FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Broward judge removed the lead prosecutor from the Jamell “YNW Melly” Demons double murder retrial Thursday, leaving the State Attorney’s Office with just a few days to replace her before jury selection must begin.
Assistant State Attorney Kristine Bradley has been listed as a witness for the defense and could be called to challenge the credibility of one of Demons’ chief accusers in the shooting deaths of fellow rappers Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams and Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas.
Circuit Judge John J. Murphy said Bradley could not be allowed to serve as lead prosecutor if there were even a chance she could be called as a witness for the defense.
In the same ruling, Murphy said elected State Attorney Harold Pryor and two key deputies cannot be compelled to testify for defense efforts to have their office removed from the case entirely, a decision that effectively dashes defense hopes that the case will be dismissed entirely.
Demons’ first trial ended July 22 with a hung jury. By law, prosecutors have until the end of next week to start jury selection in the retrial.
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