First-degree murder co-accused YNW Bortlen has been arrested by Miami-Dade deputies and is currently in jail on witness tampering charges.
YNW Melly is set to return to court for his re-trial for first-degree murder in the deaths of his friends Anthony Williams, also called YNW Juvy, and Christopher Thomas Jr., known as YNW Sakchaser, in 2018. The rapper’s first trial, held in the summer, resulted in a hung jury.
However, his re-trial has been marred by strong allegations that the main detective who investigated the case confessed his willingness to fabricate evidence and that higher-ups at the district attorney’s office knew and deliberately kept Brady’s Material from the defense despite many requests.
In the latest development, Cortlen ‘YNW Bortlen’ Henry has been arrested on witness tampering charges, a Law & Crime report said. According to an arrest docket posted by Miami-Dade County, Bortlen, who has been on bond, was arrested on Monday night around 10 P.M.
Journalist Bryson Paul reported that he was being held on witness tampering charges after Miami-Dade cops raided his Miami home on Monday night.
The singer is being held on an Out-of-County Warrant, County records show.
Bortlen has been out on bond with a condition to wear an ankle monitor since August 21. His trial date was set to begin on October 3 but was pushed back to January 12, 2024, no doubt because of Melly’s trial.
Bortlen is accused of working along with Melly to cover up the alleged murder of their two friends, YNW Juvy and Sakchaser, back in 2018. Bortlen reportedly told cops that his friends were killed in a drive-by shooting. However, evidence by the prosecution in Melly’s case pointed to Melly as the shooter and Bortlen helping to cover up the crime to cops.
#YNWBortlenTrial: @YNWBortlen was arrested with witness tampering charges following a home raid by law enforcement on Monday evening (October 2) in Miami, Florida. Bortlen, real name Cortlen Henry, was booked into Miami-Dade County on Out-of-County Warrant at 10:22 PM.
Bortlen… pic.twitter.com/PgwQtQeqFr
— Bryson “Boom” Paul (@brysonboompaul) October 3, 2023
According to state prosecutors, the men were shot and killed at a dead end in Miami and not during a drive-by, as claimed by Bortlen. Evidence by cops showed there were glass and bullet fragments at the dead end versus a clean crime scene at the supposed location Bortlen highlighted to cops.
Lawyer addresses YNW Bortlen alleged snitching
In the meantime, Melly and Bortlen’s former lawyer, Bradford Cohen, shared a message on his Instagram account on Monday as he called out prosecutors and detectives for the way they treated his clients and tried to induce them into confessions.
“People have been insinuating that Cortlen Henry somehow 1090jaked or is going to testify against YNW Melly. I can tell you that it is just not true. From back when I originally represented both of them. When Det. from Miramar flew to Texas, with everyone from the state and from Miramar, knowing that Cortlen was represented and yelled at him, trying to get a reaction from him. He still said he wanted his atty. To offering him deals that were turned down. That move of flying to texas to try and get a statement from a represented client was probably one of the dirtiest things I have seen in a while,” the lawyer wrote.
His commentary was in the context of the more than a dozen motions filed by the defense attorney Jamie Benjamin to have the case tossed out for Brady violations and for prosecutor Kristine Bradley and others to be removed from the case.
A motion to recuse the State will take place on Friday (October 3.)
In the meantime, before Bortlen’s arrest, Cohen also shared that the state is in a pickle and might get drastic.
“What happens now is the state becomes so desperate they try to get new charges or make new arrests, anything to put pressure on it. Watch and see,” the attorney wrote.”
