Leondra Phillips, the mother of deceased rapper YNW Juvy, has spoken out about her son’s death. Phillips gave her remarks outside of the courthouse where rapper YNW Melly is on trial for Juvy and YNW Sakchaser’s deaths. As reported by NBC 6, she wants the court to provide justice.
“[He was] my firstborn,” Phillips said while showing a picture of him on her cell phone. “He was everything to us. Today is we here for his trial and it’s sad, you know. It’s hurtful.”
According to YNW Melly’s account, he, Juvy, Sakchaser and another person named Cortlen Henry were in an SUV leaving the studio session when they became victims of a drive-by.
But the ballistics assessed by investigators of the murders say the bullets came from the back of the vehicle, where YNW Melly was reportedly sitting. Prosecutors showed the evidence from the shooting, all angles of the bullet-ravished car, in court.
Phillips believes the rapper, best known for the song “Murder on My Mind,” is responsible for her son’s death. The mother said she knows Melly was the last person her son was with. She said, “He came and picked my son up that night and I never seen or heard from my son again.”
YNW Sakchaser’s mother was too emotional to speak possibly due to Melly’s actions. Inside the courtroom, Melly was laughing and seemingly upbeat. In fact, at one point, he appeared to be praying and then blew a kiss in their direction.
“He did it a couple times — that wasn’t his first time,” Phillips informed the press. I walked out, because, I don’t.. what you praying for? You sitting there like you ain’t got no remorse. Like every time I walk in, you smiling. This ain’t the time for that. This is sad, this case is serious.”
Juvy’s mother noted the two moms are both taking the incident “to heart,” saying the last five years have seemed long.
“It’s been a long process it’s almost four years, going on five. I think it’s about time for us to get justice,” she said.
Juvy’s aunt, Ashley Phillips, added, “This is somebody that we knew. It’s somebody that we loved. It’s somebody that we trusted. Like we watched (Demons) grow up. So, this is a sad case. This is tragic, so we just praying for justice.”
While the prosecution presented the ballistics evidence, no murder weapon has been discovered. They’ll have to use other evidence to secure the conviction.
