COMPTON, Calif. (AP) — The 2 sides on the homicide trial within the killing of Philadelphia hip-hop star PnB Rock agree {that a} 17-year-old boy walked into Roscoe’s Rooster and Waffles restaurant in South Los Angeles, shot the rapper twice within the again and as soon as within the chest.
Each agree that the boy’s father, Freddie Trone, the defendant within the trial, helped his son after the capturing and tried to cowl up the killing.
However within the two-week trial’s closing arguments set for a Compton, California, courtroom on Monday, prosecutors will argue that Trone despatched the boy into the restaurant with a gun and with orders to rob PnB Rock. The rapper, 30, was consuming along with his fiancee, the mom of his 4-year-old daughter.
Trone’s lawyer says he’s under no circumstances responsible of homicide, and has emphasised that he was not within the restaurant and didn’t pull the set off. He mentioned the proof factors to his son performing alone.
Trone’s son is in custody of the county’s juvenile justice system, and a choose has discovered that he’s not presently competent to face trial.
The Related Press doesn’t typically title minors accused of crimes.
PnB Rock, whose authorized title is Rakim Allen, was greatest identified for his 2016 hit “Egocentric” and for making visitor appearances on different artists’ songs reminiscent of YFN Lucci’s “On a regular basis We Lit” and Ed Sheeran’s “Cross Me” with Likelihood the Rapper.
The trial in his killing, not held within the downtown courthouse that’s house to most high-profile proceedings, has attracted little consideration. The gallery has remained practically empty, with Rolling Stone the one media outlet giving it common protection.
FBI brokers arrested Trone in Las Vegas greater than two weeks after the Sept. 12, 2022, capturing in Las Vegas. He has pleaded not responsible to at least one rely of homicide, two counts of second-degree theft and one rely of conspiracy to commit theft.
A co-defendant who shouldn’t be charged with homicide, 46-year-old Tremont Jones, has pleaded responsible to 2 counts of theft, one rely of conspiracy, and one rely of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Prosecutors allege Jones tipped off Trone to the rapper’s location, and confirmed jurors surveillance video of the 2 males speaking outdoors the restaurant minutes earlier than the killing.
Allen’s fiancee, Stephanie Sibounheuang, was the trial’s most dramatic witness. She mentioned she had a “unhealthy feeling” concerning the scenario earlier than they walked into the restaurant. The couple was set to fly house to Atlanta later within the day.
She tearfully testified that the 2 had simply gotten their meals at Roscoe’s when the ski-masked shooter appeared, put his gun in Allen’s face, and demanded all of the couple’s jewellery, which she mentioned was value a whole lot of 1000’s of {dollars}.
Sibounheuang mentioned he appeared like a child “who didn’t know what he was doing.”
She mentioned the shooter then fired on Allen, who pushed her out of the best way and shielded her to guard her as he was shot. She known as him a “hero” who saved her life.
The masked shooter then collected a watch and different jewellery off Allen.
Surveillance footage confirmed that he fled a couple of minute after coming into.
Sibounheuang put strain on Allen’s wounds to attempt to cease the bleeding, as did the primary police officer who arrived on the scene, however the rapper was later declared lifeless.
An post-mortem report states that Allen was shot as soon as within the chest and twice within the again.
Investigators discovered that Allen had a gun on him on the time, however mentioned he didn’t pull it out earlier than he was shot.
Sibounheuang posted an image of the couple’s meals on Instagram shortly earlier than the capturing, however she testified that she eliminated the tag on it that might have proven which of the six Southern California Roscoe’s eating places the place they have been consuming.
Authorities initially mentioned that submit may need led to the theft and capturing, however later backed off and as an alternative blamed Jones for main Trone and his son to the restaurant.
Surveillance footage from later within the day confirmed Trone and his son coming into an condo, and leaving quickly after with the son sporting completely different garments and holding a trash bag.
Prosecutors allege Trone set the getaway automotive on hearth just a few blocks from their house as a part of a cover-up.
Trone’s spouse and the teenager’s stepmother, Shauntel Trone, was additionally arrested shortly after the capturing. Shortly earlier than the trial she pleaded no contest to being an adjunct after the very fact.
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