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YNW Melly managed to score a minor victory in his double murder trial.
During court proceedings on Wednesday, June 21, Broward Circuit Judge John Murphy ruled that the prosecution committed a discovery violation after the State failed to disclose a second forensics report. During cross examination, a DNA expert said Melly's sample initially turned out negative and didn't show up on any of the items inside the car where the victims were shot except the rear driver side door handle. Law & Crime Network reporter Terri Austin reported that the violation occurred after the State re-submitted Melly's sample for reanalysis after the trial had already started.
The results of the analysis will now be excluded from the trial. In an effort to recover from yesterday's minor infraction, the prosecution called on a Broward Sheriff’s Office detective on Thursday to serve as an expert witness on gang activity. Prosecutors allege Melly is a member of the G-Shine Bloods and tried to learn the gang's oath of loyalty just two days before the shootings. The BSO detective was allowed to take the stand in a black ski mask to try and shield his identity because he works undercover. Two jurors reportedly objected to the masked witness.
“Why does he get to see us but we don’t get to see him?” the first juror's note read according to Law & Crime.
“I need a moment,” the second juror wrote. “I can’t listen properly. When I was a child, I seen someone get robbed and I am having an anxiety attack.”
Ultimately, the judge allowed the detective to continue his testimony in his mask. While on the stand, the detective spoke on the evidence of Melly's gang affiliation including the rapper's alleged ability to stack gang hand signs and his writing. See more of the detective's testimony below.