Man Convicted For Sending Teen Son To Kill Rapper PnB Rock

A Los Angeles jury of Wednesday found a man guilty of sending his 17-year-old son to kill rapper PnB Rock.

Freddie Trone, 42, was convicted of several charges, including murder, two counts of second-degree robbery, and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery, after the Philadelphia hip-hop artist was shot dead in September 2022.

The rapper was dining with his girlfriend, the mother of his four-year-old child, at a Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles restaurant in Los Angeles when the masked teen entered, demanded the artist’s jewelry, and shot him.

According to local media, police reported that the teen took items from the victim and then fled in a getaway car allegedly driven by Trone.

PnB Rock sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital within an hour.

During the trial, prosecutors claimed the teen acted on his father’s instructions, while Trone’s defense team argued he was only an accessory after the fact.

The teen, now 19, was also charged with murder and robbery, but has been deemed incompetent to stand trial, according to local media.

Another man, Tremont Jones, faced charges and was found guilty of two counts of second-degree robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery.

Both Jones and Trone are set to be sentenced on August 27.

In Trone’s trial, Deputy District Attorney Timothy Richardson told the jury that Trone drove his son in a planned effort to steal valuable jewelry, with the motive being approximately “half a million dollars worth of jewelry,” reported Fox 11 in Los Angeles.

Prosecutors revealed that Jones had spotted the rapper at the restaurant and informed Trone about the jewelry the artist was wearing, the outlet stated.

Trone’s defense team argued he was not present and never instructed his son or anyone else to commit the crime. His attorney suggested prosecutors targeted the wrong person and claimed racial bias influenced the conviction, Fox 11 reported.

District Attorney Gascón stated on Wednesday after the convictions that justice had been served for Mr. Allen and his family, who had suffered greatly from losing a loved one to senseless violence.

Gascón emphasised that this conviction sends a strong message that threats to community safety will be met with relentless pursuit and justice.

Stephanie Sibounheuang, PnB Rock’s girlfriend, said the rapper saved her life during the incident, expressing on Instagram that she survived because of him.

She described the traumatic experience following the shooting, being unable to accompany him in the ambulance, and being forced out of the restaurant by police investigators.

She expressed her deep sorrow after the attack, saying she felt empty and that her world was dark, with her heart broken for their children.

Rakim Hasheem Allen, known as PnB Rock, gained fame with his 2016 hit “Selfish” and had collaborated with artists like Ed Sheeran.

Following his death, tributes poured in from fellow artists, including Drake, who shared a photo of them together on Instagram.

Rapper Offset posted a Twitter tribute, asking followers to pray for PnB’s children, while Nicki Minaj remembered him as a pleasure to work with.

Born in Philadelphia in 1991, PnB Rock released two studio albums, “Catch These Vibes” and “Trapstar Turnt PopStar.”

He released his final song, “Luv Me Again,” just two days before the shooting.

NANCY MBAMALU 

SOURCE: BBC

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