Christopher Thomas Sr., the father of one of the victims in a Florida double murder trial, asserts that he knows the truth about what happened to his son, regardless of what emerges in court.
Jamell Demons, known as YNW Melly, faces charges of shooting two of his close friends in 2018 after a recording session in Fort Lauderdale. As he gears up for his retrial on double murder charges, Demons is now facing accusations of witness tampering. Prosecutors claim he had his co-defendant relay messages to his ex-girlfriend.
The 17th Judicial Circuit Judge, John Murphy, is currently considering whether to replace the current prosecutors on the case. Demons' defense team alleges that the prosecution failed to report a possible violation of court rules.
According to investigators, Demons was a backseat passenger in an SUV driven by co-defendant Cortlen Henry. The other passengers were Anthony Williams (known as YNW Sakchaser) and Christopher Thomas Jr. (known as YNW Juvy). Prosecutors argue that Demons shot both Williams and Thomas in the head and attempted to make it appear like a drive-by shooting.
During Demons' first trial, forensic analysts testified that the evidence indicated the shooter was inside the SUV. However, the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict, and a mistrial was declared.
As Demons prepares for a second trial, he faces new charges of witness tampering. Prosecutors claim to possess jailhouse phone calls showing that Henry prevented Demons' ex-girlfriend, Mariah Hamilton, from testifying.
Although Hamilton's mother, Felicia Holmes, did testify at trial, investigators believe Hamilton possesses information about the night of the killings.
In an interview for Law&Crime's podcast Sidebar, Christopher Thomas Sr., the father of YNW Juvy, expressed his frustration with the defendants' efforts to discourage witnesses from testifying. He believes that the evidence points to the guilty parties, but those who lie and cover up the truth should also be held accountable.
Jury selection for Demons' second trial was set to commence this week but was postponed after the defense accused the state of obstructing justice. Assistant State Attorney Michelle Boutrous testified that the lead detective in the case, Miramar Police Department Detective Mark Moretti, took a phone belonging to Jamie King, the mother of Jamell Demons, without jurisdiction.
Moretti allegedly asked a Broward County deputy to lie about being present when the search warrant was served. Prosecutors claimed it was a joke and irrelevant to the trial, while the defense argued it constituted a Brady violation, where prosecutors fail to disclose evidence that could benefit the defense.
Judge Murphy stated that he would rule on the motion to remove the Broward County office from the case at a later date.
Comments
Post a Comment