rear-passager seat and through to the front of the passenger site. And can you explain to the ladies and gentlemen of the jury? How do you place them? The trajectory rods are placed through one defect, pass through the object,

and then through the other defect on the opposite. society. Y&W. Melly's trial is just getting started, and the prosecution has already presented some pretty significant evidence. But will this be enough for the jury to find Mellie guilty beyond a reasonable doubt? And how will Mellie's defense argue this evidence? That's all we have for you on Sidebar. Thanks so much for joining us.

Please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you got your podcasts. I'm Sarah Gillespie. We'll see you next time. You can binge all episodes of this law and crime series ad free right now on Wondery Plus. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.