Lil Durk Found Not Guilty in Federal Murder-for-Hire Trial

A federal jury in Los Angeles returned a not guilty verdict on Friday for Grammy-winning artist Durk Banks, known professionally as Lil Durk, clearing him of murder-for-hire, conspiracy, and stalking resulting in death. The charges were related to the 2022 fatal shooting of Saviay’a Robinson, the cousin of fellow rapper Quando Rondo, at the Beverly Center shopping mall.

Prosecutors had argued that Banks directed hitmen to target Tyquian Bowman, also known as Quando Rondo, seeking retribution for the 2020 killing of his friend Dayvon Bennett, the late rapper King Von. However, prosecutors stated that three gunmen instead opened fire with 18 rounds on the vehicle carrying Bowman and Robinson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Yanniello asserted that while Banks was not physically present, the crime would not have occurred without his leadership and financial backing.

The defense, led by attorneys Brian Steel and Drew Findling, aggressively challenged the credibility of the prosecution’s key witnesses. The government’s case relied heavily on testimony from three cooperating witnesses: Kacey Hester, also known as OTF Jam; Keith Jones; and Banks’ former assistant, Kavon Grant. Findling accused Grant of manipulating law enforcement and the court, telling jurors, “It is time for you to say … ‘He will not manipulate us.'” Steel characterized the witnesses as unreliable informants motivated by the prospect of reduced sentences.

Co-defendants Deandre Wilson and David Lindsey, who were alleged to be among the shooters, were convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit stalking, stalking using a dangerous weapon, and stalking resulting in death, but were also acquitted of the murder-for-hire counts. Wilson’s legal team had maintained that he was merely a passenger in the vehicle during the incident.

The high-profile trial drew significant public attention, with crowds of supporters and celebrities, including Kanye West and MGK, gathering outside the courthouse. The case stemmed from a physical altercation in Atlanta in 2020 between Bennett and Bowman outside a hookah lounge, which ultimately led to Bennett being fatally shot by an associate of Bowman.

Banks, 32, remains one of the most prominent figures in the Chicago drill music scene, with a discography that includes five solo albums debuting in the top five of the Billboard 200. His 2023 track “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole, reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 and won the Grammy for best melodic rap performance earlier this year.