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 Hen 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 on no account responsible of homicide, and has emphasised that he was not within the restaurant and didn’t pull the set off. He stated the proof factors to his son appearing alone.
Trone’s son is in custody of the county’s juvenile justice system, and a choose has discovered that he’s not at the moment competent to face trial.
The Related Press doesn’t usually title minors accused of crimes.
PnB Rock, whose authorized title is Rakim Allen, was finest identified for his 2016 hit “Egocentric” and for making visitor appearances on different artists’ songs corresponding to YFN Lucci’s “On a regular basis We Lit” and Ed Sheeran’s “Cross Me” with Probability the Rapper.
The trial in his killing, not held within the downtown courthouse that’s residence to most high-profile proceedings, has attracted little consideration. The gallery has remained almost 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 1 rely of homicide, two counts of second-degree theft and one rely of conspiracy to commit theft.
A co-defendant who just isn’t 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 stated she had a “dangerous feeling” concerning the scenario earlier than they walked into the restaurant. The couple was set to fly residence to Atlanta later within the day.
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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 stated was value a whole lot of hundreds of {dollars}.
Sibounheuang stated he appeared like a child “who didn’t know what he was doing.”
She stated the shooter then fired on Allen, who pushed her out of the way in which and shielded her to guard her as he was shot. She referred to 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 few 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 useless.
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 stated 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 stated that put up 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 house, and leaving quickly after with the son carrying completely different garments and holding a trash bag.
Prosecutors allege Trone set the getaway automotive on hearth a number of blocks from their residence 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 actual fact.
