Ynw Melly’s federal lawsuit attempted to challenge his prison condition and trial delays, but was dismissed, leaving him in jail.
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Ynw Melly lost his legal effort to leave prison after a Florida federal judge rejected the claim that he was illegally detained while awaiting retrial in a double murder case.
On Tuesday (August 26), U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian dismissed the rapper’s habeas protection petition, ruling that he must pass the state court system before seeking federal relief.
The decision left him in jail at the Broward County Jail and has been in custody since 2019.
Ynw Melly argued that he was allegedly placed in quarantine, restrictions on contact with lawyers and family and delayed his trial for many years, and that his constitutional rights were allegedly violated by prison officials.
He claimed that the conditions constituted illegal detention.
However, Judge Damian ruled that YNW Melly failed to exhaust all available state-level remedies before seeking federal court relief.
She also cites the young abstention doctrine that prevents federal courts from intervening in active state criminal cases unless there is clear evidence of maliciousness or irreparable harm.
The ruling is “unbiased”, which means Ynw Melly can follow appropriate legal steps in the state court later, and he can re-invest the petition later.
Ynw Melly is waiting for a retrial of Christopher Thomas Jr. (known as YNW Juvy) and Anthony Williams (YNW Sakchaser), both close friends and collaborators.
Prosecutors claimed that Melie shot them in the car and then staged a scene, which looked like a car. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.
His first trial ended in a July 2023 turnover after jurors failed to reach a consensus verdict.
If that timeline is established, the new trial date is pushed back to January 2027, meaning YNW Melly will be detained for more than eight years without conviction.
He also faces separate charges for alleged tampering with witnesses who have been tampered with in prison.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty under new Florida law that allows 8-4 jury votes to be held.
The main evidence in the case includes cell phone data, surveillance video and forensic analysis, and prosecutors say YNW Melly is placed on the scene.
His defense believes he fell asleep in the murder and others use his phone.
The court’s ruling means YNW Melly is still in jail as his legal team continues to fight both cases in state courts.
His retrial is currently scheduled for January 2027.
