On Wednesday, a Los Angeles jury found a man guilty of having his 17-year-old son kill rapper PnB Rock.
Freddie Trone was found guilty of several charges, including murder, two counts of second-degree robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. This verdict came after the shooting death of Philadelphia hip-hop star PnB Rock 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 in South Los Angeles in September 2022. During this time, the teen, wearing a ski mask, entered the restaurant, demanded the rapper’s jewelry, and then shot him.
According to police, the teen took items from the victim and fled in a waiting getaway car, which Trone was accused of driving.
PnB suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at a local hospital less than an hour later.
Prosecutors argued that the teen acted on his father’s orders, while Trone’s defense team claimed he was only an accessory after the crimes.
The now-19-year-old was charged with murder but remains in the custody of the juvenile system. A judge has determined that he is currently not competent to stand trial. The Associated Press does not typically name minors who are accused of crimes.
A third man, Tremont Jones, was also charged in the case. He 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.
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Trial Details
During Trone’s trial, Deputy District Attorney Timothy Richardson told jurors that Trone drove his son in a “coordinated act” to steal jewelry worth “half a million dollars.” Prosecutors indicated that Jones had seen the rapper at the restaurant and relayed information about the jewelry to Trone.
Trone’s defense team argued that he was not present at the scene and did not instruct anyone to commit the crime. Moreover, they suggested that race played a role in his conviction, claiming the prosecution targeted the wrong person.
District Attorney Gascón stated that “justice has been served for Mr. Allen and his family, who have suffered immense pain from losing a loved one to such senseless violence,” following the convictions on Wednesday.
“Let this serve as a clear message to anyone who threatens the safety and well-being of our community: our office will relentlessly pursue charges and work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice.” He spoke.
The rapper’s girlfriend, Stephanie Sibounheuang, said PnB saved her life in the incident, writing on Instagram after the attack: “I’m not supposed to be here but [because] of him. I am”.
She described the traumatic aftermath of the shooting, not being able to ride with him in an ambulance and being forced out of the restaurant as police investigated.
“I feel so empty,” she wrote after the attack. “My world is dark now. My heart is broken for the kids.”
Tributes and Legacy of PnB Rock
PnB, whose real name is Rakim Hasheem Allen, rose to fame with the release of his 2016 hit Selfish and had collaborated with artists including Ed Sheeran.
Tributes flooded in for PnB after his death, from artists including Drake, who posted a photo of the two together on his Instagram story.
Rapper Offset posted a Twitter tribute urging followers to pray for PnB’s two children, with Nicki Minaj calling him “a pleasure to work with.”.
PnB Rock was born in Philadelphia in 1991, going on to record two studio albums, Catch These Vibes and Trapstar Turnt PopStar.
He released his final song, Luv Me Again, just two days before the shooting.