Man accused of driving son to kill PnB Rock has murder conviction upheld
Three judges have upheld a murder conviction in the killing of Philadelphia rapper PnB Rock.
Rock (real name Rakim Allen) lost his life in September 2022 after being shot and killed by a 17-year-old inside a Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles.
44-year-old Freddie Trone, who was found guilty of murder and two counts of robbery, had his appeal shut down on May 28th.
Prosecutors claimed he drove his teenage son, known as J.T., to and from the restaurant and gave him a handgun.
Trone believes there wasn’t enough evidence, as he never entered the restaurant and claims there was no proof that he told his son to shoot Rock.
However, according to Courthouse News Service, several judges decided that there was “substantial evidence to support the jury’s conclusion that Trone was a major participant in the robbery that led to Allen’s murder and acted with reckless indifference to human life.”
Text messages and his own admissions about his son being bipolar and having a mood disorder were cited.
“The jury could have reasonably concluded Trone had a vital role in planning the robbery during his meeting outside Roscoe’s with Jones, which was shortly after Jones witnessed Allen and Stephanie wearing half a million dollars’ worth of jewellery,” they said. “The jury could have reasonably concluded from the texts Trone sent J.T., after the robbery that Trone controlled and directed J.T.’s actions.”
They continued, “The evidence shows Trone significantly increased the risks by arming his mentally unstable son – who he admitted was dangerous and should never be given a gun – and sending J.T. into Roscoe’s alone to rob Allen. Under these circumstances, the jury could have reasonably concluded from Trone’s failure to minimise risks that he acted with reckless indifference to human life.”
Trone was sentenced to life in prison in September 2024, with the possibility of parole after 31 years.