Fredo Bang refused to answer questions about his knowledge of events surrounding the YNW Melly case during a pre-trial conference for the South Florida rapper's upcoming double-murder trial.
According to court documents obtained by XXL on Wednesday (June 15), Judge Andrew L. Siegel denied the prosecution's motion on June 6 to force Fredo Bang, born Fredrick Givens, to answer questions about the case. This decision came after Fredo declined to answer certain questions based on attorney-client privilege and his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Court records show that the State even offered Fredo immunity from prosecution in Florida if he were to divulge what he knows about the case.
The prosecution believes YNW Melly called Fredo Bang shortly after the murders of 20-year-old Chris Thomas aka YNW Juvy, and 21-year-old Anthony Williams aka YNW Sakchaser on Oct. 26, 2018. Melly is being accused of carrying out both Juvy and Sakchaser's killings. Legal documents show that prosecutors in the Melly case wanted to question Fredo about the events of that night, including where Fredo was on the day of the killing, if Melly did indeed request the Baton Rouge, La. rapper pick him up, if Fredo actually picked Melly up and verification of phone numbers and identities of certain people who were present at his home on the night of the shooting.
XXL has reached out to Fredo Bang's attorney, Dameka Davis, who provided the following statement:
"I am representing Mr. Fredrick Givens in The State of Florida vs. Jamell Demons," Davis told XXL. "I represented Mr. Givens in the capacity of him being a witness. He has not been charged with any crime by the state of Florida. Mr. Givens has exercised his right to remain silent and the court ultimately granted Mr. Givens' request. Mr. Givens does not intend to cooperate with the prosecution of this case, but Mr. Givens will fully comply with the law, both state and federal law…We do wish Jamell Demons all the best and we are hoping for a fair and impartial outcome in the resolution of his case."
YNW Melly is accused of shooting and killing YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser, and scheming with YNW Bortlen, born Cortlen Henry, to make up a story about the actual events. On Oct. 26, 2018, Bortlen drove the deceased bodies of Juvy and Sakchaser to a local Florida hospital and claimed the two were victims of a drive-by shooting. Melly was arrested on Feb.13, 2019, and charged with first-degree murder in the homicides. He pleaded not guilty the following month. Bortlen was later apprehended in Texas and booked on murder and accessory charges. Melly and Bortlen are also named as possibly being linked to the 2017 shooting death of Deputy Gary Chambliss of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Department, which occurred in Gifford, Fla.
YNW Melly has remained behind bars since his arrest, while YNW Bortlen was granted a bond in 2020, only to be picked up on a probation violation last April. The YNW Melly murder trial has been pushed back several times. The judge in the case is currently deliberating on whether or not to keep the death penalty on the table.