YNW Melly’s double murder trial took an intriguing turn as the prosecution wrapped up its case with the testimony of detective Mark Moretti.
The rapper stands accused of fatally shooting his friends and fellow rappers, Anthony Williams (YNW Sakchaser), and Christopher Thomas Jr. (YNW Juvy) in 2018.
The prosecution presented a message allegedly sent by Melly to a friend, where he admitted, “I did that,” referring to the shooting.
According to the Miami Herald, the prosecution’s strategy focused on proving that Melly had been using a specific phone. Detective Moretti claimed that the phone number linked to Melly’s Facebook account belonged to the rapper. However, Melly’s attorney argued that the device was a communal phone shared by the residents of the house where Melly and his friends lived.
In the courtroom, Prosector Kristine Bradley read an Instagram exchange between Melly and Peezy Gambino, discussing merchandise and obtaining an old iPhone. Moretti testified that Peezy asked Melly if he was okay the next day, to which Melly allegedly responded, “I did that,” followed by a “Shhhh.” However, Melly’s attorney, Stuart Adelstein, presented 19 pages of text messages that showed Melly commonly spelled “that” as “dat.”
“These phone messages that the state introduced…pages that we painfully went through, he spells it d-a-t, not t-h-a-t,” Adelstein pointed out. “What a strange thing.”
Prosecutor Bradley cited several other instances where Melly used the word “that” and referred to a song titled “Melly Fix That” to support the prosecution’s argument. The prosecution aims to establish the validity of the alleged “I did that” message and a shooting reconstruction to prove Melly’s involvement in the murders.
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Broward Sheriff’s Sgt. Christopher Williams also testified, stating that Juvy had a gunshot wound on his left cheek, indicating a close-range shooting. Williams further claimed that the blood splatter on the vehicle’s ceiling suggested that Sakchaser was also shot at close range in the back of the head. According to the Miami New Times, Melly was allegedly seated in the back seat of the driver’s side during the shooting.
As the prosecution rests its case, the defense is now preparing to call its own witnesses. The trial has captivated the attention of both fans and legal observers, who eagerly await the verdict in this high-profile case.
