Freddie Trone, 42, was tried and sentenced to over 31 years to life in prison on Monday, September 23, 2024. The Los Angeles native was convicted of orchestrating the robbery and murder of rapper PnB Rock. The rapper, a Philadelphia hip-hop icon, was shot and killed in September 2022.
A Los Angeles jury found Trone guilty of several charges, including murder, two counts of second-degree robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. Furthermore, he was accused of encouraging his 17-year-old son to kill PnB Rock, whose real name was Rakim Hasheem Allen.
Freddie Trone is "not guilty of these charges," his defense attorney contended
On September 12, 2022, PnB Rock was at Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles restaurant on West Manchester Avenue in LA when Freddie Trone's son walked into the restaurant, clad in a ski mask, and opened fire before demanding the artist hand over all his jewelry. PnB was with his girlfriend and the mother of his kid at the time, whom the robber also threatened to kill.
Police claimed that the teen stole all of the victim's effects and subsequently fled the scene of a crime via a getaway car that was waiting outside. Trone was also accused of driving the car, ABC7 reported. PnB suffered multiple gunshot wounds and later succumbed to his injuries within the hour at the local hospital where he was being treated. LAPD Capt. Kelly Muniz said:
"The victim along with a female witness were in the eating area at a restaurant, when they were approached by at least one suspect, who brandished a firearm and demanded property from the victim. The suspect then shot the victim multiple times and removed property and then left the location in a getaway car."
According to Deputy District Attorney Timothy Richardson, Freddie Trone "sent his son out on a coordinated act to rob watches, rings, and chains off of a person." Furthermore, the prosecutor contended that the motive behind the crimes was about a "half a million dollars worth of jewelry," Fox 11 reported.
Defense attorney Winston McKesson, however, contended that the son acted of his own accord. The defense also noted that the "only conclusion that is consistent with justice is that Freddie Trone is not guilty of these charges." Furthermore, they argued that Trone was simply an accessory to the crime, pointing out that he never entered the establishment himself, and was only guilty of driving his son to and fro.
They also argued that Freddie Trone never instructed his son to do anything. According to NBC Los Angeles, the defense also played the race card, claiming that his client would have gotten away with being an accessory had he not been an African-American. He said,
"I think the problem is whenever you have a Black man charged in a violent crime and no African Americans on the jury, it is a major problem. Because all non-Black people -- no matter what their race -- view Black men as dangerous."
After Freddie Trone was pronounced guilty in August, District Attorney Gascón said,
"Justice has been served for Mr Allen and his family who have endured unimaginable pain losing a loved one to such senseless violence. 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."
Another man, Tremont Jones, 46, was also convicted in connection to the case on two counts of second-degree robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery. However, he was not charged with murder.
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He now faces 12 years in prison. According to NBC Los Angeles, it was Jones who fist-bumped PnB Rock at the restaurant, went back, and informed Trone of what was waiting.
Freddie Trone's son, the teen, now 19, was arrested in September 2022, but his case has yet to go to trial, as he is undergoing treatment and has not been found competent yet.
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