JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The attorney for a controversial Jacksonville rapper wants the prosecutor removed from his case.
Charles Jones, known as rapper Julio Foolio, was arrested in April on charges of a window tint violation and fleeing and eluding police.
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Body camera video obtained by News4JAX shows a state prosecutor standing outside and looking into Rapper Julio Foolio’s car. Her presence at the scene of his April arrest prompted Foolio’s attorney to file a motion asking a judge to remove her from the case.
Foolio is known for his controversial rap videos with details about Jacksonville murders. Some of those cases are unsolved.
Foolio’s arrest report shows undercover detectives pulled him over for a window tint violation. He was then charged with fleeing and eluding police.
In the back of a patrol car, a detective asked Foolio about his best friend’s murder.
Detective: Alright, so I didn’t want to bring it up. I know you’re going to be upset, um, ****… some detectives want to talk to you real quick about what happened to ****.”
Foolio’s motion to disqualify the Assistant State Attorney accuses the prosecutor of participating in the on-scene investigation and discriminating against Foolio, who “has already suffered consequences.”
In a motion to suppress, Foolio’s attorney said the prosecutor illegally seized evidence from the scene without a warrant.
The prosecutor’s conversation with detectives at the scene was recorded on body camera.
Detective: How do you want me to put that in personal property? He said evidence.
Prosecutor: Yes. It is evidence. We have circumstances right now where his action (inaudible).
Detective: Cameras are still on.
Prosecutor: As well as the phones.
Detective: We’re taking the phones as well?
The state filed a response to Foolio’s motion to remove the prosecutor, saying Foolio is the figurehead of the criminal gang 6 Block.
It adds that the prosecutor is one of three attorneys assigned to the Proactive Targeted Prosecution Unit. The prosecutor has been a part of the unit since 2017, where she is assigned to prosecute documented members of 6 Block.
The state said it is common for prosecutors to show up at crime scenes. Officials said the prosecutor did not participate in an investigatory type of role or collect evidence illegally.
The state’s response said the defense has made unsupported accusations about the prosecutor and does not provide grounds for disqualification.
Foolio’s attorney believes the prosecutor should be considered a witness. The state argues she cannot be a witness because she was not there when the alleged crime initially happened.
Foolio’s next court date is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, regarding a ruling on recent motions filed in his case.
Foolio’s attorney is not the first to request a different prosecutor in a case involving a rapper with local gang ties.
In March, a judge denied a motion to remove a prosecutor in the case of Hakeem Robinson, aka Ksoo. Robinson is in jail on two different first-degree murder charges.