retrial Archives - New Hip Hop News

Young Dolph’s Convicted Killer Seeks New Trial Over “Insufficient” Evidence

October 31, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The man convicted for the murder of Young Dolph, Justin Johnson, just filed a motion for a retrial last week (Friday, October 25). “The verdict regarding the offenses of conviction was contrary to the weight and sufficiency of the evidence, and the evidence was insufficient to lead any rational trier of fact to conclude that Mr. Johnson was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” Johnson’s lawyer Luke Evans shared in writing. “The trial court erred by admitting gruesome photographs of the victim’s body at the crime scene […] admitting gruesome autopsy photographs […] and denying Johnson’s repeated motions to allow him to sit at the counsel table. The cumulative effect of multiple errors at trial warrants granting Mr. Johnson a new trial.”

For those unaware, the court found Justin Johnson guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and unlawful possession of a handgun by a convict with a felony history last month. He received a sentence of life in prison for the murder of Young Dolph. As for the other alleged perpetrators of this attack, Cornelius Smith – who had testified against Johnson – is scheduled to appear in court on November 15 to answer for first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and attempted murder charges.

Young Dolph & Gucci Mane At Super Bowl LII

Young Dolph Murder Convicted Killer Retrial Motion Hip Hop News — Feb 4, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Recording artists Young Dolph (left) and Gucci Mane (right) pose for a photo during Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn Images

According to Smith’s testimony, he acted as one of the gunmen who shot and killed Young Dolph. Per his allegations, Hernandez Govan hired him and Justin Johnson to murder the rapper for an alleged $100K bounty. Yo Gotti’s brother Big Jook allegedly put out a hit on the Memphis MC. Govan also faces charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and attempted murder. Prosecutors set a deadline of November 22 for him to decide whether or not he will accept a plea deal.

Not only that, but Justin Johnson’s lawyer alleged that Hernandez Govan entered a proffer agreement with prosecutors during the Young Dolph investigation. This is presumably so he could provide information about the crime to law enforcement in a way that bars them from using that info against him. However, Govan did not testify during Johnson’s trial. If he doesn’t take a plea deal, he will face trial in March of next year.

[via]

The post Young Dolph’s Convicted Killer Seeks New Trial Over “Insufficient” Evidence appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Harvey Weinstein Indicted On New Criminal Charges Ahead Of Sexual Assault Retrial

September 12, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Harvey Weinstein might be facing a retrial in New York following an overturned 2020 sexual assault conviction, but it’s not all good news for him these days. Moreover, he also faces new criminal charges thanks to a recently issued indictment from prosecutors representing new accusers. Manhattan attorneys divulged in a hearing on Thursday that a grand jury sent more charges up. It seems like the specific nature of these will stay secret until authorities arraign Weinstein after he leaves the hospital. These potential criminal complaints apparently stem from 2005, 2006, and 2013, per TMZ‘s report. According to their alleged sources, prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office asked a grand jury to convene and requested that the disgraced film and media executive testify.

Harvey Weinstein reportedly refused to issue a testimony on his own behalf during this hearing. This decision, from what this report suggests, is because prosecutors did not budge on revealing the identity of his new accusers. Per Manhattan’s D.A.’s office, these women brought their cases forward after his 2020 sexual assault conviction (his first). For those unaware, an appeals court overturned this ruling in April after concluding that they found the court liable for violating Weinstein’s constitutional rights.

Harvey Weinstein In 2022

Harvey Weinstein Indictment New Charges Retrial Entertainment News — Former film producer Harvey Weinstein appears in court at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles, California, on 04 October 2022. – Weinstein was extradited from New York to Los Angeles to face sex-related charges. (Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Furthermore, prosecutors’ next attempt at holding Harvey Weinstein accountable will tentatively take place during November’s retrial. As always, these court dates are subject to change. Ahead of this controversial procedure, his attorneys have reportedly expressed determination and eagerness to supposedly prove his alleged innocence. On the other hand, prosecutors likely want to try that much harder in their attempts to prove Weinstein’s alleged crimes. But this also becomes much more complicated when you take into consideration his health issues.

One of the ways in which Harvey Weinstein’s health has impacted these procedures is actually alleged in this report. For example, he apparently did not go to court as scheduled today due to an emergency heart surgery that officials rushed him to this week at Bellevue Hospital. Reportedly, Weinstein’s attorney Arthur Aidala claimed that he almost passed away from this scare. We’ll see if anything else important comes up for this retrial.

[via]

The post Harvey Weinstein Indicted On New Criminal Charges Ahead Of Sexual Assault Retrial appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Pras’ Fails To Earn Retrial In Political Conspiracy Case After AI Scandal

September 1, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Pras Michel’s attempt to get a retrial due to his lawyer’s actions during his political conspiracy case was unsuccessful. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly decided that his defense attorney using generative AI for his closing arguments wasn’t enough to warrant a serious miscarriage of justice. The AI program notably attributed lyrics from Diddy’s song, “I’ll Be Missing You,” to Michel, among other errors. Despite this, Kollar-Kotelly didn’t feel the mistakes were enough to impact the jury’s ruling.

“Michel does not explain how this mistake—the mistaken attribution of a Puff Daddy song in the closing argument—resulted in prejudice. Specifically, Michel has not shown that there is a reasonable probability that the result of his trial would have differed had Kenner correctly attributed a lyric to him,” Kollar-Kotelly said, as caught by AllHipHop. “Notably, the content derived from the AI program did not relate to any evidence in the case, only general sympathetic statements and one lyrical quote.”

Pras Arrives At His Trial In Washington D.C.

WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 31: Pras Michel, a member of the 1990’s hip-hop group the Fugees, arrives at U.S. District Court on March 31, 2023 in Washington, DC. Michel is on trial for his alleged participation in a campaign finance conspiracy. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The jury in the trial found Michel guilty on a total of 10 counts. They include conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. The prosecution accused him of funneling money from Malaysian financer Jho Low into influencing various United States government actions. He allegedly pumped money into Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign as well as influencing an extradition case on behalf of China during Donald Trump’s presidency.

The judge didn’t set a date for Pras’ sentencing, but he’s currently out of jail until that happens. He recently made headlines for dropping a Lauryn Hill diss track after the Fugees canceled several tour dates. Be on the lookout for further updates on Pras Michel on HotNewHipHop.

[Via]

The post Pras’ Fails To Earn Retrial In Political Conspiracy Case After AI Scandal appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

YNW Melly Murder Retrial Pushed Back Until 2025 After Numerous Other Delays

July 8, 2024 by newhiphopnews

YNW Melly’s retrial for double murder is officially too complicated to address this year thanks to a new ruling from the Florida judge in this case. Moreover, according to NBC Miami, Judge Martin Fein revealed in a court hearing on Monday (July 8) that he rescheduled the retrial’s start date to September 10, 2025 following multiple other delays in the process. Back in January, authorities placed the trial on hold indefinitely, and the rapper had a pre-trial meeting in his witness tampering case set for December 5 of this year. Of course, folks are likely aware of the double murder case in 2023, whose result in a mistrial led us to where we are now.

Furthermore, jury selection for this retrial began back in October of 2023, and motions and appeals prolonged the process. Then, Judge John Murphy paused the case given prosecutors’ appeal of his ruling on a motion to suppress evidence, since the legal team wanted to use a documentary on YNW Melly as key evidence in the retrial. “While this short video focuses on Defendant’s life, it is mere speculation to guess who decided to add the text statement,” his defense team posited. “It could have been the director, the producer, an editor, [Melly] or any number of people. Thus, without knowing the source of the comment, it holds no evidentiary value.”

YNW Melly’s Retrial Date Is Set

Judge Murphy upheld the defense’s point of view, and the prosecution’s appeal halted discovery developments on both sides of the courtroom. In addition, this joined other disagreements between prosecutors and defense attorneys, such as YNW Melly’s wish to exclude YNW Bortlen and his girlfriend’s phone calls from the retrial. Still, there isn’t much else we know about what will actually come up in this retrial. Perhaps the near future will contain more updates as each side builds their arguments.

“The Broward State Attorneys Office really screwed this case up,” YNW Melly’s attorney claimed on social media. “I have never seen anything like it. […] A real circus over this case and mishandled from the 1st day when I was in the case. Bad investigation and even a worse trial. To think that the Broward State Attorneys Office would mishandle an important double murder case because of ego… unbelievable.”

[via]

The post YNW Melly Murder Retrial Pushed Back Until 2025 After Numerous Other Delays appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

YNW Melly Awaits His Murder Retrial As His Lawyer Blasts Florida Prosecutors

July 4, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The YNW Melly mistrial for double murder was one of hip-hop’s biggest stories last year, and it’s far from over yet. Moreover, he still awaits a retrial, but a new Instagram post from his lawyer Bradford Cohen points to a heated battle between prosecutors and the defense. Specifically, Cohen responded to an appeals court standing by a judge’s blockade of prosecutors cross-examining a state attorney if she becomes a witness in the retrial. In his message, the attorney blasted his opposition at Broward County, Florida’s State Attorney’s office and madeb it clear that he feels very displeased with how this whole situation played out.

“Essentially, the Broward State Attorneys Office really screwed this case up,” YNW Melly’s lawyer expressed on social media. “I have never seen anything like it. Literally refused to pass this case to an unconflicted state attorneys office after the defense listed one of their own state attorneys as a witness. They wanted to be able to cross examine the state attorney that was what amounted to a whistle blower and testified that a police officer lied.

YNW Melly’s Attorney Speaks Out

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bradford Cohen (@lawronin)

“The lower court ruled that the Broward State Atty Office can not cross examine one of their own,” YNW Melly’s attorney continued. “That means if they stay in the case, there will be no cross examination of the State Attorney that testified the lead detective lied about the service of a subpoena. The appellate court just agreed with the lower court. A real circus over this case and mishandled from the 1st day when I was in the case. Bad investigation and even a worse trial. To think that the Broward State Attorneys Office would mishandle an important double murder case because of ego… unbelievable.”

Meanwhile, YNW Melly also appeared in headlines recently thanks to Kendrick Lamar’s mention of him on his Drake diss track, “Euphoria.” “Kendrick Lamar is one of my favorite rappers so I feel honored and appalled… I’m a household name, just for the wrong s**t!” Melly stated to TMZ about the controversial shout-out. We’ll see whether or not this retrial bodes better news for him in the future.

[via]

The post YNW Melly Awaits His Murder Retrial As His Lawyer Blasts Florida Prosecutors appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Pras Retrial Under Review Due To Defense Lawyer’s Incompetence: Report

January 25, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Despite his guilty verdict in a federal trial for political conspiracy and money laundering, it looks like Pras will still get the opportunity to fight for a second chance. Moreover, new reports from Vulture and HipHopDX indicate that earlier this month, the court called for a hearing to discuss the rapper’s defense team for three days. This is in order to determine whether he should get a retrial given the lack of competence demonstrated by his defense attorney David Kenner. For example, Vulture reports that he outsourced work to a remote medical malpractice lawyer, filed his first motion a year after being able to do so, concealed a limiting injury, and did not bring on experienced legal practitioners to assist in the process.

“Unsuccessful is not the same as ineffective,” prosecutor Nicole Lockhart remarked. Given this perceived failure to effectively represent Pras, who faces 20 years in jail on 10 counts, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly thinks this could warrant a more fair and prepared shot. As such, a sentence, retrial, or plea-bargain talks could surface as the court’s preferred method of handling this, although this is all still presumably under review at press time. According to this case’s conviction last April, the Fugees star allegedly lobbied illegally in the best interests of his colleagues, in-state and overseas, when it comes to campaign donations and other political and economic factors, in addition to other lawsuits.

Pras Arrives At Court In April 2023

Pras Retrial Defense Lawyer Hip Hop News — WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 03: Pras Michel, a member of the 1990’s hip-hop group the Fugees, arrives at U.S. District Court on April 3, 2023 in Washington, DC. Michel is on trial for his alleged participation in a campaign finance conspiracy. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Not only that, but Pras’ former lawyer also allegedly used artificial intelligence to craft their closing statement, tanking their chances. “Kenner’s closing argument made frivolous arguments, misapprehended the required elements, conflated the schemes and ignored critical weaknesses in the government’s case,” his new legal team stated. The A.I. program failed Kenner, and Kenner failed [Pras] Michel. The closing argument was deficient, unhelpful and a missed opportunity that prejudiced the defense.”

Meanwhile, some reports suggest Kenner actually had a financial stake in the company that created this A.I. program, but the company EyeLevel.AI denied this despite his boasting. Regardless of all this, the New Jersey-born artist maintained his innocence. “Pras was never an FBI informant,” his publicist shared. “It’s not accurate and, quite frankly, it’s dangerous. If he was an informant, he would not be on trial. The government does not prosecute and threaten its informants with more than two decades of jail time.” For more news and the latest updates on Pras, stick around on HNHH.

[via]

The post Pras Retrial Under Review Due To Defense Lawyer’s Incompetence: Report appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

YNW Melly Retrial Start Date Revealed, Judge Wants “Urgency”

January 15, 2024 by newhiphopnews

The retrial for YNW Melly’s double murder case faced numerous delays since the original trial’s conclusion in a mistrial in July 2023. However, according to new reports from journalist Bryson “Boom” Paul, Judge John Murphy III believes that they must nor fret any further, Moreover, he declared that jury selection in the rapper’s retrial will begin on March 5 “or as soon thereafter as this [case] may be heard,” according to new court documents. For those unaware, Melly stands accused of murdering his colleages YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser in October of 2018. Authorities arrested him in February of 2019.

Furthermore, this follows recent reports on what prosecutors submitted and prepared for this upcoming process. It will be very interesting to see if they changed their tactics at all, or if they will simply reiterate their original arguments. Regardless, they named dozens of YNW Melly’s songs as evidence, which became as controversial as any other instance of hip-hop lyrics as court material. In addition, the impetus for this start date, according to these documents, the Florida MC “has been in custody for more than 750 days while awaiting trial.”

YNW Melly’s Retrial Will Begin On March 5: Report

#YNWMellyTrial2: Judge Murphy lll ordered a trial order in the @YNWMelly retrial with the Broward Clerk last Tuesday, January 9, with trial set to commence on March 5 as Melly has been in custody for more then 750 days awaiting trial, which the judge has now given the case… pic.twitter.com/XPlEWAqll9

— Bryson “Boom” Paul (@brysonboompaul) January 14, 2024

From what Paul reported, Judge Murphy “expressed urgency in getting the retrial underway” in a Friday hearing (January 12). Not only that, but additional pre-trial hearing will, if accordant with the established schedule, take place this week on Thursday and Friday (January 18 and 19). This is to resolve anticipated or emergent situations ahead of jury selection to make YNW Melly’s retrial as speedy and competent as possible. At press time, no indication came up regarding whether these will be the only pre-trial hearings, or if we can expect any in February. As such, the “No Belt” artist is patiently waiting to see if any other complications surge.

Meanwhile, other recent developments in this case involve Fredo Bang reflecting on his relationship with the suspect. He is also a key player in these proceedings, as he faced accusations of transporting Melly after the alleged murder. Apparently, they have not spoken since 2022. For more news and the latest updates on YNW Melly, stay posted on HNHH.

[via]

The post YNW Melly Retrial Start Date Revealed, Judge Wants “Urgency” appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

YNW Melly’s Retrial Postponed, Judge Grants Motions To Exclude Evidence

December 30, 2023 by newhiphopnews

YNW Melly’s double murder retrial, originally scheduled for February of next year, has been pushed back once again. Broward Circuit Court Judge John Murphy honored the Melly’s team’s request for an extension earlier this week, allowing them more time to prepare their defense. Jury selection is underway, and opening statements will now begin on March 5, 2024.

In the meantime, the rapper’s team will conduct more than a dozen depositions, several of which were canceled this month. The news follows Murphy’s decision to partially grant 13 defense motions to exclude evidence, per the Miami Herald. Digital evidence, including text messages sent around the time of the murders, has now been restricted. Murphy will also make decisions on various other motions at a hearing next month.

YNW Melly’s Retrial Will Now Begin On March 5, 2024

The news also follows prosecutors’ push to have Melly’s song lyrics used against him in court. They filed for 55 songs, 18 audio files, 14 YouTube videos, and four album covers to be admitted as evidence in his retrial. This is a hotly debated move fans have also seen in Young Thug’s RICO trial. It sparked numerous discussions surrounding creative freedom, with several of the artist’s peers and fans speaking out against the judge’s decision.

Fat Joe, for example, shared his thoughts with CNN‘s Gayle King in November, claiming that a majority of his lyrics don’t reflect the truth. “I’ve been rapping professionally for 30 years,” he explained. “I’ve lied in almost 95 percent of my songs. I’m being honest. I write like I feel that day. I’m just being creative. You couldn’t build a jail high enough for the lyrics I’ve said on songs, which are all untrue. What I am is a family man, the person who gives back to my community all the time, opens businesses in my community.” What do you think of YNW Melly’s double murder retrial getting pushed back again? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

[Via]

The post YNW Melly’s Retrial Postponed, Judge Grants Motions To Exclude Evidence appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

YNW Melly’s Lyrics Could Be Used Against Him In Court

December 18, 2023 by newhiphopnews

With all the focus on Young Thug and the YSL RICO case in recent weeks, many fans have forgotten about the ongoing legal status of YNW Melly. The rapper has been behind bars for years awaiting a verdict in his high-profile double murder trial. His arrest dates all the way back to 2019 for a pair of murders committed in 2018 and he’s still awaiting a verdict in the case. Additionally, in July of this year, Melly’s first trial came to an end with the declaration of a mistrial.

YNW Melly’s second double murder trial is set to begin in February and pre-trial proceedings are underway. In a recent motion filed by the prosecution, they’re hoping to introduce a ton of new evidence into the case. According to The Fader, the prosecution filed for 55 songs, 18 audio files, 14 YouTube videos, and four album covers to be introduced as evidence in the re-trial. Included among them is Melly’s biggest hit, the unfortunately titled “Murder On My Mind.” Subsequently, no verdict on how much of the material will be admissible in the trial has been made yet. Check out more details on what the prosecution is trying to attempt below.

YNW Melly Lyrics Submitted As Evidence

Prosecutors in the YNW Melly double murder case will attempt to use the rapper’s lyrics, album covers, and YouTube videos into evidence. https://t.co/DLds5zlKkB

— The FADER (@thefader) December 18, 2023

Lyrics being used in court against rappers has been a hot topic of debate for years. The most recent instance was with Young Thug in the YSL RICO trial. When the announcement was made public that some of Thug’s lyrics were ruled admissible in court hundreds of thousands of fans and numerous rap figures spoke out against the decision.

The time between Melly’s first and second trials has been turbulent for the rapper. He was once again denied bond and had to remain in prison until his second trial. Consequently, he’s been in police custody for almost 5 full years now awaiting a verdict in his trial. His second trial has been delayed numerous times following its originally announced October start date. What do you think of YNW Melly potentially having his own lyrics and music videos used in court against him? Let us know in the comment section below.

[Via]

The post YNW Melly’s Lyrics Could Be Used Against Him In Court appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

YNW Melly’s Mom’s OnlyFans Account Heats Up While Waiting For 2024 Retrial

December 1, 2023 by newhiphopnews

During YNW Melly’s double murder trial this past summer, the embattled rapper wasn’t the only member of his family making headlines. His mother, Jamie King, was mentioned several times throughout the court proceedings and has been standing loyally by her 24-year-old’s side as he continues to fight for his innocence. The prosecution ultimately failed in convicting him of charges during their first attempt. Still, as he awaits his retrial, Melly remains behind bars. Unfortunately for the Florida native, he’s spending yet another holiday season in the slammer, as opening statements are now unfolding in February 2024.

At this time, there’s little King can do to help her son besides remaining in good spirits herself. When she’s not campaigning for his freedom on social media, Melly’s mom has been advertising her OnlyFans profile with salacious mirror selfies that show off her toned tummy and slim thick booty. “Click the link in my bio ,” Jamie wrote in her caption, also including a link to her live stream, suggesting that paying users can see more of her body there.

Jamie King is the Latest Rap Mom to Join OnlyFans As YNW Melly Remains Behind Bars

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jamie King (@jamiek_ynw)

At this time, Melly’s mom is charging $10.99/month for a subscription to her OF, with special discounts for purchasing three, six, or 12 months’ worth of access upfront. She only has four posts available for oogling at the moment, but we’re sure that it won’t be long until more of her thirst traps make their way onto the page. It’s unclear exactly how X-rated her content is, though we’re curious to see if she sticks around for the long haul, or if she’s simply keeping herself busy until her son is back in court.

Jamie King isn’t the only rapper mom capitalizing on her curves this holiday season. Karlissa Saffold has been discussing the possibility of launching an NSFW PPV page and has even hinted at debuting her OnlyFans on her son, Blueface’s birthday in January. Read more about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.

[Via]

The post YNW Melly’s Mom’s OnlyFans Account Heats Up While Waiting For 2024 Retrial appeared first on HotNewHipHop.