After years of legal battles and numerous bond requests, YNW Melly has once more been denied release while awaiting trial.

The South Florida rapper, who has spent seven years in custody, continues to contest the charges against him.

The latest bond hearing took place on April 30, marking the first with his new legal team. However, a decision on his pretrial release was delayed. On May 6, Judge Martin S. Fein of Broward County, Florida, ultimately ruled to deny the request.

Melly has persistently fought for his release over the years, even going so far as to file a lawsuit against the Broward County Sheriff’s Office in 2024, accusing them of violating his human rights. These efforts, however, have not yielded success.

The rapper faces accusations stemming from the 2018 killings of two childhood friends. His first trial in 2023 resulted in a mistrial, leading the prosecution to pursue a retrial.

Since then, a series of delays have prolonged the case. In October of that year, Melly was further charged with witness tampering, though these charges were later dropped in January.

In August last year, Melly revamped his legal team, enlisting prominent attorney Drew Findling to lead his defense. Findling, known for representing high-profile clients such as Lil Durk, Cardi B, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, and YFN Lucci, is seen as a strategic addition to Melly’s counsel.

The rapper’s retrial is now set to commence in January of next year.