Trial delayed for suspected Jacksonville gang members charged in 2020 murder
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Hakeem Robinson, a rapper known as 'KSOO,' Abdul Robinson, Jr., and Leroy Whitaker, Jr., all went before a Duval County judge after their lawyers requested to push their trial back from its original March start date because of scheduling conflicts.
The judge allowed the start of the trial to begin with jury selection on July 21st. The final pretrial hearing will be held on July 7th and the next pretrial hearing will be held on March 13th.
Police reports say McCormick, Jr., was found shot to death in a shopping mall on Merrill Road in Jacksonville's Arlington neighborhood in January 2020. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says his murder was captured on dash cam video and shows him being chased through the parking lot before being shot and killed with a rifle.
Action News Jax told you in 2023 when Hakeem Robinson and Abdul Robinson, Jr.'s father, Abdul Robinson, Sr., blamed one of his sons in McCormick, Jr.'s murder. Robinson, Sr., is charged with accessory after the fact in connection to McCormick, Jr.'s murder after police say he helped Hakeem get away. Officers say it was all caught on video.
This is what Robinson, Sr., told lawyers in a police interrogation room after looking over video of McCormick, Jr.'s death:
Assistant State Attorney: 'Now when you watch that video of the murder of Charles McCormack did you recognize the shooter?'
Robinson, Sr.: 'Yes sir.'
Assistant State Attorney: 'Who was the shooter in that video?'
Robinson, Sr.: 'Hakeem Robinson.'
Assistant State Attorney: 'Your son, Hakeem Robinson.'
Robinson, Sr.: 'Yes, sir.'
After being arrested in 2020 for McCormick, Jr.'s murder, Hakeem Robinson was arrested in 2021, while in jail, for the murder of 16-year-old Adrian Gainer at an apartment complex in 2019.
The next pretrial hearing for Hakeem Robinson in Gainer's murder case will be held on March 13th, the same day as the next pretrial hearing in the other case.
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