‘You Are a Murderer’: Family’s Fury as Teen Killer Faces Max Sentence in Miami Court

Anger and grief were laid bare in a Miami courtroom on Tuesday as loved ones of 17-year-old Yakheim Lollar begged a judge to sentence his killer, Jahara Malik, to the maximum term allowed by law.

Malik, now 18 years old, was Lollar’s ex-girlfriend. The incident occurred in December 2024. She pleaded guilty in March to charges of manslaughter and carrying a concealed weapon, leaving her sentence solely up to the judge to decide.

The state played surveillance videos in court showing Lollar’s final moments after Malik stabbed him in the chest with a pocketknife. The sights and sounds were so distressing that some people left the courtroom. A medical examiner described the wound: “He went into a third rib on the left side, approximately one inch in depth, and hit the heart.”

The victim’s family pulled no punches, telling the judge exactly how they felt about the investigation, the charges, and the sentence they wanted.

“It will always be a fact that you are a murderer. You are a demon seed that your parents brought into this world to bring suffering on everybody else. Shame on them,” one family member said.

“I’m going to stand up and honor my son and defend my son. I just wanted to be heard, man. I don’t like the way this case was handled,” said another. “We just want what my son deserves. His life matters. I do not want to leave here today, your honor, feeling like I lost my son all over again.”

The maximum sentence for Malik is 30 years in state prison. The state told the judge they are recommending 20 years with 10 years of probation. The defense says Malik is remorseful and wants her sentenced as a youthful offender to a boot camp program.

Speaking on her own behalf, Malik addressed the court: “I was wrong for what I did, and every day I sit and think about the damage I caused. The family wants me in prison, but I’m in my own prison for the rest of my life. I wish I could go back and change what happened, but I can’t. And that’s the worst part. Y’all didn’t deserve this pain, and I wish I hadn’t been the one to give it to y’all.”

As of Tuesday, the judge was hearing final arguments from the state and the defense before making her ruling.