A Broward judge once again rebuffed defense efforts to call high-ranking prosecutors, including State Attorney Harold Pryor, to testify under oath about the investigation of rapper and accused killer Jamell “YNW Melly” Demons.
But Broward Circuit Judge John J. Murphy III did not rule on a larger question — whether the State Attorney’s Office needs to be removed from the case to avoid having to challenge the credibility of one of their own prosecutors.
Demons is accused of murdering two of his best friends, Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams and Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas, fellow rappers who were with Demons at a late-night recording session in Fort Lauderdale in October 2018. Prosecutors say Demons was in a dispute about creative and financial credit from their work as an affiliated group of rappers. He was also in a branch of the Bloods street gang, investigators said.
Demons is accused of killing his friends and conspiring with a third friend, Cortlen “YNW Bortlen” Henry, to make the murder look like a drive-by shooting. Henry is being tried separately.
At Demons’ first trial last year, Miramar Police Detective Mark Moretti was tasked with making that case for the jury, which eventually came back unable to reach a unanimous verdict. As preparations were underway for a retrial, defense lawyers learned that prosecutors knew of a challenge to Moretti’s credibility raised in 2022 by Assistant State Attorney Michelle Boutros.
She accused Moretti of plotting with a Broward Sheriff’s deputy to legally validate the seizure of a cellphone belonging to Demons’ mother.
That information could have been used to impeach Moretti as a witness during Demons’ first trial, but the defense did not become aware of it in time.
Prosecutors eventually disclosed the information in three legal notices that conflicted on the details, prompting the defense to accuse the office of covering up official misconduct.
Defense lawyers plan to call Boutros at Demons’ retrial.
Last week, the State Attorney’s Office filed a notice calling out inconsistencies in Boutros’ testimony.
The prospect of one prosecutor accusing another of lying on the stand is an inherent conflict of interest, said defense lawyer Daniel Aaronson. “The facts scream for disqualification [of the State Attorney’s Office].”
But the State Attorney’s Office has argued that it can remain on the case and challenge Boutros’ memory of an encounter that took place more than a year ago.
At no point did Moretti or the sheriff’s deputy actually lie in official records or testimony about the circumstances surrounding the seizure of the phone. Another judge has already ruled that the seizure was legally valid.
Murphy did not say when he would issue a ruling. The resumption of the retrial is expected to take place in the spring.
Rafael Olmeda can be reached at or 954-356-4457.
