YNW Melly Retrial: Judge Orders 500 Potential Jurors, Keeps Public Out Of Courtroom During Jury Selection
A Broward County judge ordered 500 prospective jurors and barred the public from the courtroom during jury selection for YNW Melly's double murder retrial, which starts Jan. 6, 2027.
YNW Melly's double murder retrial in Broward County, Florida, is getting tighter security before it even starts.
Broward Circuit Judge Martin S. Fein filed a 19-page administrative order on Oct. 13, 2026, laying out how jury selection will work. The order calls for 500 prospective jurors to be summoned and screened for availability in groups of 50. A panel of 60 will be picked from the ones who qualify. XXL first reported the order on Oct. 15, and HotNewHipHop, HipHopHero and others followed on Oct. 16.
The big change: the public will not be allowed to sit in the courtroom during jury selection. Instead, spectators can watch a live audio and video feed from a separate room in the courthouse. Judge Fein wrote that the first trial was marred by "numerous incidents of inappropriate contact and inappropriate communication and attempted communication between the prospective jurors and numerous members of the public." Public seating in the main courtroom opens back up once the jury is sworn in.
Jury selection is set to begin Jan. 6, 2027. Melly, real name Jamell Demons, is accused of killing his friends Christopher "YNW Juvy" Thomas Jr. and Anthony "YNW Sakchaser" Williams in 2018. He has pleaded not guilty. His first trial ended in a mistrial in July 2023, and he has been locked up for more than seven years.
On the defense side, Melly's attorney Carey Haughwout filed a motion on Oct. 9 asking the court to throw out evidence pulled from Instagram, Snapchat, Google and an iPhone under March 2024 search warrants, arguing the warrant affidavit contained intentional misstatements and omissions. Reports also say Drew Findling, the lawyer who won Lil Durk's not-guilty verdict, is joining Melly's team.
Melly's next court date is Oct. 27.
Sources: XXL (court documents, Oct. 15, 2026); HotNewHipHop (Oct. 16, 2026); HipHopHero (Oct. 16, 2026); WrapUp TV (Oct. 16, 2026); Broward County Clerk filings as posted by court reporter Bryson "Boom" Paul on X (Oct. 15, 2026). Photo: courtroom video still of YNW Melly, as posted by HBMtv on X.