Man convicted of sending his son to rob and kill rapper PnB Rock gets 31 years to life

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

LOS ANGELES -- A man convicted of sending his 17-year-old son into a restaurant to rob and kill rapper PnB Rock was sentenced Monday to 31 years to life in prison.

Judge Connie Quinones handed down the sentence to Freddie Trone, 42, in Los Angeles County Superior Court. A jury on Aug. 7 found Trone guilty of one count of murder, two counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery.

Both sides at Trone's trial agreed that the teen walked into Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles in South Los Angeles in September 2022 and shot the Philadelphia hip-hop star, whose legal name is Rakim Allen, while robbing him of his jewelry as he ate with the mother of his 4-year-old daughter.

The prosecution said he was acting on his father’s orders, while the defense, which plans to appeal, said Trone was only an accessory after the fact.

“I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Rakim Allen,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement. “His life was cut short by an act of violence that no family should have to endure.”

Trone's attorney, Winston McKesson, said he disagreed with the judge. He said she declined at sentencing to give the reasons why his client was a “major participant” in the crime, as usually occurs.

He told The Associated Press after the sentencing there was no evidence that Trone was part of planning a killing, nor evidence he knew his son was armed. McKesson said a gun found with Allen was not sufficiently explained at trial, and the jury violated the judge's instructions by doing its own investigating with the evidence, including slowing down video they were shown in real time. He plans to file a notice of appeal.

Deannea Allen, the rapper's mother, traveled from their hometown of Philadelphia to give a statement in the Compton courtroom.

“I do not understand how a parent could directly put their child in danger. I just can’t comprehend it. That one action had a ripple effect, and it has ruined many lives,” Deannea Allen said, according to Rolling Stone. “Rakim was the shining light in our family. He was a star to us.”

Trone's now-19-year-old son was also charged with murder but is in the custody of the juvenile system. A judge has found that he is not currently competent to stand trial.

The AP does not typically name minors who are accused of crimes.

PnB Rock was best known for his 2016 hit “Selfish” and for guest appearances on other artists’ songs such as YFN Lucci’s “Everyday We Lit” and Ed Sheeran’s “Cross Me” with Chance the Rapper. He was 30.

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Man convicted of sending his son to rob and kill rapper PnB Rock gets 31 years to life
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September 24, 2024 at 08:26AM

Memphis man testifies that he and another man killed rapper Young Dolph

Repost Ent dalamlima.blogspot.com

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- A Memphis man testified on Monday that he and a second person shot and killed rapper Young Dolph after Big Jook, the brother of rapper Yo Gotti, put a hit on him.

Cornelius Smith identified himself and Justin Johnson as the two people seen on a Nov. 17, 2021, surveillance video exiting a white Mercedes outside a Memphis cookie store about 30 seconds after Young Dolph entered the store and then opening fire in broad daylight.

Smith was testifying in the first day of Johnson's trial on charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and being a felon in possession of a gun.

Smith also faces murder and conspiracy charges. Johnson’s attorney, Luke Evans, told the jury in opening statements that they should not trust Smith's testimony because he was just trying to save himself. Johnson is innocent, Evans said. Photos of him wearing clothes like the person in the video do not mean he is same as person, Evans said.

Deputy District Attorney Paul Hagerman, in opening statements, said Young Dolph, whose real name was Adolph Thornton Jr., was determined to make it on his own as an artist, and also with his own label, Paper Route Empire.

“Trying to make it on your own can create enemies,” Hagerman said.

He noted that Yo Gotti-founded rival record label Cocaine Muzic Group (now known as Collective Music Group) and wanted Young Dolph to work for them, but he turned them down. Young Dolph later wrote diss tracks directed at the label, its artists, and its “number two person,” Big Jook.

Young Dolph had survived previous shootings. He was shot multiple times in September 2017 after a fight outside a Los Angeles hotel. In February of that year, his SUV was shot at in Charlotte, North Carolina, more than 100 times. The incident was the inspiration for the song “100 Shots.” He said he survived because he had bulletproof panels in his vehicle.

Big Jook, whose real name was Anthony Mims, was shot and killed outside a restaurant in January 2024, according to media reports.

Smith, who said he was shot in the arm and the leg by Young Dolph's brother, Marcus Thornton, as he fled the cookie store shooting testified that he received only $800 prior to his arrest. He said his attorney was later paid another $50,000 by Big Jook.

Asked by Hagerman how he felt after shooting Young Dolph, Smith said, “I wasn’t feeling nothing at the time. I’m not gonna lie. I was trying to get some money.”

Smith testified that his young son had died a few months before and he had started “popping pills and not caring about nothing.” His conscience started bothering him only later after he sobered up in jail, he said.

Jermarcus Johnson pleaded guilty in June 2023 to three counts of serving as an accessory after the killing by helping Smith and Justin Johnson, his half-brother.

Jermarcus Johnson acknowledged helping the two shooting suspects communicate by cellphone while they were on the run from authorities and helping one of them communicate with his probation officer. Jermarcus Johnson has not been sentenced.

Hernandez Govan has pleaded not guilty to organizing the killing.

Young Dolph began his career by releasing numerous mixtapes, starting with 2008′s “Paper Route Campaign." His multiple studio albums include his 2016 debut “King of Memphis.” He also collaborated on other mixtapes and albums with fellow rappers Key Glock, Megan Thee Stallion, T.I., Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz and others.

He had three albums reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200, with 2020′s “Rich Slave” peaking at No. 4.

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Travis Loller contributed to this report from Nashville, Tenn.

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Memphis man testifies that he and another man killed rapper Young Dolph
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September 24, 2024 at 08:11AM