A Dallas courtroom remained at the center of one of the city’s most high-profile criminal cases Friday as pre-trial hearings pressed forward ahead of the upcoming murder trial connected to the 2020 killing of rapper Melvin Noble, known to fans as Mo3.
,Noble was shot and killed in broad daylight on Nov. 11, 2020, while driving on Interstate 35E in Dallas., ,Noble exited his vehicle and attempted to flee on foot as gunfire erupted on the freeway. A bystander inside a nearby car was also struck during the attack.,
Four individuals now face charges in connection with the killing. ,Authorities claim Markies Conway, known professionally as Yella Beezy, recruited Kewon Dontrell White to carry out the killing., ,Devin Maurice Brown, originally indicted for murder in 2021, faces capital murder charges and is accused of being paid to assist in the plot.,
,Conway was arrested in March 2025 after a Dallas County grand jury indicted him on a charge of capital murder while remuneration, a legal term in Texas that refers to murder-for-hire., ,Conway has pleaded not guilty to the charge.,
During Friday’s hearing, a central dispute emerged over the order in which defendants would stand trial. White’s defense attorneys argued their client’s case should follow Conway’s, contending that evidence and testimony from Conway’s proceedings could prove critical to building White’s defense. Prosecutors pushed back strongly, pointing to the years Noble’s family has already waited for justice and noting that White was indicted as far back as January 2021.
After hearing from both sides, the judge ruled that White will be the first defendant to face a jury when trial begins Aug. 24.
A separate and significant legal question also looms over the case. Prosecutors have sought to introduce some of Conway’s rap lyrics as evidence, arguing the content reflects a rivalry between Conway and Noble and helps establish motive. Conway’s legal team has opposed the move, arguing that rap lyrics represent artistic expression and should not be treated as statements of fact. The judge has not yet issued a ruling on that matter.
,Prosecutors claim Conway hired White as the main shooter and allege financial records show Conway withdrew $40,000 in cash within days of the killing., ,Prosecutors also reportedly received permission to photograph White’s tattoos before trial, as they argue certain markings on his face and arms support claims of gang affiliation.,
,White previously received a 105-month federal prison sentence in November 2022 for an unrelated federal gun charge., His state murder trial will now proceed first among the co-defendants.
Before breaking for recess Friday, the judge urged attorneys for all three defendants to arrive fully prepared when proceedings officially open next month. Additional hearings are expected to resolve outstanding evidentiary disputes before jury selection gets underway.