YNW Melly, whose real name is Jamell Demons, another dramatic turn has occurred. The 24-year-old artist, who has been incarcerated since February of 2019, is seeking release from prison ahead of his September 2025 retrial for the alleged 2018 murders of his two friends, YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser. That trial, in 2023, ended with a hung jury, and now the federal lawsuit against the Broward Sheriff’s Office might upend the course of his case.
Lawyers for Melly have since filed a lawsuit against the BSO claiming he is being treated unconstitutionally in “cruel and unusual” conditions. In a federal lawsuit filed this month, the rapper says he has spent more than three years under prolonged isolation with no phone calls or personal visits from his mother or brother. His lawyers further claim that communication with legal counsel has been interfered with by the BSO in a way that will greatly prejudice his preparation for his retrial.
Lawyers for Melly, in the petition, said, “The conditions of his incarceration shock the conscience,” adding that such treatment violates his constitutional rights. The rapper is demanding that the court examine his confinement conditions and grant him a pretrial release.
On November 18, 2024, United States District Judge Melissa Damian ordered that the BSO show cause as to why Melly should not be released on bond. Though the original deadline was December 6, the BSO requested a 10-day extension, which is now due December 16. Failure to adhere to that date may spell freedom of Melly on bond, pending retrial.
Attorney Michael Pizzi said Melly’s suit doesn’t challenge the criminal charges pending but deals exclusively with the inhumane conditions of his detention.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office has pushed back against Melly, insisting he is not held in solitary confinement but rather placed in admin segregation for his protection. As the BSO contended in a statement, “Administrative Segregation is a classification for inmates who creates a serious threat to either the safety of the employees, inmates, or property”
The BSO added that they do not comment on pending litigation but their legal counsel would address the order of the court.
Melly’s mom and brother have come out to say they are concerned for his treatment, as he hasn’t been in communication with loved ones. The general feeling is also divided in regard to public opinion: some feel the alleged mistreatment is pointing at greater flaws in the prison system, while others say he does not deserve any special treatment considering how serious the charges are that he faces.
That case has blown open debates on prison conditions and the scale between security and due process rights for prisoners. The response of the BSO will be determinative in knowing what will happen with Melly’s case from now on. If for some reason the BSO cannot give sufficient reasons for his continued detention under the present conditions, he might be released on bail until his retrial starts in September 2025. This would be a major victory for his legal team and might go on to influence public discourse on prisoner rights.
