YNW Melly double murder trial continues after judge denies mistrial

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The second week of the double murder trial of rapper YNW Melly began with the judge denying a motion from the defense for a mistrial. Defense attorneys had asked Broward Circuit Judge John Murphy for a mistrial last week, arguing that the jury had been tainted following testimony that couldn’t be verified from the mother of YNW Melly’s ex-girlfriend. The judge told defense attorneys Tuesday that jurors could be instructed to ignore statements that were ruled inadmissible. YNW Melly, whose legal name is Jamell Demons, is facing a possible death sentence for the October 2018 fatal shooting of his childhood friends, Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr. Prosecutors say Demons shot the other men as part of a gang action and staged it to look like a drive-by shooting.