Suspect in julio foolio murder case requests separate trial or independent jury

Rashad Murphy's lawyers file for a separate trial in the Foolio murder case, citing concerns over prejudicial evidence involving other suspects.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 7, 2026, 3:41 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from XXL Mag

Legal Maneuvers for Trial Severance

In a significant development within the high profile murder case of rapper Julio Foolio, legal counsel for Rashad Murphy submitted a supplemental memorandum on Thursday. The filing explicitly requests that Murphy be tried separately from his four codefendants or, as an alternative, be granted a distinct jury. This move follows a February hearing where the court deliberated on the motion without reaching a final decision. The defense team is pushing for this separation to ensure a trial process that focuses solely on the evidence directly related to Murphy rather than the collective actions of the group.

Evidence Admissibility Concerns

The core of the recent memorandum addresses a potential judicial ruling regarding the admissibility of "inextricably intertwined" evidence. Specifically, Murphy’s attorneys are concerned that the prosecution may introduce details from a separate shooting incident involving his codefendants. They contend that under Florida law, a defendant specific analysis is required to prevent "spillover prejudice," where a jury might wrongly associate one defendant with the separate criminal acts of another. The defense argues that such evidence is not relevant to Murphy and would violate his right to a fair and impartial trial.

Case Background and Codefendants

Rashad Murphy is among five individuals charged in connection with the June 2024 ambush in Tampa that resulted in the death of the Jacksonville artist. The other suspects named in the case include Alicia Andrews, Isaiah Chance, Sean Gathright, and Davion Murphy. The incident occurred while Foolio was celebrating his birthday, with reports indicating he was targeted by three masked gunmen. While the legal process for the other suspects continues, Alicia Andrews was already convicted of manslaughter in October 2025 and is currently awaiting a delayed sentencing hearing scheduled for December.