JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville rapper Hakeem “Ksoo” Robinson and his cousin Leroy Whitaker Jr. were sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday for the 2020 murder of 23-year-old Charles “Lil Buck” McCormick Jr.
Robinson and Whitaker were each found guilty of first-degree murder and plan to appeal their convictions.
Yolanda Perkins, Charles McCormick Jr.’s mom, approached the judge with the state attorney to have her statement read before the two were sentenced.
“In 1996, a bright light entered the world,” the statement started. “People remember him not for his struggles but for his kindness and the way he lifted others up [...] His loss has left an immeasurable void in the hearts of those who knew him and loved him. His life was taken unjustly, and the ripple effect of the act that has changed forever changed this family, friends and community.”
Perkins said the case was a “painful reminder” that her son lost his life “simply for saying something others didn’t like.”
She turned her message to the community.
“We pray that this moment causes reflection. One reckless moment, one decision can destroy many lives, including your own. As a community, we must take a stand against music and messages that glorify real violence and the lost of innocent lives.”
Robinson’s brother, Abdul Robinson Jr., is also charged in McCormick’s murder and will be tried separately.
Trial recap
The high-profile murder case drew national attention amid deep tensions in Jacksonville’s rap and gang communities.
According to testimony from their father, both Robinson brothers were members of the group ATK and were enemies with a rival group, 6Block, of which McCormick was a member.
According to prosecutors, the motive for McCormick’s murder involved a “diss” track McCormick had created about Abdul Robinson Sr.’s stepson, Willie Addison, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2019.
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Christopher Smith, the lead investigator in the McCormick murder case, acknowledged on the stand that the rap song “Ksoo Homicide” and an Instagram post with McCormick’s photo and the words “bye bye” were both considered key pieces of evidence in his investigation.
But the defense countered, saying the case wasn’t about gang retaliation — it was about prosecutors misinterpreting music and turning performers into criminals.
“Posting ‘Bye Bye Bye,’ that could just be a reflection of him disliking the guy,” Robinson’s attorney Christopher Decoste said.
Decoste also questioned why McCormick could rap about Addison’s death without being treated as a suspect, but Robinson’s lyrics were being used against him.
Dominique “Butta” Barner, who was offered a plea deal, testified about being the getaway driver on the day of the shooting. Barner and Robinson’s father, Abdul Robinson Sr., both said that Hakeem Robinson wanted to kill McCormick over the diss song.
Smith summarized his investigation into McCormick’s death, explaining how he said he used surveillance video, dash cam video, witness accounts, and evidence -- including shell casings, weapons, a stolen car, cellphone records and social media accounts -- to identify McCormick’s killers.
Prosecutors also had witnesses testify about the day of the shooting in Dames Pointe Plaza on Merrill Road, which took place as McCormick was leaving a staffing agency after receiving his job assignment.
An off-duty JSO officer, another state witness, testified that minutes after the shooting, he saw a silver Nissan speed away from the scene.
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He followed the car, later identifying a man in all black getting out, possibly holding a rifle. But the defense said neither witness could see the shooter’s face and questioned their descriptions.
Another woman who took the stand described finding two men standing in her Arlington home. She said they held her down and didn’t let her leave, then took clothes and a cellphone from the home before getting into a Charger-style vehicle.
She described the two men as “tattoo dude” and “squirrelly dude.” She said the man with the tattoos had “1993″ tattooed on his arm.
She identified Barner, who was born in 1993, but said she never saw the other man’s face. Prosecutors say that was Whitaker.
On the stand, Hakeem Robinson’s father identified him as a person captured in a video recording of the shooting, but his sister said it wasn’t him in the video.
“Hell no,” his sister said when she saw the video. “I call him fat, sloth-footed, two left feet. I call him stocky and tall — he’s a giant to me.”
Her description painted a different picture from what witnesses said of the shooter on Jan. 15, 2020.
Witnesses, including one of the JSO officers who chased the alleged shooter, described McCormick’s killer as 5 feet, 8 inches to 5 feet, 9 inches tall and slender.
Again, defense attorneys pointed out throughout the trial that Hakeem Robinson stands well over 6 feet.
But the state argued that size descriptions might have varied on the day of the shooting because the shooter was in motion, and it was a chaotic scene.
“Remember, the shooter isn’t going to stop and say, ‘Measure me.’ He’s running and gunning,” prosecutors said during closing arguments.
Neither Hakeem Robinson nor Whitaker testified in their own defense.
Whitaker’s jury deliberated for a little less than two hours, and Robinson’s jury -- made up of seven white women and five white men -- deliberated for almost four hours.
Both men were found guilty.
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State Attorney Melissa Nelson released a statement on the guilty verdicts of Robinson and Whitaker.
Five years ago, Hakeem Robinson and Leroy Whitaker stalked a man and gunned him down in broad daylight because of disputes and drill rap. Today, a jury held them accountable for their brazen crimes. This was an incredible effort by law enforcement and our team that takes two killers off our streets. Thank you to the jury for their time and dedication.
State Attorney Melissa Nelson
Hakeem Robinson is facing a separate murder trial for the 2019 shooting death of 16-year-old Adrian “Lil Bibby” Gainer Jr.