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YNW Melly Accused of Planning Escape From Jail
YNW Melly is thinking of an exit plan.
According to the Florida Sheriff’s Office, the incarcerated rapper, whose real name is Jamell Demons, was reportedly planning a jailbreak from Broward County Jail, where he has been behind bars since February 2019. During a court hearing on Tuesday, it was revealed that Melly and another inmate were looking to escape with help from Melly’s lawyer.
“On April 11, 2022, Broward Sheriff’s Office received a confidential tip regarding inmates Nicholas Lewis and Jamell Demons, both housed in the same unit at the Main Jail, planning an escape from jail by having Demons’ attorney bring in two handcuff keys to aid in the escape,” read the statement, according to Complex.
After being tipped off by another inmate, Lewis’ cell was searched and jail authorities found a six-inch shank, two razor blades, two lighters, and rolling papers. Lewis was also in possession of Seroquel and Klonopin pills, for which he doesn’t have a prescription. Melly’s cell was also searched, but only food and “excessive jail-issued clothing” were found.
“The confidential source gave us two pieces of information. One of them [about the shank and drugs] turned out to be a hundred percent true,” said Christian Tsoubanos, Assistant General Counsel for the Broward Sheriff’s Office. “And when they did the search of Demons’ cell, they did not find the handcuff key, but it could have been that there was not an opportunity to bring it into the facility yet.”
Melly is awaiting trial for the alleged murder of his two friends, Anthony Williams (YNW Sakchaser) and Christopher Thomas Jr. (YNW Juvy). The 23-year-old rapper was charged with two counts of first-degree murder stemming from the October 2018 shooting.
Melly previously had his phone privileges taken away due to repeated violations of the jail’s rules. The Broward Sheriff’s Office claims he has made over 3,000 calls since his arrest to his girlfriend, the majority of them without the use of his required personal identification number. Additionally, one of Melly’s attorneys is accused of giving other people her phone login credentials to make “non-recorded video visitation” calls with him.
The state of Florida had sought the death penalty against Melly, but the rapper’s legal team was able to remove corporal punishment from the sentencing based on a technicality.