Jury selection underway in YNW Melly's double murder trial in Broward County

As jury selection enters a fourth week in the upcoming double murder trial in Broward County of Jamell Demons, the Gifford rapper known as YNW Melly, a judge is being asked to decide whether Florida’s new death penalty law will apply, if he’s convicted of the 2018 shooting deaths of two recording partners.

That’s because the new statute signed into law April 20 by Gov. Ron DeSantis – 10 days after jury vetting began for Demons’ trial – reduces from 12 to eight the number of juror votes required to recommend a defendant guilty of capital murder be put to death.

Demons, 24, and his childhood friend and recording partner Cortlen Henry, 24, of Gifford, are charged with two counts of first-degree murder with a firearm in the shooting deaths of friends Anthony Williams — aka YNW Sakchaser — and Christopher Thomas Jr. — aka YNW Juvy.

Demons and Henry were both 19 when Thomas, 19, of Gifford, and Williams, 21, of Fort Pierce, were shot and killed on Oct. 26, 2018. The homicides occurred during what authorities later called a staged drive-by shooting.

The four men grew up together and were members of the same hip-hop group.

Police and prosecutors have said at about 4:35 a.m. Oct. 26, 2018, Henry pulled into Memorial Hospital Miramar with the bodies of Williams and Thomas in the passenger seats of a bullet-riddled Jeep Compass.

He originally told police the two were killed by unknown assailants in a drive-by shooting, but police later said Henry and Demons had orchestrated the killings, with Demons pulling the trigger and Henry assisting a cover-up.

More: 'Versace on my sneaks' and COVID-19 in jail: Gifford rap star YNW Melly's life behind bars

YNW Melly murder case: New details released about alleged cover-up

Both Demons and Henry, who is being tried separately, have pleaded not guilty.

Demons is in the Broward County Jail. Henry is not facing the death penalty; he was released in 2020 on bail and conditions of house arrest.

Legal battle over the death penalty

Jury selection for Demons’ trial began April 11 and could continue into June when testimony is expected to start.

Aaron Savitski, a spokesperson with the Broward County State Attorney’s Office, said prosecutors could begin presenting the state's case as early as June 7, but that depends on the time needed to select a 12-member jury, plus alternatives.

For nearly a year, there’ve been  back-and-forth of legal filings between both sides after Demons’ defense team attempted to have the death penalty thrown out. Circuit Judge John J. Murphy III on May 2 denied the defense’s latest attempt.

On April 24, prosecutors filed papers asking Murphy to permit the state to proceed using Florida’s new death penalty statute that dropped a requirement that all 12 jurors vote in favor of execution before a judge could impose the death penalty.

Prosecutors argued there’ve been no talks of the death penalty or punishment with the 700 jurors summoned to court between April 10 and 19, and therefore the new law would not jeopardize Demons’ case or defense preparations.

More: FDOT to begin $22 million, 5-year repair project on Alma Lee Loy Bridge east end

More: ‘Incredibly unusual’ dog survives 2-month trek in wild, found relatively 'in great shape'

More: Tiger Woods wins key court ruling in Stuart against ex-girlfriend Erica Herman

Demons’ lawyers, however, in an April 26 filing, rejected the state’s position, arguing that when the new statute was enacted, jury selection was already underway.

“Applying the new law on a retroactive basis would be changing the rules after the game has begun,” his lawyers wrote, “thereby violating (Demons’) right to procedural due process.”

Court records show a hearing on the matter is scheduled for May 30.

Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246.

If you are a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest local news on the Treasure Coast.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: YNW Melly's death penalty trial could start in June after jury seated