Law&Crime Sidebar - EXCLUSIVE: YNW Melly’s Ex-Girlfriend Breaks Silence, Speaks on Murder Case and History with Rapper

Episode Date: September 18, 2023

YNW Melly’s ex-girlfriend Mariah Hamilton is breaking her silence publicly for the first time in an exclusive interview with the Law&Crime Network’s Jesse Weber. Hamilton breaks down her relationship history with the rapper, her knowledge of the double murder case, and an alleged altercation with NBA Youngboy at a recording studio, among other new details. Sidebar host Jesse Weber sits down with Hamilton and her mother, Felicia Holmes.LAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokePodcasting - Sam GoldbergScript Writing - Savannah Williamson Video Editing - Michael DeiningerGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa Bein & Kiera BronsonSUBSCRIBE TO OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Court JunkieThey 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. You guys haven't seen or heard from me because I'm currently wanting. Mariah Hamilton, the ex-girlfriend of accused murderer YNW. Melly sits down for an interview with us to talk about the case, her relationship with the rapper, and why she never appeared in court. Welcome to Sidebar, presented by Law and Crime. I'm Jesse Weber.

So anybody who follows Sidebar knows that we were pretty heavy in covering the YNW. Melly double murder trial out of Broward County, Florida. This was the case of the rapper, real name Jamel Demens, who's accused of shooting to death his two friends and fellow YNW. YNW group rappers Christopher Thomas Jr. or YNW Juvie and Anthony Williams or YNW Sack Chaser. The two men were found shot to death on October 26, 2018, after Mellie's co-defendant, Cortland Henry, or YNW, Bortland, pulled up to the hospital with the bodies of Thomas and Williams in the car claiming that they were all victims of a drive-by shooting.

Now, the evidence has suggested that this was a staged drive-by shooting and that the shots actually came from inside the vehicle. And in their case, the prosecution focused on ballistics, trajectory, potential gang affiliations of YNW Melly, but in the end, it didn't work. The jury didn't find Mellie guilty, but they also didn't find him not guilty. They actually couldn't make a decision. They were hung, and a mistrial was ultimately declared. It came after 14 hours of deliberations, not an easy case. And as we think about the upcoming retrial, we look back at the case and we think, wow, there were a lot of people who testified. But there was one significant absence, someone who was mentioned but never appeared in court.

YNW. Melly's former girlfriend, Mariah Hamilton. Now, why is she so important? Well, Mariah Hamilton's mother, Felicia Holmes, told police in December of 2018 about a face-time call between Mellie and Hamilton, her daughter, right after the shooting, where according to her, Mellie said someone shot the car up, that a car was coming behind him, that presumably the shooter or shooters were hiding there, and then he said he thinks Sack Chaser and Juvie are dead. Then she says she saw Mellie at this guy, Fredo Bang's house. Apparently, Fredo picked him up after the shooting. And while she offered Mellie to stay with her after all of this happened, she says Mellie went

to a video shoot. a video shoot after all this happened. Then at some point, Holmes says that her daughter told her that Melly was threatening her and that she feels Melly had something to do with the murders. Hamilton even talked to law enforcement about a text from Mellie where he allegedly says, I take lives. Hamilton also addressed possible tension that Mellie may have had with one of the victims. And follow-up reporting indicates that might have been Sack Jaser.

Now, this is important testimony, right? This is important evidence. But the problem was Ms. Holmes' sworn deposition years later in 2022 was not consistent with what she told police in 2018. In fact, when Holmes took the stand in Y&W. Melly's trial, things got heated, basically accusing the government from law enforcement to the prosecutor of threatening her and her daughter, Mariah Hamilton, to testify against Mellie. Did you have an opportunity to read the statement you gave in 2018? I read the statement. Okay. I don't recall.

I don't remember anything from that statement, but I do remember my deposition from December 22. Were you honest and truthful with law enforcement when you spoke with them? I would hope so. I mean, it was 2018. I went through a lot from that year, so I'm not sure where my mind is head was at that time. I do remember that they kind of bullied me and threatened my daughter to take her to jail. I take her to jail for accession. I put it back.

I do it never that. When you first took the stand, you said, I feel threatened. Yes, sir, I do. Who do you feel threatened by? Christine. Your honor? What rules? Christine Bradley?

This prosecutor. Yes, I do. So with that in mind, we here at law and crime had the unique opportunity to actually interview Mariah Hamilton herself. Again, she never appeared in court. Now, in our interview, she was accompanied by her attorney, Christopher Barris. This was in here. his law office and also her mother, Felicia Holmes, was there as well. And we asked her some

questions. And with that, let's play you our interview. Mariah Hamilton, thank you so much for coming on. I think I want to start off by just saying, I'm so happy to see you and meet you because it's been kind of, I think a lot of people wanted to hear from you. I think a lot of people were expecting to see you at the trial. And there's been some issues in terms of or what's been happening with the police. If you can explain to people why we haven't seen you or heard from you. You guys haven't seen or heard from me because I'm currently wanted. I've tried to get the warrant lifted plenty of times.

But it's just been like a constant battle with my lawyer and the prosecutor. So I just been, you know, laying low, trying to get the warrant lifted before I could even come in and, you know, speak my part. Let's, and let's talk about that. So, and by the way, you are in your lawyer's office, your lawyer, Christopher Barris is off to the side. He's going to come in a little bit later. Yeah, so I saw that it was only, I think, yesterday of the few days before you filed a complaint against the lead investigator in YNW. Mellie's trial, Mark Moretti, and you basically accused him of bullying you and harassing you into providing testimony in this case.

What can you tell us about that? When the situation first happened, me and my mom was threat. Well, I was threatened. I was 17, about to turn 18. They came to my house. They were telling me that they were going to arrest me with accessory after that. a fact. My mom didn't know what to do.

I was young. I didn't have a criminal record. I didn't have a background. I was trying to go to the military at the time. So I had to just tell them what they wanted to hear so they could like leave me alone, which I thought they would leave me alone. But they didn't. So, yeah. Why did they think that you were a part of what happened?

Because I was his girlfriend at the time. So they thought that I knew more than what I was telling them that I knew, which I didn't. So they were just harassing me being that I was his ex-girlfriend, or girlfriend at the time. When you say Mark Moretti was harassing you, what was he saying to you? What was he doing? When I first, when he first came to my house, it was so unexpectedly. I have put up with my cousin and they were outside my house apart. And I'm like, I was confused.

I'm like, what's going on or whatever? I'm texting what's going on. She was like, they want to talk to you. You have to talk to them. They're threatening. They're threatening saying that you're going to go to jail. So I'm like, oh, my gosh. I end up telling him my story.

I told him what I knew. He told me that I was lying. He told me that I knew more than what I was telling and that he was going to, he could arrest me for an accessory after the fact. So we end up doing, he wanted me to get on the tape recording and tell him what he wanted me to tell him. So which I did. After that, he was like they wouldn't bother me anymore.

I thought they wouldn't bother me anymore. They was still calling and texting my mom, asking for me. I refuse to talk so many times. And, yeah, I haven't really talked to them ever since then since 2019. And now you said that there's an arrest warrant, you know, it's still out. It's still outstanding. Why do you feel comfortable coming out now and talking about this? Because I just want people to know that it's, I'm not running because of like any money or anything like that.

It's because I don't want to go to jail for something that I did. I don't want to go to jail for something that I didn't do or something that I'm not a part of. I just feel like people's looking at my side of this. They're looking at it, looking at me wrong. And that's not what they're showing is not true, basically. You want to clear the record. So you file this complaint against Mark, against Mark Moretti. What are you hoping happens there?

I hope the judge can lift the warrant off me. and I don't mind coming in to talk. I never mind coming in to talk. Me and my lawyer tried to go in to talk on so many occasions, but I was always starting with if I don't tell them what I want to hear. What they want to hear, I'm going to go to jail. So it's like I never went to jail before. So that's my main concern right now.

Oh, I get it. Let's talk a little bit about Y&W. Malley. So first of all, how did you meet him? When did you meet him? I met him. I was 15. Yeah, I was 15. I met him through mutual friends.

It was my homecoming night. He had just got out of a program. Yeah, he had just got out of a program. We met through mutual friends. He was like his friend was telling me that he wanted to see me after homecoming. So me and my friends are like, okay, we'll link up with you guys after homecoming or whatever like that. So instead of us going to like, you know, after homecoming, you go to after parties, we end up like hanging out with them. And every since that night, me and him just been cool.

Like, we just been close every since then. Was it like love at first sight, like you thought he was attractive or like? I wouldn't say me, but for him. He was. He was. He gave me weird Like when we first met I thought he was weird

My friends was like He just really like shit I'm like I don't know But it was cute But it was like weird Too at the time Well you were so young

Right Yeah Yeah I was really I was 15 I was 15 And he was 17 I think Yeah he was like 17

What's he like Like What's his personality like Because I think There was a lot made during the course of his trial about his demeanor, you know, smiling in the courtroom, praying, kissing up in the sky. What's he like? Um, he's just a very, he's, he's different. Like, he's a very outspoken person. Like, he doesn't mean a harm, but he's, he's really different.

Like, he's always lighting up the room, like, regardless. Like, if he even, if he's even going through something, we wouldn't, nobody would tell because he don't show it. Like, he shows it different. me so he's just he's different from he's not he's different he's goofy yeah what um what was your relationship like with him we was good our relationship was good but we had some bad times too i wouldn't say we was all the always good um we had our differences um which any other couple had um but our relationship was good me was like best friends he would tell me anything I tell him anything. When I'm going through stuff, he'd be there for me.

When he's going through stuff, I'd be there for him. Are you guys currently talking at all, communicating? No. Is it because of what happened? Honestly, it's not even just because of what happened. I just think, you know, it just might not be the right time for us with the relationship part as of right now so maybe we can come along in the you know in the meantime or in a long run in the future but as if right now I'm trying to get myself together and I know he have a lot

going on so it's like has he ever tried has he tried to reach out recently no a big part of this case was talking about is it possible why n w melly would shoot his two friends and the question became you know is he violent have you ever seen him violent in any way no no he's a very goofy person i don't think he would be like i don't think he's a violent person at all like he's never showed any violence towards me no and he loved his friend you ever see him with weapons or anything like that? No. And the accusation that he was part of a gang, what do you make of that?

He never showed me that he was a part of a gang. He never told me like, hey, I'm a part of a gang or I'm this, I'm that. Like, the things that they were talking about during the trial, like, I was new to that as well. Like, I didn't know of him being or wanting to be or however they're trying to paint. the picture of him being in the game. Did you ever hear of any of those people that he was communicating with, that they say he was communicating with?

I heard about them, but I just thought everybody was just all friends, close friends. Like, he never, I was never a part of, he kept me out of anything that he ever had going on. So, yeah, they were like friends. When you say that, he kept you at, in other words, Was he on his phone talking? People were like taking phone calls away from you or not making sure he didn't see your phone. Nothing like that.

No, no. I stayed, I had his password to his phone. So like, and he always, he would never walk away while he's on the phone to talk to anyone, not in front of me. So in other words, if he was part of a gang or he was talking to people who were part of a gang, that's something you would have known. I would have known yet.

And no, I'd never known that, no. I want to talk about Sack Chaser and Juvie. What were they like? You know, I really just want to get an understanding. Their lives were lost. It was a, it's a tragedy. What were they like? What was your relationship with them?

They were like family to me. They were like my brothers. They always made sure I was straight. Anywhere we go, like his shows to the studio, anywhere. They made sure I was straight, like, made sure I had something to eat. Like, if I had to go to the bathroom, would walk into the bathroom. They were like big brothers to me, honestly.

And I've never had brothers before. So I really appreciated that a lot. Like even when there was times where, you know, if it was an altercation, they'll make sure, like, I'm okay. They'll make sure I'm straight. So I really appreciate, appreciated that a lot. Did Mellie ever have any problems with them? Because there were accusations that, you know,

they might have been jealous of him. There might have been financial problems, money problems, anything like that? you see no that no no not at all like he loved them they went them too out of everybody it's a whole bunch of people a part of y and w them too they were there everywhere he went like anywhere he would go he would make sure they're in his budget he'll make sure they're a part of his budget he'll make sure they got a flight he was just always helpful to everybody so yeah

Mariah, do you think Mellie killed Sack Chaser and Juvie? No, I do not. What makes you say that? Because he treated them like they were his brothers, like they all have the same mom and the same dad, which they didn't. But he always treated, he never showed a sign that he didn't like them. He didn't want them around or anything in that sort. So that was just odd. If he didn't do it, do you have a theory about who did do it?

No, I don't. I don't. Have you met Cortland Henry? Yes, I did. Yes, I have. What's he like? He's cool. He's like a brother, too.

We're both Aquarius, so, you know, sometimes we have our little differences, but he's like a brother to me too. He's really cool. So, yeah, I know him. That's the crazy part. I know him longer than I know, Meli. So, yeah. And what was Mel, what's Meli's relationship with Cortland Henry? The same.

Like, they known each other for a long time. They all went to school together. They were like brothers. They interact them together when they were younger. Yeah, they love the studios. they bond at the studio, even outside the studio, they always bond. Would you say that Mellie's relationship with Cortland Henry was closer than it was with sack chaser and juvie?

No, I wouldn't say that now. Do you think that he is capable of killing sack chaser and juvie, Henry? I don't think so. I want to get a little bit into what happened that night. The night that you found out, first let's just start from this. When you found out that they were killed, where were you and what was your reaction? I was at home in Coco, and I was in shock. I was in disbelief.

I didn't think it was true. I thought it wasn't true at all. until I actually came down there and found out about it. Who told you, or how did you find out? I'm not going to answer that question. Oh, the police are the ones that really told you the story. Huh? It was the police who told you about the incident, I think.

Right, yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah. Yeah, I found out through the police, yeah. they came to you and told you and what was your reaction were you just shocked did you break down into tears did you say what's happening

yeah I was crying I was terrified I was scared I was scared for everybody in the situation me and my mom went that way and I couldn't for every since that situation I couldn't sleep for a few days like I was just still and shocked about the whole

situation. Did you call Mellie immediately and say, are you okay? Or did he call you? I went down there immediately. Went down where? To Miami. Because I live in Kokoai. Right.

So I went to my... But did you speak to him before you went down and said, I'm on my way? No. Did he say anything to you about the shootings? No, he never talked to me about the shooting. So there's been a lot of back and forth that he had communicated to you about it and said that he was there, that it was a drive-by. Is that not true?

Wait a second. Mariah, you know, Mariah's position, Jesse, is that, you know, she was never told by either Mellie or Portland about the incident itself. She did learn about it, but she never had any conversation with either of those two individuals about the actual incident, anything that happened that night. So the questions you're asking, I know everyone wants to know the answer to those questions, but I think that's what she's going to tell you, and the matter how many times you ask her that.

Well, I only asked her one time, so I'm just curious if she says she didn't know anything about it. She didn't speak to them. I mean, I'm sure Mariah can tell me that, but I'm just curious. Okay. Well, I want her to tell you herself, but again, I don't want this to turn into an interrogate more.

If she tells you she doesn't know, she doesn't know and it's not going to help to try to get into the the after conversations or any meetings that you may have had with either well i hope maria you don't think this is interrogation but i will tell you your uh lawyer did say that uh we could ask anything about the case so i hope that this isn't a tension but um i just wanted to ask if you don't want me to move on i can definitely move on um concerning the night that the night with what I have going on with the situation, I don't feel

comfortable speaking on the situation from that night. Okay. So let's talk about the trial. Did you watch it at all? Yes, I have. What did you think of it?

It was sometimes where I could watch it and then sometimes I just cut it off and, yeah, I hated it. I didn't like this, like it at all. What'd you hate about it? Just how the picture was painted, basically.

I didn't like that, especially if it's with me and my mom, and how we got, like, paid off when that never happened. Yeah, I wanted to ask you about that. And by the way, if your mom wants to come in for this question, I would love to ask her about this, too, because we covered the trial. Yes, your mom is there. Hi. I just was curious.

Hi. Good to see. So I wanted to ask you real quick about this. That was a very heated moment in that courtroom between you and the prosecutor. What can you tell us about that? It just was a lot of anger with me because of everything me and my daughter have been through. What Christine Bradley's tried to put us through, I felt like we're getting persecuted more than the defendants. you know, I feel like the one of the, the, the courtland has more rights than I do. You know, I'm on an ankle monitor, and I'm supposed to be your witness.

And when I'm telling you one thing, it's like you're not taking that for an answer. Even right before I came into the courtroom, I was in a little room with Christine, and she asked me a question. I told her I didn't know. And she was like, really, Felicia? Like telling me, you do know the answer. Like anything we tell them, you have to go back and forth with her with it. I'm going to file a complaint against Mrs. Bradley.

That's something I'm talking to my lawyer about right now. I have the doctor from Detective Moretti, but we did just go to court. She had court on my birthday to have the income monitor off. For her to get in from the judge and say, like, I'm a flight risk. I'm not going to show up her testimony. And she doesn't want me to have it off.

So at this point, I'm going to, I don't want to testify. But if I have to, I'm going to go plead the fifth because at this point, I'm going to get arrested. She's trying to send me to jail. I mean, there's no immunity for me and my child. Can you both make this clear for anybody who's following and haven't found the complexity? Has there ever been a point when either of you were evading law enforcement, evading the ability to testify, and they, you know, they were trying to track you down and you were not cooperative? If you can make it clear about that, what that means, were you ever evading law enforcement or we're trying to testify?

When you say evade, I'm not going to say I evaded them. What I'm going to say happened was I was a travel nurse in California. She was serving subpoenas in Florida. I'm in California. You're serving subpoenas to my ex-husband's house. We don't live there anymore. I have an address. Christine Browley has not had one share,

knock on my door in Orlando, Florida, and served me a subpoena not once ever. Mariah, what did you think of your mom's testimony? As I said, it was heated. Yeah, it really was heated. Like I said, I didn't like it. I just felt like she was painting a wrong picture for me and my mom,

making it seem like we were paid off and that wasn't that wasn't the case and that we're running from her when our lawyer has called her on so many times and we've even set up times to meet with her to get this taken care of and it's like her hurt with her it's either you go to jail you say what I want you to say or you go to jail and I don't think that's witnesses shouldn't be treated like that and that's the reason why we I well that's the reason why I haven't my daughter Because you're threatening me with jail if I don't tell you what I want to hear. And it's like, that's not fair. She's never been to jail.

Brow, I've been, she's had me in Broward County jail. It's filthy. It's disgusting. I was treated like crap in there. I don't want my daughter to be put to that, do anything like that. So, you know, I've been to jail for it. I'm not going to get into the substance of it. But just so we were clear, there's never been a situation where you told one story and then changed

your story because that's what that's their accusation. Your accusations, I told one story and changed my story, but they're not telling you that the story I initially told was under duress, we're basically forced to tell the story. Are you going to take my 70-year-old daughter to jail? I mean, I'm not trying to see my child go to jail for anybody. So if the stories did change, it changed because of what they set into play. It's on them the stories changed. But if I want to tell the truth, they don't want to hear the truth. They want to hear whatever they can hear to make a case against Melly to convict him for a first double homicide and get the truth. And get the truth. They want to hear whatever they can hear to make a case against Melly to convict him for first double homicide and get the truth. And get the truth. death penalty. That's what Christine wants. She wants my story to help her get that. Let me ask you both this. Were you surprised that they went for the death penalty against Y&W. Melly? I was surprised. I was surprised with a death penalty because of the evidence. Because, you know, I wasn't, I didn't even think he did it. The first person who ever told me that he did it was Detective Maretti. It never even crossed my mind. I was a mother-in-law who was thinking that, you know, because I knew he had gotten to other rappers, and my daughter actually got into

altercation with him in another rapper in California at a studio. And it happened maybe a three or four weeks before that. So I'm thinking that's what happened. I'm thinking rappers are someone's trying to kill him. So that's what I, what I was on an impression. I never once thought this young man because he's always been happy. He's always been dancing. I've never seen him with a gun. So I never once thought that he could actually kill the two guys who I saw him with every time I saw it. It never crossed my mind. And Mariah, what do you think? think again about the you know they were going after him for the death penalty yeah i that was it was crucial um it really hurt my heart for a minute um even when he first went to jail because it's like

it was just unbelievable honestly especially with somebody he's with every day 24-7 um maria you said you watched uh the trial the prosecution presented evidence about where the bullets came from they presented a text messages about you know whether or not he was involved in a gang. They presented evidence about, you know, that he might have right, I did that on social media. When you were hearing the prosecution's evidence against Y&W. Melly, what did you think about it? Honestly, I really, I was just so in disbelief. Like, I would watch it sometime and then I turn it off. Like some parts of it, I just turn it off because it was just like, I can't believe this.

Like, this, this is not what it's supposed to be. Like, it's not supposed to be like this at all. So, yeah. And, forgive me, is it Felicia, Felicia? Yeah, Felicia. What did you think of the prosecution's case? I thought that she did a piss poor job. I don't think she's a good prosecutor.

I don't think she's a good person. I don't think she can have that job. I'm trying to figure out what is Broward County doing with someone like her presenting a case this magnitude i don't think she should be there i don't think she know what she's doing so that's why i think she's doing all the manipulative the manipulative stuff is because she doesn't have her case together she dropped the ball on so many things get your case together and stop making the witnesses pay for your mistakes and that's what she's doing she's made so many mistakes are to take them already to now it's falling back on me and my daughter to making everyone think that our testimony is going to make or break

your case your your case should not be based off of me um speak with him um the morning of. I didn't think he did it. I didn't know he did it. So why would my testimony be the smoking gun? I don't understand why she would think that my testimony would help her. I don't understand. The jury couldn't come to a decision. There was a mistrial. What was your reaction to that, both of you? I thought that it was, I felt bad for Mellie because I felt like to get this far and now you have a mistrial. I have to go through all this again. I just kind of felt, I felt bad for him because he's still in jail. Like everyone's thinking it's a celebration time because it was a mistrial. This man been in jail since 2018 off of evidence that's

not even really there. So I thought that I felt bad for him. I'm not going to lie. I feel bad for him. Despite like what me and him have going on, I wouldn't want to see him in that predicament in that position at all, especially when I don't believe like what they're seeing is true. So yeah. Were you shocked, Mariah, that they couldn't come. to a decision or were you saying you know i i can understand that um i was shocked um but also it's understandable but i was shocked yes i was shocked i thought it was going to be for sure not guilty with everything that the technology and christine bradley have done to but the system nowadays it's not the same especially in florida yeah so well if his retrial happens um

marai i'll start with you um and they want you to testify are you going to testify I'm just trying to get the warrant lifted. I don't mind going to court as long as the warrant is lifted, which she's giving me a hard time with that. So honestly, I don't have an answer to that. She's wasting taxpayers' money. She has me on a house arrest being in my nurse. You know, she's just, the lady's crazy. I think this is her career.

It's for her career or something. This is personal. And you can see for me and her testimony that it was very personal. Like, she has a personal problem with me. It's nothing professional going on with me and Christine Brown. This is all like we have the same baby daddy or something. Like, me and her have some beef with each other. That's how you can look at our testimony and see it's something personal going on there.

So, you know. I have to ask. I mean, if you end up on the witness box again and she's questioning, what's that going to look like? I'm going to plead the fifth because I'm not, she wants me in jail. She wants to impeach me. And she knows this today. So why would I get on the stand in November when I, I already know what you intend to try to do to me.

So I'm going to go ahead and plead the fifth. So she's going to waste taxpayers' money for me to plead the fifth in November. By the way, what did you both think of Mellie's defense team? I think they did pretty good job. I think he had a pretty good defense team. I've never met any of them personally except for that day, but I do think that they kind of did okay. Mariah, what did you think? Yeah, I feel like they did good as well.

They definitely did good. Mariah, I have to ask you, if Melly is acquitted, you kind of gave the hint that maybe there'd be a future. Would you, you know, get in contact with them again? Would you communicate with them? I see what your mom's saying, shaking her head, but. Friends. Friends. Why are you shaking your head?

Because I just want to be done with that family. I don't want anything else to do with those people. Like, my life has changed tremendously. I don't ever want to see them again. Like, I'm just over and done with this. I have no problem with him. I have nothing against them. But what has happened to me and my daughter,

they could never understand. You know, they would never understand. They don't know. Yeah, real quick, do you have a theory as to what happened that night? I think that maybe they pissed somebody off. I mean, these are rappers. They're going back and forth.

They have all these deeps. I think someone followed them from the studio. I think maybe he pissed somebody off. I think, say if he was in the car or not, I don't know. Maybe he was, and he doesn't want to tell him who actually did the shooting. I don't know, but I think that someone got mad and they, because I just don't see him killing Sack and Juzi, you know. I'm not even saying Sack a good person because Sack's not a good person.

I don't care why everybody paint this picture about him, an awful person. But Juvie, good guy. I don't think anything bad should ever happen to him. But I think that something pissed him on. I think he, I think Melly would have gotten shot too. I think he maybe was a target as well. probably still is any reason to think that other than any well i said my daughter was just in um they just got jumped they had just gotten junk in atlantic records i think in l.A was atlantic records

by um NBA young boy and a whole bunch of guys that just happened and my daughter has a scar across her back about this long from the scuffle from the fight you know what was that like mariah i was terrified i thought i was going to lose my life that day honestly um It happened so quickly. Yeah, it happened so quickly. Like, within the blink of an eye, we had just got to the studio, and they all just started arguing and fighting, and next thing, you know, we're getting jumped by so many guys,

and I'm trying to shield and protect Melly. And the guys are not trying to hit me, but I'm literally trying to lay on top of him just to, like, guard him. and when was this how soon before the shooting was this i think this was like in august of 2018 august about a month a month or so before the murders yeah it was like august or september of 2018 someone took his chain or something they took his chain

yeah his his chain fell and they took it because they gave it back what what what started that um we were outside and um we were pulling up to the studio and um his friend, Meli's, um, Zach was like, um, they're going to be a young boy. So we all like, you're like, oh yeah, that is NBA young boys. So he's like, I feel like we're going to get into it with him. So I'm just praying like, God, please, I'm just getting to these people. Like, I hope not. So as we walk into the studio, um, like he side, like give Meli a look like he sighs. And so Zach, like, what's up? Like, you straight or whatever? And he's like, um, he was like, yeah, I'm good or whatever.

Then he just started saying stuff. And then Zach ended up saying something back to him. And then Melly was like, what's up? And they just, he swung on Melly. They fought. And then the guys started jumping in. Everybody just started jumping in. I tried to jump on top of Melly to, like, guard him.

It was just a big scuffle, honestly. Like, it was bad. It was horrible. Did police ever look into this? No. No. No, it was just like, you know, it happened and that was it. Like, Melly Chainfeld, they took it and ran out of the studio and left.

And that was it, honestly. Like, they never, yeah. Wow. Before I let you go, I have two quick questions. First one was there was a lot made about YNW's, YNW Melly's relationship with his mom and the way he spoke to her. Mariah, what can tell us about that? him and his mom relationship he love his mom his mom his mom is a crazy lady though she's crazy but he loves her um she just always tries to come um but like he just he just wanted her to be

a mom like she um she's a mother so of course she's going to be on you about studio time going to shows on time she's going to be on him regardless and he didn't want her to do to do that so They always, you know, bumped heads a little bit when it came to that. But he loved his mom. She really did. She was a good mom to him. She wanted to be a manager. And he was like, no, just be a mom.

I don't want you to be a manager. Just be a mom. I think that clash with him and her are they. She wants to be more in a limelight. He wants her behind the limelight. Yeah. He doesn't want, he wants her to be like a, you know, a grandma mom, you know, instead of a hip mom kind of thing.

I have to ask you, your thoughts on what, prosecution says the biggest piece of evidence, the, I did that message. Do you think Y&W. Melly wrote that? I honestly don't believe so. When they was showing it, like from his Instagram, so many people had his Instagram password. I even had his Instagram password from time to times. Like, everybody shared everything when it came to his phone, to his social media. I used to be on there. I used to respond back to females all the time. So It was like, I don't know if that's what he did or not. But I used to respond to emails all the time.

So I don't know. What did you say, Mariah? Just like, you know, I used to say a few things, but I'm a change person now. So. What do you think about the message? I didn't take, I mean, I don't. don't think he would even i would i would hope god forbid if he did do it which i hope he did what same person would text that kind of crap after doing all this so-called cover up the cover

of a homicide you're just going to automatic this text out text out i did that to somebody you know that's that's a confession one-on-one i don't think a same person would do that i don't think a person who did all this she's saying he did the cover up this it's homicide no fingerprints and no dna and stuff but you're going to just go confess to it later i just think the states reaching with that i think they need to get better evidence i don't think they're doing a good job maria felicia thank you both so much for coming on talking to me i really appreciate it um before i let you go i know christopher uh is going to come in real quick um he has a statement that he wants to make um but i just want to thank both of you it's it's a pleasure to talking to talking to talk to thank you so much

no problem thank you so christopher you're coming in here i know you got uh there's one last thing that you wanted the viewers to know, correct? Yes. Number one, thank you for allowing Mariah to get her story out, if you will. If you want to call it a story, I think you've gotten all of the information that she would provide the prosecution with during this interview today. Lastly, I'd like to say that, you know, it's the prosecutor that has the power to change this situation. Mariah has indicated she's willing to come to court, to trial, to testify. She's not been avoiding that out of disrespect for the court.

She's been avoiding that out of fear of arrest. I think that's been made clear today. I tried to make that clear in our earlier interview regarding Ms. Holmes' testimony on Dern trial. So, you know, again, the prosecutor has the power to change the situation. She can go to the judge ex parte like she did when she obtained the arrest order, and she can ask the judge to withdraw the arrest order for Mariah. Simple as that, and I think that you would find Mariah willing, ready, willing, able to make it to court. to give her input or the information she does have regarding this case.

All right. Thank you guys so much. I'm wishing you guys the best of luck. And thank you again for coming here on law and crime and talking a little bit more about the case with us. Thank you. Pretty incredible stuff. We'll see what happens when this retrial maybe happens, eventually happens. We'll follow it here on Sidebar.

That's all we have for you right now here on Sidebar. Thank you so much for joining us. please subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Jesse Weber. I'll speak to you next time.