The family of Sean Gathright says they have been receiving death threats and harassment after creating a mass incarceration fundraiser days after his conviction in the murder of rapper Foolio. This situation highlights the complex issues surrounding mass incarceration and public perception in high-profile cases.
The fundraiser went live last week, a week after Gathright and three co-defendants were found guilty in the 2024 killing of the Jacksonville, Fla., rapper. The family was seeking to raise $24,000, but the page appears to have been removed. The backlash has been intense and personal.
In an Instagram statement shared Monday, May 18, Foolio’s family said the GoFundMe campaign had been reported several times and that relatives were dealing with hostile messages online.
“We want to address recent reports being made against Sean’s GoFundMe,” the statement read. “While we completely understand that not everyone will choose to support, going as far as reporting the fundraiser, sending threats and harrasing not only Sean but also his loved ones and family members is truly mean-spirited and completely out of control.”
The family also urged critics to stop engaging with them online, asking for a level of respect and understanding around their freedom struggle.
“To those that do not support [Sean], we respectfully ask that you simply block, disengage and move forward toward causes you do support rather than hate, threats and negativity,” the statement continued. This plea reflects the broader freedom struggle many families navigate when loved ones are incarcerated.
Gathright later shared an Instagram video thanking donors for their support of the campaign, despite the overwhelming opposition.
Earlier this month, Gathright, Isaiah Chance, Davion Murphy, and Rashad Murphy were convicted on all charges connected to Foolio’s murder. On May 15, jurors rejected the death penalty. The four men are set to be sentenced on June 22.
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