Florida rapper YNW Melly (Jamell Demons) is set to face a new trial on witness tampering charges, with prosecutors alleging he orchestrated efforts to intimidate or silence key witnesses from jail while awaiting retrial for the 2018 double murder of his friends YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser.

The 26-year-old artist, whose real name is Jamell Demons, has been incarcerated since his 2019 arrest on two counts of first-degree murder. His initial trial in 2023 ended in a hung jury, with prosecutors immediately announcing plans for a retrial. But the murder case remains frozen amid legal wrangling, while a separate witness tampering indictment — filed in 2022 — has quietly advanced.

Prosecutors claim Melly used jail phones and intermediaries to contact witnesses, urging them to recant statements or refuse testimony. Recorded calls from Broward County Jail allegedly capture coded messages and veiled threats, with one associate reportedly warned: “Keep it quiet or things get complicated.” Melly’s defense insists the communications were innocent, taken out of context by overzealous investigators.

The tampering case stems from statements by Melly’s ex-girlfriend Mariah Hamilton and others who implicated him in the murders. Hamilton, the mother of Melly’s child, testified in 2023 about incriminating conversations, but prosecutors allege post-arrest pressure changed her stance.

Jury selection for the tampering trial begins February 2026, with Judge John Murphy presiding. If convicted, Melly faces additional years — potentially delaying or complicating the murder retrial scheduled for late 2026.

Melly’s team calls the charges “desperate” attempts to prejudice the murder case, while supporters rally online with #FreeMelly campaigns. Critics argue the allegations fit a pattern of gang-related intimidation.

The rapper, known for hits like “Murder on My Mind,” has maintained innocence in the killings, claiming a drive-by shooting. His 2023 mistrial — after jurors deadlocked 9-3 for conviction — highlighted evidentiary disputes, including DNA and ballistics.

As the tampering trial looms, whispers from jail calls and passed messages paint a shadowy picture. Prosecutors vow to prove Melly crossed lines from behind bars; the defense promises to expose overreach.

Whatever emerges in court, the silence won’t last forever. For YNW Melly, the next chapter could redefine his fate — one call, one witness, one verdict at a time.