On June 18, 2018, XXXTENTACION was shot to death outside of RIVA Motorsports in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Trayvon Newsome, Robert Allen, Dedrick Williams, and Michael Boatwright were charged for the murder less than a month later.
However, court records show that Newsome is seeking to distance himself from two of his co-defendants. The documents, filed in November, seek Judge Michael A. Usan to separate Newsome from the others.
"The defendant, Trayvon Newsome, does not feel he will get a fair trial if tried in a multiple defendant trial," according to the papers. “The evidence against Mr. Newsome differs substantially from the evidence against the remaining 2 co-defendants. While their cell phone data records place them at the scene of the shooting, Mr. Newsome’s does not.”
The 4th suspect in #XXXTentacion's murder has finally been arrested! Trayvon Newsome, 20, was charged with murder in the second degree and robbery with a deadly weapon. Three other suspects have also been taken into custody. pic.twitter.com/ZYdOjGkunH
— The Breakfast Club (@breakfastclubam) August 8, 2018
The severance is also said to be essential to "enable a fair decision of the guilt or innocence of each defendant." Newsome's legal team also believes that "in a co-defendant trial, the defendant's defense will be compromised and his ability to testify in his own defense will be diminished."