Families plead for justice as trial delays drag out in teen's fatal stabbing case

People fed up with delays in the trial of a teenager accused of killing her ex-boyfriend asked a judge for help Thursday morning.

Jahara Malik, 18, faces a manslaughter charge for allegedly stabbing 17-year-old Yahkeim Lollar, a Miami Northwestern High School student and football player, in December 2024.

"I'm not going to just continue [the case] today," Judge Hernandez said in court.

Supporters of Lollar packed the courtroom, many wearing t-shirts bearing his face and name. For his family, the wait for justice has been excruciating.

"It's just like the worst toothache," said Darveed Lollar, Yahkeim's father. "It's indescribable."

"[The defense keeps] prolonging it, prolonging it, prolonging it," said Nathalie Jean, Yahkeim's mother. "It's like you have to relive that every day as a mother—a police officer comes to you and says, 'Ms. Jean, is Yahkeim Lollar your son?' Yes. 'I'm sorry to tell you, he didn't make it.' Do you know how that feels? That plays in my head every day."

Miami police officers and paramedics found Lollar stabbed in the chest on the third floor of an apartment complex parking garage. Malik told investigators she pulled a knife "in the spirit of horseplay" and collided with Lollar, leading to the stabbing, according to court records. Malik called 911, but Lollar later died.

A year ago, Lollar's family and friends protested outside the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, demanding charges against Malik. Within two weeks, Malik surrendered to face a manslaughter charge. Yet her trial has yet to begin.

Melba Pearson, a victims' rights attorney representing Lollar's family, accused the defense of stalling. "I'm a former prosecutor," Pearson said. "I've handled many cases like this, many homicides. Sometimes things go slowly, but this is unacceptable. The defense has barely done any depositions. There's been no investigation on their end. They have not done their due diligence to move this forward."

An assistant state attorney told Judge Hernandez that Malik's lawyer, Larry Handfield, still wants to negotiate. Judge Hernandez insisted on progress: "I just don't want to just keep granting continuances and then nothing is happening during that," she said. "When I say nothing, I mean meaningful conversations regarding either a potential resolution or depositions in order to prepare the case for trial."