This case illustrates that individuals who commit violent crimes, even when motivated by emotional distress such as jealousy or relationship conflicts, must face legal accountability. The story of Yakim Lawler and Jahara Malik demonstrates that breaking up with someone does not justify violence, and that the justice system holds perpetrators responsible regardless of their age or emotional state. The case highlights the importance of self-discipline and emotional regulation, showing that those who lack self-control and choose to act violently will face consequences that can include years of imprisonment.
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She Stabbed Him In The Heart Because She broke Up With Him And Was Barely Sentenced To PrisonAdded:
What?
>> Go to >> I'm not saying I'm just I'm trying to figure out what's going on.
>> You know like what's going to happen. I didn't need him to wake up.
>> I don't know when they're working on it.
Okay, just relax.
>> She did a crime. She need to pay the time.
>> 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.
Or I can sentence you to state prison up to 30 years. Do you understand that?
>> I want the max. You know that's what I want. A life for a life.
>> This is the story of Yakim Lawler and Jiara Malik, a high school sweetheart's argument that ended in a very horrible tragedy due to jealousy and lack of self-discipline. Yakim broke up with Jiara, but she did not take it lightly.
So she asked for a last meeting with him, not knowing she had ill intentions towards him. This meeting happened in the parking lot of his building. And when they met, she decided to stab him in his heart and would later tell police she did it unintentionally while they were horseplaying.
>> I had the knife. But I >> were you arguing before that?
>> No, we was just over here fighting and then >> So fight you.
>> So you guys were arguing?
>> Yes. And then Well, we wasn't arguing.
We was just like play fighting and stuff. And then I swear he was making me mad and I swear I had the knife right here. And then he end up running to it.
But I'm not thinking cuz he already knew I had it. He was trying to get it from me, but he end up running to it.
>> Camera footage captures their last moment together. It also captured moments leading to her stabbing her.
Camera also captured the moment when the cops showed up and her explaining to them what happened between them. Her family claimed she killed Yakim accidentally, but Yakim's family did not believe it, so they wanted her to pay the price.
She never not once said my son threatened her. She never said that my um that she felt threatened or he was aggressed towards her. So it was no reason to pull out a knife.
>> Her whole life was later decided in the court. Her family did not like what the court decided and Yakim's family did not like the court's judgment too. Watch till the end to see what happened in the court between the two families and what the judgment is. Hello and welcome to Twisted Crimes. Subscribe and hit the like button for more stories.
Yakim was a 17-year-old football player at Miami Northwestern Senior High School.
>> [music] >> Friends, family, and classmates described him as intelligent, athletic, respectful, and deeply loved within the community. He reportedly had dreams of making it to the NFL and was also interested in business and becoming a stockbroker one day. Yakim was a very playful young man and was very close to his mom. They were best friends. Jiara Malik was his girlfriend and according to friends, the two had a toxic but emotionally attached relationship. Jiara was described as someone who had been in some types of physical altercations in the past, meaning she was not new to fight. She was said to be aggressive and assertive at times. Well, the young couple was having lots of issues and Yakim broke up the relationship. Jiara asked Yakim to meet up with him for one last conversation before they totally end it. He would not have agreed to meet her if he knew the outcome of the meeting would be very bad or if he knew she was coming with a concealed knife in case things does not go her way. Well, on December 20th, 2024, the two met at Yakim's apartment complex in Miami's Liberty City area. Unknown to Yakim, she had a pocketk knife with her. When the conversation did not go how she wanted it, she got upset and stabbed Yakim.
Yakim was stabbed in the chest. The wound reportedly pierced his heart.
Surveillance footage later shows captured portions of their final moments together before Yakim collapsed, bleeding in the parking area. Police was called and everything went south from there.
>> We have some new video showing the moments after a teenager stabbed and killed her boyfriend. It happened during an argument in 2024.
You hear the sounds from that confrontation. And authorities say that 18-year-old Jiara Malik stabbed Yaim Lawler at the apartment garage back in 2024. It happened in Miami right near Northwest 6th Court and 61st Street.
>> I had the knife, but I never arguing before that.
>> No, we was just over here fighting and then >> So fight you.
>> So you guys were arguing?
>> Yes. And then Well, we wasn't arguing.
We was just like play fighting and stuff. And then I swear he was making me mad and I swear I had the knife right here and then he end up running to it.
But I'm not think cuz he already knew I had it. He was trying to get it from me, but he end up running to it.
>> What?
>> I'm not I'm trying to figure what's going on.
>> Do you know like what's going to happen?
I didn't need him to wake up.
>> I don't know. And they're working on it.
Okay, just relax.
>> Jiara was arrested and put in jail.
After the stabbing, Jiara initially claimed the incident was accidental, but prosecutors argued the force required for the stabbing was too severe to be considered simple horseplay. She was eventually charged as an adult despite being 17 at the time. Her family's attorney also tried to get the case to juvenile court, which could have seen her serve just months or thereabout in detention, but that never happened because of the Florida law. That meant she would be tried as an adult despite the fact that she is 17. She was eventually granted bail, which did not sit well with Yakim's family, which felt like a slap to their face.
>> Prosecutors wanted 17-year-old Jiara Malik held until at least her next court date.
>> Right. There's more harm to be done by her remaining in custody than for purposes of being released.
>> But a judge gave her a $50,000 bond. It was her first court appearance since she was charged with manslaughter in connection to the stabbing death of her ex-boyfriend Yakim Lawler.
>> I do find probably the cause that a manslaughter with a deadly weapon was committed.
>> But she turned herself in. She called the police to try to render first aid and uh she cooperated fully.
>> Her lawyers say she just turned 17 but is being charged as an adult. Her lawyers wanted the case in juvenile court.
>> Should have remained in juvenile.
However, the law allows uh the state of Florida to direct file which means you take juveniles as young as 14, 15, 16 and you try them as an adult. Lawler's family was in court and told me they weren't happy with the decision to release Malik. Police say Malik stabbed Lawler back in December. Police say she told them she was horse playing with him. Lawler's family told CBS News Miami that he was having relationship issues with his ex-girlfriend when she came to the apartment complex and allegedly took his life. Malik's attorneys say their client acted in self-defense.
>> We believe this was not an intentional act. Um uh and and and I believe that when it's all just as clear, the evidence will support.
>> His mom gathered friends and families and they protested.
>> We want justice. We want justice.
>> December 12th.
>> Um my ex-wife got a text message from her saying that my son broke up with her in December 20th. He was murdered.
>> This was the scene from that day. Police responded to the area of Northwest 6th Court and 61st Street. That's where officers found Kimmo stabbed. He later died Wednesday outside of the Miami Date State Attorney's office. His loved ones were pleading for justice.
>> Imagine you raising a kid that's an honorable kid, a good student, you know, a athlete who could be something in the future and somebody just took his life away.
>> I just don't understand it. So, we want justice. That's it. Mo was a fun loving guy. He loved his family and his loved his PlayStation and his passion was football and he just didn't deserve what he got. He couldn't go a day without being happy.
>> WE WANT JUSTICE.
>> I WANT JUSTICE. That would at least ease the pain a little bit.
>> I shouldn't have to be fighting for my son justice.
>> Despite all this cries, it took a long time to get the case to trial, which his mom did not like.
>> Been a year that we stood in front of the state attorney office in protest and demanded an arrest for my son's murder.
And then a year later today, we're still fighting for justice. And we're trying to figure out why. Because if the shoe was on the other foot, my son would have been in jail. You know, her attorneys are playing these games. They keep prolonging and doing this trickery. And they think we don't understand what they're doing. They think we're going to give up fighting. No, we're not. They also think that their client could just take my son like that. did nothing to deserve what was done to him and she's not going to be held accountable for what she did to my son. No, that's not going to happen. She had a better chance of winning the lottery. So, like I said, we're going to continue fighting. I said it a year ago and I'm going to say it again today. We're going to continue fighting to the day I take my last breath. And even after I take my last breath, I will haunt them and make sure that my son get justice cuz he deserve justice.
for a a police officer to come to you and say, "Hey, Miss Jean, yes." Is Ya King Maler your son? Yes. I'm sorry to tell you, he didn't make it. You know how that feels. That plays in my head every day. And I still have to stay strong for my other two kids. You understand what I'm saying? And have to come to this courtroom and watch her defense attorney play games in our face.
So tell me, how would you feel if that was your child? Cuz we all know if it was my son that did that to her, he would have been waiting in jail to go to trial, why is she not in jail? Why is she not getting the same recussion he would have?
>> In March 2026, Jiara pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
>> You still wish to enter into exchange of >> Jiara Malik, now 18 years old, pleading guilty Monday to charges of manslaughter and carrying a concealed weapon.
>> It's like bittersweet. It took a year, two months, and 26 days for her to, you know, acknowledge or even hold accountability for what she did to my son.
>> She's been remorseful from day one. She immediately called 911 and start doing life-saving measures. But she wanted to accept responsibility.
>> I don't think she remorseful. I think if she was really remorseful, she would have took accountability the first day it happened. The guilty plea was not part of any deal. Meaning Malik's sentence will be entirely up to the judge to decide.
>> I can give you anywhere from a youth offender sentence if on straight probation all the way up to 4 years in state prison followed by a probationary sentence or I can sentence you to state prison up to 30 years. Do you understand that?
>> I want the max. You know that's what I want. A life for a life. Malik's attorney did not say whether he would request that his client be sentenced as a youthful offender. But no matter the sentence, all sides will have to live with what comes next.
>> She's going to have to deal with this for the rest of her life. Even once we get past all this >> now, we leaving up to the judge to serve justice. Hopefully, my son will rest in peace.
>> During sentencing, she apologized to Yakim's family and said she loved him and never intended for him to die. She described herself as being in her own prison emotionally ever since the stabbing happened. Yakims did not listen to all that cries. They told her a piece of their minds. Yakim's family pushed for the maximum sentence, describing their pain in emotional courtroom statements. His aunt called Jiara a demon seed while his mother said they simply wanted justice for their son.
Um, can you tell the judge I know, she's going to hear from you later, but who exactly you are and how you're related to the victim in this case?
>> I'm Yakim's Lawler mother.
>> Um, I am showing you um a screenshot of what has been um previously marked and identified as states exhibit 1A. Um, can you tell the court um what this is? Um this was a text message that was provided to me from one of his um his classmates. It actually came from the boy that um Joharu was dating and she want he wanted me to know that um he wanted the classmate to show me that she does have a history of that. So they forward it to me and I provided it to the detective.
>> Okay. And that classmate, what's his name?
>> Um his the one with the son.
>> Mhm. What does that took the screenshot?
of the screenshot was um his name was Ted and then he forwarded to um he gave it to Cece so Cece could know to give it to me and then I for gave it to the detective >> and Cece is the young girl who's sitting in back in the courtroom.
>> Yes.
>> Um and Ted was a previous um uh boyfriend of the defendant.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> And this is a screenshot from his phone.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Are you familiar with iPhones?
>> Yes, I am.
>> Okay. So, um, the blue text messages are who?
>> Are, um, his iPhone. From him, I'm sorry.
>> And the gray text messages are from who?
>> Jiara.
>> And, um, I think the the C up here where it says at the top, Crybaby. Um, is that the contact in his phone?
>> Yeah, that was the the contact he had her save under.
>> Okay. Um, and is this a fair and accurate representation of that text message um that you were provided um by CC and that he took a screenshot of?
>> Yes, I'm judge. At this time, the state would seek to introduce what has been previously marked as states exhibit 1A um as states exhibit one for the purposes of sentencing. Um I I think the foundation has been sufficiently made.
Mr. >> Her judge, I would be objecting just based upon one um But I would expect I don't think there has been no verification indicating as that is a communication that was taking place between my client and this third or fourth person. And so therefore that's the problem with it. Um just based upon the testimony that was just represented right now. And so that's >> okay. We are in a sentencing hearing, so the rules of evidence are laxed and I'll give it whatever we but I'm going to overrule the objection and I'll allow it to be admitted for the court's consideration.
>> Thank you, Judge.
>> I admit it as part of this submit.
>> Um, please do sign to tell the truth, the whole truth and the conversation.
>> I do.
Good afternoon. Whenever you're ready.
>> Yes, ma'am.
Good morning, honor. Can anybody can everybody hear me clearly?
>> Yes.
>> My name is Zeldrina Bichum.
I'm one of four of the patern paternal aunts of Yakim Lada.
I'm writing this victim impact statement to express to you how much I have been impacted by Jiara Malik murdering him.
Your honor, >> I ask that you please be patient with me.
This is the toughest thing I have ever had to do in my life.
During these court proceedings, as a family, we had to sit there and watch her smirk in the courtroom, show no remorse, and being Yaim's aunt, it's re it was really hard for me and for my family.
Okay.
I remember the day when he was a baby and he came home from the hospital.
I took my nephew Dave Jr. and my niece Amati Lawler, who are his siblings, to see him.
He was the sweetest little baby I have ever seen.
I gazed at him as he laid there, as innocent and as sweet as he could be.
AND THERE'S STILL A PART OF me that sees him like that.
Kahim, as we were, as we affectionately call him, Kimo as we affectionately call him, has always been a bright light in our family.
Even during the dark times when we experienced great losses of the people we loved in our family, he was a jokester.
He always brought levity >> to whatever ne negative situation we had in our family.
He was the one that you could always he going to make you laugh no regardless of the situation.
He made me so proud to be his aunt. Not just because he was an excellent student athlete, but because he was a very loving and thoughtful and caring type of person.
He always thought of others and cared about their well-being, even going out of his way to share clothing and shoes with his friends who were less fortunate.
I remember when my auntie Elena had this family function at her house commemorating the life of my deceased mother who passed away on June 15th, 2021.
So this was 3 years after her passing. We were at the function celebrating just in her memory.
My brothers were grilling on the charcoal grill chicken and barbecue ribs while our favorite music was pumping through the speakers.
Some family members were swimming in the back pool backyard pool. Others were singing and dancing and just sitting around conversing with each other. We were just creating great family memories.
He was there mixing mixing it up with the family and eating and laughing and having a great time.
When I was leaving the function, he called out my name.
When I turned around, he screamed out to me, telling me goodbye.
He had a big smile on his face. I'll never forget that.
I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF, "My nephew is not a baby anymore.
He's a growing young man.
I smiled back AT HIM, BUT INSIDE I WAS CRYING, knowing that he WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT INTO THIS CRUEL, cruel world, and create a life for himself.
He used to COME WITH HIS FATHER, WHO IS MY BROTHER, and help me put up hurricane shutters at my house whenever a storm was looming.
He used to come with his father to help me out in the backyard with my vegetable garden.
He was always around to help me with whatever I was doing.
The older I get, the loss of that physical assistance that he offered to me is is missed.
I used to say to him, "Nephew, when I'm a little old LADY SITTING ON THE BUS STOP IN THE hot sun and you drive by in your expensive new car, please pick me up and give me a ride home." And he said, he laugh, he would laugh and he would say, "Auntie, I would never let you sit on a bus stop and not take you home."
And that was him. He cared for people.
He loved people. Then I would say, "Okay, baby.
He would then smile and continue whatever mischief he was engaging in.
Now, because of Jahara Malik's actions, I must go through life knowing that I will never see the full potential of what he could have been in his life.
I WON'T GET PHONE CALLS from him excitedly telling me things about his future plan for his life.
I won't be able to give him advice about whatever's going on in his life. I will never have a CHANCE TO SEE HIM GRADUATE from high school, college.
He wanted TO BE A STOCK BROKER AND HE WAS ON his way.
I WON'T EVER see him create a family of his own or accomplish the many milestones of his life that he was going to ACCOMPLISH BECAUSE HE WAS JUST THAT AWESOME.
He will never be able to go on another camping trip with me.
He will never be there again to help me put those those heavy hurricane shutters up on my windows whenever we're getting a hurricane.
I won't have this strong young man in my family to help me lift heavy bags of soil or fertilizers for my garden, which provided nourishment for my family.
I will no longer have him to wrap his arms around me and kiss me on my CHEEK AND TELL ME HOW MUCH HE LOVES ME.
As his aunt, I WILL NO LONGER be able TO REACH INTO MY BAG AND PLACE A PIECE OF CANDY OR $20 BILL IN HIS HAND SO that he could get himself some sweet treats or chicken wings and fries like he liked.
I WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO SEE TO TELL HIM HOW PROUD I AM OF HIM OF BEING THE PERSON THAT HE HAS BECOME AND HOW MUCH OF AN ASSET HE IS TO OUR FAMILY.
MY son will not have him AS A SPEAKER AT MY FUNERAL.
HE WILL NOT BE THERE TO CONSOLE MY SON WHEN MY life is over.
I will no LONGER BE ABLE TO LOOK AT HIS FRESH HAIRCUT, FRESH NEW HAIRCUT, AND TELL HIM THAT HE LOOKS SO HANDSOME.
AND THOSE GIRLS BETTER watch out because he's and he's be standing there smiling.
Jor Malik, there are many times court proceedings.
You'll be sitting there smiling AND LAUGHING WITH YOUR family members and showing no remorse and taking for taking my nephew's life. THAT'S IT'S NOT A laughing matter to us. It never has been. It took ALL WE HAD TO JUST TO STOP FROM JUMPING ACROSS THAT that thing and DOING SOMETHING TO YOU. 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. I really expected my nephew to be looking down inside of my casket INSTEAD OF ME LOOKING DOWN IN HIS CASKET. AS A FAMILY, WE DON'T even think that 30 years in prison would be enough punishment for her.
>> Since there was no trial, it was left for the judge to decide how much time she wanted her to spend in prison. Even though the maximum penalty for that crime was 30 years, she was eventually sentenced to 17 years in Florida state prison followed by 5 years of probation.
family of that and for that there needs to be a punishment and the primary purpose appreciate what has been lost and the gravity of what occurred and so because of that I do believe that you're amenable to rehabilitation and I do believe that you will get past this but you have to be punished for it because they have a life sentence of not having Mr. Lawler with them. And I I can't overstate the profound impact that that loss has been on their family, on their community, and the choices that you made affected the trajectory of all of their lives, and it affected the trajectory of yours as well as your families. You come from a very strong family that supports you and they will support you throughout this, but the court needs to look at what is the appropriate sentence in this case.
So, at this time, I'm going to ask Miss Malik to please rise.
Miss Malik, having heard um from the state attorney's office, having heard from members of the public, having heard from the families, having heard um from the doctors that testified, the court imposes the following sentence. At this time, the court will adjudicate you, adjudicate you, Miss Malik. The court will sentence you to 17 years in Florida State Prison, followed by 5 years of reporting probation. special condition of that probation. You will have to go a mental health evaluation and abide by any treatment if necessary.
You will have to write a letter December 20th of every year that you are on probation um acknowledging what had occurred um and how it has affected your life.
And I I do not take this sentence lightly. Uh Miss Malik, this is not something that this court wanted to do. But I have to impose a sentence that I believe holds you accountable, recognizes the severity of the offense, and is something that's appropriate in light of everything that I've heard.
So at this time she'll be remanded into the custody of the department of corrections to serve her sentence. How soon will be 5 years 5 years with the office of the public?
360.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Everybody say with this I say that Yeah, it's right here.
Heat. Heat.
Yakim's family were not too happy with the result but had no choice. A lot of people believed she was not remorseful enough while some believed she should have been let go. This person had a lot to say about those classes in session cuz y'all going to piss me off.
Accountability.
Accountability is the willingness to accept responsibility for one's actions, decisions, or performance.
Now that we going to had class, y'all help me understand. Why are y'all sympathizing with the 18-year-old girl that was sentenced to 17 years in prison yesterday for unaliving her ex-boyfriend? Mhm. Help me understand because this is my understanding. He broke up with her. We don't care why.
Cuz he was free to do that. He broke up with her. She called him, asked to hold a conversation. He agreed. She went to his place of residence with a deadly weapon. So far as I'm concerned, that was premeditated murder. Cuz she went over there to hold a conversation with a deadly weapon. Got over there, apparently didn't like how the conversation went. But nonetheless, the conversation ended with him being stabbed to death. She stabbed him, not in his arm, but in his chest, puncturing his heart.
There got to be a horrible way to die.
She punctured the young man's heart, causing his demise, his entire existence. He no longer exists. Y'all understand this correctly? Okay. So, let me break this down to you. He no longer has a future. He went to school. He played football. And according to his parents, he wanted to work in finance one day. He can no longer do any of that. He can't go to school. He can't work in finance. He play football. He no longer has a future because she took it away from him. Now, she was facing up to 30 years in prison.
Her hierarchy [snorts] attorney got her to plead guilty to manslaughter. Therefore, her sentencing was solely up to the judge. The state requested 20 years in prison with 10 years probation. I have no idea why as that's disrespectful to the family because they wanted the full 30.
Nonetheless, the judge ordered her 17 years in prison with 5 years probation.
Nine out of 10, she won't even do the 17 years in prison. She will do somewhere between 8 and 12 years. Regardless of the matter, she's getting out of prison when she's in her 30s. She has a future.
He does not. You understand?
Comprehending. Okay. Again, why are we sympathizing with her? I've heard comments about, "Oh, that's cuz she couldn't control her emotions." I think she control her emotions very well. I haven't seen her cry yet. Have you? She has not cried in any of her court proceedings, including when she was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Baby, I would have COLLAPSED TO THE FLOOR IN TEARS. She handles her emotions very well, very much self-control. She did what she wanted to do that day. Now, help me understand why y'all don't want her to take accountability.
Y'all have a real bad issue with holding children accountable for their action.
>> Yakim was laid to rest by his friends and family.
It was a sad time for them. A lot of people will miss him as he will never be here to become the man he wanted to be.
His life was taken from him. Jiara will be out of prison in her 30s. What do you guys think about this story? Do you think the judge got it right or Jiara was lucky with the time she got? Our sincere condolences to the friends and family members of Yakim Lawler. May his soul rest in peace. Please learn to be calm and patient out there. Violence never brings anything good. Please stay safe out there and we shall see you guys in the next video.
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