A bombshell request has been made by rapper YNW Melly: he wants a totally new legal team as he faces a double murder re-trial in Broward County.
In a new motion, Melly, whose real name is Jamell Demons, is asking that Drew Findling and Carey Haughwout represent him in his double murder case moving forward.
He’s replacing Raven Liberty, Stuart Adelstein, Daniel Aaronson and two others who have represented him for years.
YNW MELLY CASE
Demons is charged in the 2018 shooting deaths of Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas, Jr.
Court documents reference a conflict of interest with Raven Liberty, who is the subject of a Broward Sheriff’s Office investigation. Little is known publicly about that investigation, but the mere existence of it is prompting Demons to change course.
The motion to substitute counsel states, “Mr. Demons current team may be unable to fully litigate this issue without fear of further recrimination in the criminal case against one of the team.”
Replacing attorneys at this late stage isn’t unheard of, said criminal defense attorney Joshua Rydell, who is weighing in from the outside.
“You see it more frequently in high-profile capital cases,” said Rydell.
But it could signal a change in strategy.
“Something you can read into this is especially the lawyers that are attempting to come in,” said Rydell. “They specialize in different things, have different profiles, that could be something the defendant wants in the case.”
Judge Martin Fein, who is presiding over the case, is considering the motion on the heels of Demons’ co-defendant, Cortlen Henry, taking a plea deal.
On Tuesday, Henry was sentenced to 10 years in prison when the judge found him guilty on witness tampering and accessory after the fact charges. In exchange the state dropped the two murder charges against him.
“We may think that there’s some correlation but knowing the system and how the system works, I don’t think there’s any correlation between the two,” said Rydell.
The judge has to sign off on this change in attorneys. Judge Fein asked Demons multiple times earlier this year if he wanted to hire new attorneys because of the conflict of interest and Demons said no. He’s apparently changed his mind.
Demons’ double murder trial is set for January 2027.
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
