Freddie Trone, 42, was found guilty by a Los Angeles County jury of sending his 17-year-old son to kill rapper PnB Rock during a robbery at Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in South Los Angeles in September of 2022. Trone was convicted of murder, robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. The teen, who carried out the shooting, has been charged with murder but is not currently competent to stand trial. Another man, Tremont Jones, was also found guilty of robbery and conspiracy, but not murder. Trone’s lawyer plans to file a motion for a new trial, arguing that there was no evidence of his client’s involvement in planning the murder. PnB Rock, whose legal name is Rakim Allen, was killed at the age of 30. The defense made the rare move of putting Trone on the stand, where he denied any involvement in the crime. Deputy District Attorney Timothy Richardson emphasized to jurors that a non-shooter can still be guilty of felony murder if they are a major participant in the crime. Surveillance footage showed Trone in the parking lot of the restaurant before the killing, with prosecutors alleging that Jones tipped him off to the presence of the rapper and his valuable jewelry. Ultimately, the jury found Trone guilty based on his role in the robbery and murder conspiracy.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
