YNW Melly named in multimillion dollar lawsuit from estates of two men he’s accused of murdering
- The Murder on My Mind rapper, 21, was arrested in February 2019 in connection with the deaths
- Rappers YNW Juvy, YNW Sakchaser were fatally shot in Florida in October 2018
- Cortlen Henry, known as YNW Bortlen, also arrested and charged in shootings
- YNW Sakchaser estate says shootings were about money
The estates of two men YNW Melly is accused of killing are suing the rapper, claiming that ‘damages are in the millions or tens of millions of dollars or more.’
The Murder on My Mind rapper, 21, was arrested in February 2019 in connection with the October 2018 deaths of two other rappers: Christopher Thomas Jr., 19, known as YNW Juvy, and Anthony Williams, 21, known as YNW Sakchaser. (Cortlen Henry, known as YNW Bortlen, was also arrested and charged in the fatal shootings.)
Thomas’s estate said in court docs filed in Broward County, Florida that ‘damages are in the millions or tens of millions of dollars or more,’ according to TMZ.
The latest: The estates of two men YNW Melly is accused of killing are suing the rapper, claiming that ‘damages are in the millions or tens of millions of dollars or more.’ The rapper, 21, was snapped after his arrest in Florida last year
The Williams estate said that YNW Melly, whose full name is Jamell Maurice Demons, killed the men in a move to claim a bigger share of the money they were earning though their work in the music business.
Williams estate lawyer Todd Baker said in legal docs that ‘tension began to develop between the once -cohesive group of friends about how the money should be distributed,’ Complex reported.
Thomas family lawyer John M. Phillips told the outlet that a two-year statute of limitation for civil suits in the case was expiring, explaining the timing of the suit.
As for the monetary damages involved, Phillips said a jury would determine the amount, noting that ‘in a wrongful death such as this, no amount of money will make the family whole, make the family happy, but that’s the way the civil justice system works.’
Motive? YNW Melly killed the men in a move to claim a bigger share they were earning though their work in the music business, an estate for one of the families said in court docs
Better times: YNW Melly collaborated with Kanye West on the 2019 single Mixed Personalities
Cortlen Henry, known as YNW Bortlen, was also arrested and charged in the fatal shootings
Also named in the lawsuit were YNW Melly’s mother Jamie King, and business manager Jameson Francois. Williams’ estate told the court in legal papers that Francois was involved in the killings, and took YNW Melly to a different location after the purported shooting.
YNW Melly, a native of Gifford, Florida, remains on trial for first-degree murder in connection with the killings. He unsuccessfully tried to get a judge to release him from custody earlier this year after he was diagnosed with COVID-19.
YNW Melly, if convicted, could face the death penalty in the case.