Who is YNW Melly’s new attorney? What we know as rapper was compelled to dismiss his previous legal team

YNW Melly is seeking a change in his legal team after his murder trial got postponed to 2027. As per Complex, the latest decision has additionally emerged from a situation where the prosecutors have also investigated defense attorney Raven Liberty for allegedly being involved in witness tampering.

The defense team has now addressed the same in a motion filed last week on Wednesday, August 27, saying that the state has not shared any updates about the investigation on Raven. The motion also reads:

“An attorney being under criminal investigation by the same prosecutorial body would constitute a conflict of interest.”

Complex stated that former Palm Beach County Public Defender Carey Haughwout will be a part of YNW Melly’s new attorneys. Apart from her, Drew Findling from Atlanta will also join the legal team, and he has represented popular faces in the past, including Donald Trump.

Jamie Benjamin, who has been a part of Melly’s previous legal team, also claimed that Melly was trying his best to change the attorneys, but the ongoing situation did not allow him to choose the counsel by himself.

Meanwhile, Judge Martin Fein has yet to share his decision about the changes made to the defense team. On the other hand, 50 Cent also showed his support for Melly on Instagram. As per The Source, the artist wrote on the platform:

“Melly gonna fvck around and come home fvcking wit Drew! That’s the right lawyer.”

YNW Melly’s murder retrial was postponed earlier this month

According to TC Palm, the trial delay was requested by the prosecutors since they had to wait for the decision of the appellate court on two appeals that were filed around two years ago. Melly’s trial originally started in 2023, and the appeals were filed when the judge removed certain materials included under evidence in the form of phone records, social media posts, and more.

The trial will now start on January 6, 2027, after it was supposed to happen in September this year. Notably, a stay was also issued by the West Palm Beach-based Fourth District Court of Appeal last month to put a pause on the trial, and it became applicable from September 10, 2025.

The original date of the trial for September was set in April this year. The date was finalized after Melly’s legal team claimed in a motion that their client was dealing with mental abuse and was unable to keep in touch with his managers or accountants. The attorneys also stated:

“He has not had any contact with the outside world in three years. Mr. Demons remains to this day, a lucrative recording artist with streams in incomes.”

The legal documents even claimed that Melly was allegedly not allowed to speak to jail inmates, and a sheet was put on top of his cell door a year ago so that no one could look at him.

The Gifford, Florida, native has been accused of murdering two individuals named Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr. and Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams, as stated by Complex. The incident happened in 2018, and apart from YNW Melly, the artist’s childhood friend and recording partner, Cortlen “YNW Bortlen” Henry, is allegedly facing similar allegations.