Defense questions witness from night of murder before resting in YNW Melly trial

Portions of a documentary made about South Florida rapper YNW Melly played out in court only for the judge before defense attorneys rested their case Tuesday.

The defense hoped to show the documentary to jurors to help convey the South Florida rapper’s relationship with his childhood friends Christopher Thomas Jr. and Anthony Williams, the same two men he’s on trial for killing.

“This notion that Mr. Demons decided to kill two of his best friends for some promotion in a gang, there hasn't been a scintilla of evidence to suggest that,” said defense attorney David Howard.

The defense said YNW Melly, whose real name is Jamell Demons, had no reason to shoot and kill his friends and YNW collaborators.

“This is a more accurate representation, this is reality," Howard said. "It shows the affection between Demons and especially Chris Thomas in this video."

The one witness the defense brought to the stand was with Demons and the victims the night of the shooting, in the early morning hours of Oct. 26, 2018. They were at a Fort Lauderdale recording studio when they piled into two cars to go home. Demons went in one car with the victims, and Adrian Davis, the witness, went in another car with other friends. 

Davis said at some point on the way home, Demons climbed into the car with him, and they didn’t learn of the shooting until hours later.

“Are you 100% sure that this young man learned of the shooting of his friends at the exact same time you learned of it?” asked defense attorney Stuart Adelstein.

“Yes,” Davis replied.

“And that was at the house?” Adelstein asked.

“Yes,” Davis said.

Prosecutors relied on cellphone evidence to argue Demons shot Thomas Jr. and Williams to death in a car, then claimed they were all victims of a drive-by shooting.

Demons told the judge Tuesday that he would not testify. Closing arguments are set for Thursday morning. If convicted of murder, Demons could face the death penalty.