YNW Melly’s retrial may be rescheduled for 2027, but his co-defendant, YNW Bortlen, will remain set for trial on September 10, 2025 — according to the Judge’s ruling.
Born Cortlen Henry, the Florida rapper’s legal team and the State’s prosecutor filed a motion to stay, with the request to delay the trial along with YNW Melly’s retrial. A Broward County judge rejected efforts to delay the case. Henry faces charges of murder, gang-related activity, and tampering with evidence in connection with the 2018 shooting deaths of two members of his YNW rap collective.
The decision came at an August 14 hearing before Judge Martin S. Fein, where both prosecutors and Henry’s defense team urged the court to pause the case. Attorneys argued that Henry’s proceedings should be stayed until the outcome of co-defendant Jamell “YNW Melly” Demons’ pending appeal. They claimed that the court’s unilateral severance of the two cases was improper. risked producing inconsistent rulings if Henry’s trial moved forward independently.
YNW Bortlen Trial
They contended that clarity from the appellate court on Demons’ case would provide guidance for Henry’s proceedings. Judge Fein, however, denied the joint motion from the bench, stating that the trial would advance as scheduled. The order, entered on the record, confirmed that the severance will remain in place.
Henry and Demons were arrested for the alleged killings of rappers YNW Sakchaser and YNW Juvy. Prosecutors allege that Demons carried out the shootings and that Henry assisted in staging the crime scene. Henry has maintained his innocence.
With Henry’s proceedings now set apart, his trial is expected to generate fresh scrutiny of the YNW crew. The allegations that dismantled the group’s rise in hip-hop.
By rejecting the stay, Judge Fein signaled the court’s intent to move forward despite unresolved appellate issues. The ruling closes the door on further postponements and sets the stage for a high-profile trial this fall.
Henry’s case, though distinct from Demons’, remains intertwined with one of Florida’s most closely watched criminal prosecutions involving the music industry. The September trial is expected to test the strength of the state’s evidence and the resilience of Henry’s defense.
