YNW Melly is seeking his release from jail in a new lawsuit, claiming that the conditions he faces while awaiting trial on murder charges are “cruel, unusual and beyond belief.” The rapper, whose real name is Jamell Demons, has been incarcerated in a Broward County, Florida jail since February 2019. The lawsuit was filed in Florida district court on November 2nd. It is against Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony and his office. The lawsuit argues that Melly should be released from custody immediately.
The complaint states, “Demons is a black male whose current detention conditions shock the conscience and could not even be imagined in this day and age even in a third-world country that has no guard rails protecting human decency and dignity.” It emphasizes that for over three years, Melly has not been allowed to make any phone calls. He has also not been able to visit with his family. This includes not seeing or speaking to his mother during this time.
The suit asserts that Melly has endured a level of isolation that constitutes “cruel, unusual and beyond belief in a civilized society governed by Constitutional safeguards.” It references a 2022 incident where Broward County authorities accused him of attempting to escape from jail. Although he was cleared of wrongdoing, the lawsuit claims he was placed in solitary confinement. This led to a complete cessation of phone communication with the outside world.
Furthermore, it alleges that in late 2022, Melly was transferred to a vacant unit. This unit had no privileges, no television, and no access to newspapers. “This isolation has inflicted enormous emotional impact on him and is designed to deteriorate his mental health and his ability to prepare for a trial,” the lawsuit claims. Melly’s retrial is set to begin on September 10, 2025, with a pretrial meeting for a separate witness tampering case scheduled for December 5 of this year. He is accused of murdering two childhood friends, Chris “YNW Juvy” Thomas and Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams, in 2018 and making it appear as a drive-by shooting.
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