In a courtroom in Compton, California, Freddie Trone forcefully rejected accusations that he had sent his 17-year-old son to rob and kill hip-hop artist PnB Rock in a Los Angeles restaurant in 2022.
During a tense cross-examination, Trone, visibly agitated, aimed his statements at Deputy District Attorney Timothy Richardson. “I understand you’re trying to put together your story,” Trone said. “I never had nothing to do with it. I wasn’t there. I didn’t tell nobody to do nothing. I didn’t hand nobody no gun.” Despite not being asked directly about his involvement, Trone’s repeated assertions highlighted his frustration with the line of questioning.
“How is this relevant to trying to tie me to something?” Trone questioned Richardson, later exclaiming, “for the fifth time!” when asked about encountering his son after the incident.
Trone, facing charges of murder, second-degree robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery, took the stand in his own defense in a rare move, being the sole defense witness. Acknowledging the severity of the crimes, Trone admitted that his son, who remains in the juvenile justice system and has yet to be tried, was “dangerous.”
Richardson seized on Trone’s admissions during his closing argument, emphasizing, “But you send your 17-year-old son with knowledge of the problems he possesses to do this?” He addressed the jury with incredulity, stressing the familial connection by repetitively referring to “his son” and “his biological son.”
PnB Rock, legally known as Rakim Allen, was a prominent Philadelphia rapper known for his 2016 hit “Selfish” and collaborations on popular tracks such as YFN Lucci’s “Everyday We Lit” and Ed Sheeran’s “Cross Me” featuring Chance the Rapper. Richardson reminded the jury that anyone who plays a major role in a felony, regardless of whether they pulled the trigger, can be charged with felony murder, citing “reckless indifference to human life.”
Describing the robbery as “inherently dangerous” and “up close and personal,” Richardson revisited the events of September 12, 2022, by showing surveillance footage to the jury. The video captured Trone in the parking lot of Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles about half an hour before the fatal incident. Trone claimed he was there promoting business for his nearby beauty shop.
Richardson also presented a surveillance image in which Trone’s co-defendant and friend, Tremont Jones, fist-bumps Allen, emphasizing the value of Allen’s jewelry. “Was there motive? Yes! Half-a-million dollar worth!” Jones has pleaded guilty to robbery and conspiracy charges, and prosecutors argue he tipped Trone off to Allen’s presence and jewelry.
Further footage showed Trone’s Buick Enclave dropping off Trone’s son near the restaurant and picking him up shortly afterward. Trone claimed that his keys and vehicle had gone missing before the shooting, and he later found his son and the SUV with three other youths.
As the defense prepared for its closing arguments, they aimed to point out the lack of direct evidence tying Trone to the crime scene, plans to argue that the positioning of the boy in the car indicates multiple individuals were present. Video from inside the restaurant during the shooting, though not fully revealing the moment of the killing due to a dividing wall, provided crucial context.
Allen’s mother, who was present in the courtroom and visibly distressed, exited before a photo of her deceased son was displayed to the jury. Witnesses testified about a masked individual demanding jewelry before shots were fired. Allen was struck once in the chest and twice in the back. While Allen had a gun, prosecutors maintained that it was not used.
Trone’s attorney, Winston McKesson, is expected to argue that the prosecution lacks concrete evidence directly implicating Trone in the planning or execution of the robbery and murder. Highlighting the absence of communication records discussing Allen or the robbery, no proof of Trone’s presence at the scene, and the lack of recovered jewelry or a firearm, McKesson criticized the prosecution’s approach.
McKesson also contended that racial bias influenced the charges against Trone. “Had my defendant not lived in this area, had he not been African American, there’s no way they would’ve filed murder charges,” McKesson argued outside the courthouse. “Had this crime been in Beverly Hills, he would’ve been charged as an accessory after the fact and that’s it.”
The defense will make its final case to the jury on Tuesday, aiming to dismantle the prosecution’s narrative and cast doubt on Trone’s involvement in the tragic killing of PnB Rock.
