Warden Says Foolio Murderer Shouldn't Get Death Penalty So He Can Be Put To Work

BY Erika Marie
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Foolio-via-HNHH
Foolio via HNHH
Four people were convicted of rapper Foolio's murder, and while prosecutors want the death penalty, a warden has other ideas.

As we approach the two-year anniversary of the murder of rapper Foolio, more information has developed about his case. The Florida artist was ambushed outside of a hotel as he celebrated his birthday in his home state in June 2024. Foolio, real name Charles Jones II, was killed in Tampa after three people ran up on him in a parking lot.

Four people were later convicted (ages at the time of the crime): Davion Murphy, 27; Isaiah Chance Jr., 21; Sean Gathright, 18; and Rashad Murphy, 30. A woman, Alicia Andrews, was also arrested and convicted of manslaughter. According to CourtTV, the perpetrators executed the rapper in connection with gang wars in Jacksonville. Prosecutors are reportedly asking for the death penalty in each case, but in the case of Gathright, a prison warden spoke to the judge, stating that he didn't want the killer to face death row. Instead, because he is a "healthy" young man, he should be given life so he can be put to work.

Read More: First Of Five Foolio Murder Suspects Finally Faces Trial

Warden Speaks To The Court

“He’s someone that’s young, he’s healthy," the warden said. "In reality, we need that labor, we need that sweat equity, and we will put him out there to work, because we do have an aging prison population, jail administration, so we put these young individuals to work and get some sweat equity out of them since they are young and can actually do the work.”

In the clip shared by Law & Crime, the warden went on to say that if Gathright receives life in prison, he will be assigned an inmate number. He added that when the "inmate" dies and leaves in a "body bag," he will still have that number. "An inmate serving life will never, ever get out. There's no parole in the state of Florida, and they're not ever allowed outside of the razor wire fence of a secure facility."

Meanwhile, it was recently reported that Gathright expressed guilt for his involvement in Foolio's murder.

“I’m not here to dispute anything. I’m here to be a man and take responsibility and express my feelings about this whole situation,” Gathright said this week while taking the stand. “I feel very remorseful, you know, this is a terrible situation. It’s been a traumatic experience.”

The four men were found guilty on ranging charges from first-degree murder to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Check out the clip below of the warden speaking to the court.

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming the Co-Head of Original Content. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, and Amy Luciani—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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