murder trial Archives - Page 6 of 11

Jam Master Jay Murder Suspect Claims To Have Evidence To Prove His Innocence

October 18, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Jay Bryant, one of three suspects in the murder of Jam Master Jay will officially be tried separately. Brooklyn Federal Court Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall made the ruling earlier this month. Bryant claims that if he is tried alongside his co-defendants, Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr., they’ll point the blame at one another, complicating the trial.

“Bryant argues that ‘there is no plausible scenario’ in which his co-defendants do not turn to the third-party witness their claims of innocence,” Hall wrote. “And at argument, Bryant invited the court to ‘read the tea leaves’ on this issue. I have. Upon a searching review of the record, it is clear that at least Jordan has sufficiently telegraphed that he intends to call the third-party witness to whom Bryant made his alleged admission.” Bryant’s attorney, Cesar de Castro, plans to present “three irreconcilable theories” to the jury. Firstly, he will portray Bryant as innocent, secondly, that he acted alone as the shooter, and thirdly, that he was involved but didn’t fire a gun.

Jam Master Jay Performs In London

Jam Master Jay of Run DMC performs on stage at the Respect Festival, Finsbury Park, London, United Kingdom, 2001. (Photo by Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images)

Federal prosecutors’ case focuses on them claiming Bryant already admitted to pulling the trigger, that he was seen entering the studio during the incident, and that he has been linked to the crime scene by DNA evidence. They believe Washington and Jordan wanted revenge for Jam Master Jay cutting them out of a 10-kilo cocaine deal. Further complicating the process, Bryant’s defense claims it was Jordan who fired the fatal shots. Jordan’s legal team conversely plans to call a witness who will implicate Bryant.

Jam Master Jay was shot and killed inside his studio in Jamaica, Queens in 2002. No arrests in the case were made until 2020 when authorities booked Jordan and Washington. During his career, he was best known as the DJ for the iconic group, Run-DMC. Be on the lookout for further updates on the trial on HotNewHipHop.

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YNW Melly Case Takes Unexpected Turn As Lead Prosecutor Is Removed

October 12, 2023 by newhiphopnews

The YNW Melly double murder retrial has taken another unexpected twist. Broward County Circuit Judge John Murphy decided to remove the lead prosecutor from the case. Assistant State Attorney Kristine Bradley, who was set to lead the prosecution, has been disqualified. Bradley took the stand and delivered a critical testimony. She revealed that she overheard Miramar Police Detective Mark Moretti, the chief investigator in the case against Demons, engage in a concerning conversation. Moretti had allegedly asked a Broward County deputy to provide false information. The info was regarding their presence during a search warrant execution outside of Moretti’s jurisdiction last October. Removing Bradley’s status as a potential witness for the defense is ultimately the fair thing to do. As her involvement could compromise her impartiality in the case. This leaves the State Attorney’s Office with a race against time to find a suitable replacement before jury selection begins.

Moreover, this decision ensures the fairness of the proceedings by preventing any perceived bias or conflict of interest. In addition, in the same ruling, Judge Murphy addressed the defense’s attempt to have the State Attorney’s Office entirely removed from the case and even dismissed entirely. However, elected State Attorney Harold Pryor and two of his deputies, who were accused of engaging in a “cover-up,” were found not to be disqualified. Judge Murphy stated that the defense failed to provide sufficient evidence to support their claims. He emphasized that all available information indicated that the prosecutors had instructed their team to be truthful and forthcoming with the court and the defense.

Lead Prosecutor Removed From YNW Melly Case

#YNWMellyTrial2: BREAKING NEWS: @YNWMelly Prosecutor Kristine Bradley has been removed from the YWN Melly Capital Murder Re-Trial following an order granted and signed by Judge Murphy III on Thursday — according to @SunSentinel’s @rolmeda.#ynwmelly #melly #ynwmellytrial pic.twitter.com/cNqXrc3n2y

— Bryson “Boom” Paul (@brysonboompaul) October 12, 2023

With the lead prosecutor now removed from the YNW Melly case and the State Attorney’s Office’s continued involvement, the retrial is set to proceed with a new prosecutor. The clock is ticking. The case has captured public attention, and the legal proceedings are sure to be closely watched as they unfold. In addition to this latest update, the jurors for the retrial may remain anonymous. As HNHH previously reported, a motion was filed to protect the jurors identity so that they don’t become subject to harassment or outside influences.

The YNW Melly case revolves around the shooting deaths of two fellow rappers, Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams and Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas. Jamell “YNW Melly” Demons, the accused, has consistently maintained his innocence. And the defense is exploring every avenue to challenge the credibility of key accusers in the trial. Prosecutors have until the end of next week to start jury selection in the retrial.

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FBG Duck Murder Trial Jury Selection Underway

October 11, 2023 by newhiphopnews

It’s been three years since FBG Duck’s murder in 2020 and the story is still the subject of so much public intrigue. Part of that comes from the continued revelations made by investigations in to the murder both by the public and by the legal system. Just over the weekend Duck’s mother opener up about his passing in an interview where she reflected on the final day they spent together. She also responded to the rumors that King Von had placed a $100k bounty on Duck, which she claims were true and have been proven.

Earlier this week the legal proceedings for his trial began, starting with jury selection. According to AllHipHop around 150 prospective jurors will be thinned down to a group of 12. They’ll oversee the trial of six different alleged gang members who have been charged with the murder of FBG Duck. The six are reportedly members of a rival gang and prosecutors claim that they publicly took credit for the murder afterward. That mirrored something Duck’s mother insinuated in her recent interview. She also explained that her sons killers had been “telling on themselves” publicly.

FBG Duck Murder Trial Underway

Trial underway for Chicago suspects in FBG Duck murder https://t.co/bg4NcPyidK pic.twitter.com/6tLfXz0CYD

— CBS Chicago (@cbschicago) October 11, 2023

Back in August, rumors emerged that Lil Durk may be connected to the FBG Duck case. Allegedly, files from an FBI informant which somehow made the rounds online identified both Durk and his brother as being involved with the case. That would go counter to the narrative Durk has been pushing about it recently. His message has been that the violence needs to be stopped.

Much of the information relating to Duck’s murder has been made public through his mother. She’s talked extensively about who she thinks was involved, most notably King Von. She’s also spoken on how she believes the events unfolded including how Duck’s location was revealed in the first place. What do you think of the newest developments in the murder trial of FBG Duck? Let us know in the comment section below.

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YNW Bortlen’s New Court Date Revealed

September 29, 2023 by newhiphopnews

YNW Melly is currently awaiting jury selection for the second trial of his alleged double murder case. The rapper is accused of murdering two of his associates back in 2018, YNW Juvy and YNW SakChaser. His first trial was ruled a mistrial back in July, after jurors couldn’t come to a unanimous decision. Now, his team’s pushing for the entire case to be dismissed. The jury selection process is scheduled to begin on October 9.

Amid Melly’s legal developments, there’s also been a new development in the case of YNW Melly’s co-defendant, YNW Bortlen. Bortlen drove the victims to the hospital after the shooting, and is believed to be the only other living witness. He had a hearing scheduled to take place today, but it’s now been delayed.

YNW Bortlen’s Trial Pushed Back

#YNWBortlenTrial: @YnwBortlen hearing as co-defendant in the @YNWMelly case has been rescheduled to January 12, 2024.#ynwbortlen #ynwmellytrial #ynwmellytrial2 pic.twitter.com/Va0IiRt5ul

— Bryson “Boom” Paul (@brysonboompaul) September 29, 2023

According to Bryson “Boom” Paul, Bortlen’s hearing will now take place on January 12 of next year, more than three months from now. It appears as though prosecutors are focused on Melly’s case for the time being, causing some setbacks in Bortlen’s case. He will be tried separately from Melly. Though Melly and prosecutors are surely looking to get his second trial moving, the rapper’s team thinks jury selection could take some time. One of his attorneys, Stuart Adelstein, reportedly said they’ll “be lucky to pick a jury before Thanksgiving.” The 24-year-old’s defense cites alleged “prosecutorial misconduct” in their motion for dismissal.

They’re alleging that prosecutors helped Detective Mark Moretti, and hid internal investigations of him in order to “gain a tactical advantage” over Melly’s defense. This would “violate [Melly’s] due process rights as guaranteed by both the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the parallel provisions of the Florida Constitution,” the rapper’s lawyers claim. What do you think of YNW Bortlen having his court date pushed back by over three months? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates on YNW Melly and YNW Bortlen.

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YNW Bortlen’s New Court Date Revealed

September 29, 2023 by newhiphopnews

YNW Bortlen’s Trial Pushed Back

#YNWBortlenTrial: @YnwBortlen hearing as co-defendant in the @YNWMelly case has been rescheduled to January 12, 2024.#ynwbortlen #ynwmellytrial #ynwmellytrial2 pic.twitter.com/Va0IiRt5ul

— Bryson “Boom” Paul (@brysonboompaul) September 29, 2023

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YNW Melly & His Lawyers Believe Jury Selection Could Take Weeks Amid Motion To Dismiss Case

September 28, 2023 by newhiphopnews

YNW Melly is currently in the midst of legal turmoil. After his first double murder trial ended in a mistrial, a second trial was set for October. Overall, the judge has shown every intention of marching forward with the aforementioned trial. However, Melly’s legal team is doing everything it can to ensure his freedom. For instance, they recently filed for a dismissal of the entire case, claiming “prosecutorial misconduct.” It is a long shot, however, it is in line with the legal team’s strategy thus far.

Yesterday, Melly and his lawyers were back in court to discuss the trial. Jury selection will start on October 9th, as long as the case is not dismissed. That said, an attorney for Melly, Stuart Adelstein, believes that this might be a very messy endeavor. He thinks jury selection will take a very long time, which cuts into Melly’s right for a quick trial. “We’ll be lucky to pick a jury before Thanksgiving,” Adelstein said.

YNW Melly Forced To Play Waiting Game

As for the “prosecutorial misconduct,” Melly’s lawyers believe Detective Mark Moretti was being helped by the prosecution. More specifically, they allegedly hid internal and criminal investigations against Moretti. “The unfortunate stark reality is that the State intentionally withheld this information that would impeach Detective Moretti in order to gain a tactical advantage and to violate Mr. Demons’ due process rights as guaranteed by both the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the parallel provisions of the Florida Constitution,” the lawyers said.

At this point, it feels like this is a saga that has been going on for at least a decade. However, it has actually only been going on since 2018, which is still a very long time. Let us know your thoughts on the trial and the legal proceedings, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will always keep you informed.

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YNW Melly Plans To Bar Witnesses Who Allege He Owed YNW SakChaser Money

September 27, 2023 by newhiphopnews

YNW Melly reportedly plans to bar witnesses that will claim he owed money to YNW SakChaser. According to court documents obtained by AllHipHop, the state wants to prove that Melly made an agreement with SakChaser “to share or split all of the money that Mr. Melly made through his musical pursuits.”

Melly’s attorney, Daniel Aaronson, says the claims are baseless and doesn’t wanted them presented during the upcoming trial. He argues that without a “signed contract or agreement” or “a verbal acknowledgment by YNW Melly that he owed that money to YNW SakChaser, any reference to it would be ‘pure hearsay and conjecture.’”

YNW Melly’s Case Headed For Retrial

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL – FEBRUARY 13: In this handout photo provided by the Broward’s Sheriff’s Office, rapper YNW. Melly, real name Jamell Demons, is seen in a police booking photo after being charged with two counts of murder in the first degree February 13, 2019 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Demons allegedly conspired with Cortlen Henry to fatally shot two other Florida based rappers, Christopher. Thomas Jr and Anthony Williams, October 26. (Photo by Broward’s Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images)

“The nature of the testimony referenced above would be brought in so that the State could argue there was motive, i.e. [YNW Melly] did not want to pay [YNW Sakchaser] the money. Before the State contends during opening statement that it will show this evidence, the Court needs to rule on the admissibility of this argument,” Aaronson explained.

The latest update comes after Melly’s defense team suggested that the judge in the case drop the rapper’s double murder case due to prosecutorial misconduct. They cited the prosecution not divulging details about an investigation into Miramar Police Detective Mark Moretti. “Because this withholding of evidence was not only institutional, but deliberate prosecutor misconduct, double jeopardy principles apply,” the filing says. Be on the lookout for further updates on Melly’s trial on HotNewHipHop. The new trial will begin, next month, on October 9.

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YNW Melly’s Ex-Girlfriend Says Police Threatened To Arrest Her To Get Information

September 18, 2023 by newhiphopnews

YNW Melly’s ex-girlfriend, Mariah Hamilton, says that police threatened her with jail time if she didn’t divulge information regarding Melly’s double-murder case. Appearing on Law&Crime’s Sidebar podcast on Monday, Hamilton detailed how police tried to get her to provide dirt on her ex-boyfriend. First, she revealed that she’s still working on getting a warrant for her arrest lifted.

“I’m currently wanted,” she told host Jesse Weber. “I’ve tried to get the warrant lifted plenty of times but it’s just been a constant battle with my lawyer and the prosecutor [Kristine Bradley]. So I’ve just been laying low trying to get the warrant lifted before I could even come in and speak my part.”

YNW Melly’s Case Heads For Retrial

She further explained: “I just want people to know that I’m not running because of any money or anything like that. It’s because 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 they’re looking at me wrong and what they’re showing is not true.” Prosecutors reportedly believe that she spoke with Melly during the night of the shooting. They think she may have information regarding the events of the fateful night.

YNW Melly’s Ex-Girlfriend On The Murder Case

Afterward, she explained how police threatened her with legal trouble. “Because I was his girlfriend at the time, so they thought I knew more than what I telling them. Which I didn’t,” she explained. “So they were just harassing me. When the situation first happened, I was threatened. I was 17, about to turn 18. They came to my house, telling me they were going to arrest me on accessory after the fact. My mom didn’t know what to do.”

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YNW Melly Update: Alleged Victim’s Mom Asks Judge To Deny Rapper’s Bond

September 15, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Even after spending four long years of his life behind bars, YNW Melly remains persistent in his quest for freedom. The Florida-born rapper was granted a mistrial while facing accusations of double murder earlier this summer. He’s currently remaining behind bars while awaiting his impending retrial. This week, Melly returned to the courthouse to make his case for bond. Understandably, the embattled entertainer wants to be in the company of friends and family until he’s potentially found guilty. Of course, not everyone wants to see the “Murder on My Mind” artist walk free – particularly not the loved ones of his alleged victims.

As AllHipHop reports, Melly had a hearing on Friday (September 15) during which Judge John Murphy overheard his legal team’s request for bail. Seeing as the 24-year-old has been accused of killing his two affiliates, YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchhaser, in 2018, it’s reasonable that there’s a reluctance to put a bond in place. Still, Melly has spent all of his 20s so far behind bars, and it’s unclear exactly when he’ll find out his fate. After the alleged murderer and his lawyers made their case, Murphy also heard from one of the victim’s mothers.

YNW Melly’s Court Proceedings Continue After Mistrial

“I don’t think he should be granted a bond at all,” Leondra Phillips, Juvy’s mom, shared in court earlier today. If he doesn’t receive bail, Melly will likely spend the remainder of 2023 in jail. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on October 9. Following that, prosecutors are hoping to have all 12 members seated by November 2.

It’s been a quiet few weeks on YNW Melly’s front. However, earlier this month one of the members of his original jury shared some interesting insight with the media. According to them, the accusations against the rapper aren’t as gruesome as they seem, they’re simply “a really bad situation of being framed.” Read everything they had to say at the link below and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.

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Woman Accused Of Killing Beyonce’s Cousin Begins Trial

August 30, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Beyonce’s cousin Kardone, born Martell DeRouen, was fatally shot in January of 2021. The aspiring rapper was only 34 years old when he died of a single gunshot wound. The woman accused of his murder, Sasha Skare, has now begun her trial. She allegedly shot him at his apartment following a verbal altercation that took a turn for the worst.

Yesterday (August 29), jurors were shown security footage of Skare making her way through a hallway with a gun, headed toward DeRouen’s apartment. Audio from a 911 call made on the night of the murder was also played in the courtroom. During the call, a woman tells dispatchers that she’s locked out of her apartment and injured, claiming to be DeRouen’s wife, Joia. Joia, however, claims that the voice on the recording isn’t hers. She instead alleges that Skare was the one to make the call, claiming that she gave dispatchers false information.

Sasha Skare Appears To Have A Gun In Security Footage

“She pronounced the last name wrong,” she explained. “My name starts with a J and not a G. He was not 28, he was 34. Not correct at all.” Various witnesses who lived nearby also told police that they heard DeRouen and Skare arguing on the night of the murder. They say they heard DeRouen telling Skare to leave, followed by the sound of a door slamming. Banging on the apartment door was later heard, and eventually, a gunshot.

Pedro Padilla, who lived in the apartment building, told the jury that his Ring doorbell camera captured Skare walking through the hallway that evening. He also claims that he heard the gunshot shortly before he left for dinner. “I thought it was just a firework,” he explained. Another witness, who lived across the hall from DeRouen, claims she heard banging just before 9 p.m. She believed it was a food delivery she had placed, and opened the door to find a woman pounding on the victim’s door. She apologized and closed the door. “I figured it was a situation that wasn’t my business,” she said. Keep an eye on HNHH for more updates on Sasha Skare’s trial.

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