Florida Prosecutor Tells Julio Foolio Capital Murder Jury About Drill Rap

The lead prosecutor in the death penalty trial of four men accused of murder rapper Julio Foolio told the jury this morning that his subgenre drill rape "is a different type of rap."

Rival gangs perform drill rap "where the opposing gangs' casualties — people in those gangs that had been murdered — would be demeaned, mentioned, ridiculed, made fun of, to elevate the gang making the video," said Scott Harmon, an assistant state attorney in Hillsborough County, Florida.

"What is more incendiary, they would speak specifically to members of the opposing gang who had been murdered in sarcastic lyrics, traveling, in some instances, to gravesites, whether it was the gravesite of that person who was actually killed, or some other gravesite that would stand in," Harmon said. "In addition to the drill rap, they would post photos on social media making fun of the opposing gang's casualties."

Prosecutors say Isaiah Jermaine Chance, Sean Andre Gathright, Rashad Trey’Vionne Murphy and Davion Vershard Murphy traveled from Jacksonville to Tampa on June 22, 2024, in two cars to find and kill Julio Foolio, legal name Charles Jones Jr., who was in Tampa celebrating his 26th birthday.The men face the death penalty if convicted in the weeks-long trial that opened today (Wednesday, April 22) in Judge Michelle Sisco's courtroom in Florida's 13th Judicial Circuit in Tampa.

Police say Jones was a member of a street gang called 6 Block, which has a long-standing feud with gangs including Ace's Top Killers, whose most prominent member is rapper Keyanta Tyrone "Yungeen Ace" Bullard.

A separate jury convicted a fifth defendant, Alicia LaToya Andrews, of manslaughter on Oct. 31. She's still awaiting sentencing after Florida’s 2nd District Court of Appeal recused Judge Sisco at the request of Andrews' lawyer Jeremy McLymont, who cited the judge's “hostile comments” and “obvious bias.”

Andrews, who is Chance's girlfriend, faces a maximum 15 years in prison for manslaughter; jurors acquitted her of first-degree murder and conspiracy. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty against her like they are against the four men.

Jones was shot several times in Houston, Texas, in July 2023, and testimony in Andrews’ trial established that the same firearm that injured him then was used to murder him a year later.

Видео Florida Prosecutor Tells Julio Foolio Capital Murder Jury About Drill Rap канала Meghann Cuniff