Lil Durk’s trial is approaching a pivotal moment as a federal judge has ruled that prosecutors can present one of the Chicago rapper’s own songs and its music video to jurors. Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, faces allegations tied to a deadly 2022 shooting targeting rapper Quando Rondo. With his federal trial scheduled to begin Thursday, Aug. 20, the ruling places a long-running debate over rap lyrics and criminal evidence squarely in focus.
Lil Durk Acquitted on All Counts in Murder-for-Hire Trial
Lil Durk was acquitted Friday, Sept. 11, on all counts in his federal murder-for-hire trial, bringing the closely watched case over the deadly 2022 Los Angeles shooting to a dramatic conclusion. The jury returned its verdict after three days of deliberations, clearing the Chicago rapper of the charges prosecutors brought against him.
Prosecutors had accused Durk of orchestrating and financing a plot to kill Quando Rondo in retaliation for the 2020 death of King Von. The August 2022 attack instead killed Rondo’s cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson. Durk’s defense maintained throughout the trial that former assistant Kavon “OTF Vonnie” Grant and others carried out the operation without the rapper’s knowledge, while attacking the credibility and motives of cooperating witnesses who testified for the government.
Durk became emotional as the verdict was announced, according to court coverage. His two co-defendants, Deandre “OTF Dede” Wilson and David “Browneyez” Lindsey, were also acquitted of the murder-for-hire allegations but were convicted on stalking-related charges.
The verdict does not mean Durk is immediately leaving federal custody. He remains detained because he faces a separate trial scheduled for Oct. 5 involving racketeering, murder-related and firearms allegations stemming from the superseding indictment that was severed from this case.
Lil Durk Jury Asks About Conspiracy and Intent During Deliberations
Jurors signaled Thursday, Sept. 10, that they were closely examining two central legal questions in Lil Durk’s case as deliberations entered their second day. The jury sent written notes to U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald seeking clarification about conspiracy and the meaning of “intent.”
One request asked the court to clarify concepts including conspiracy, who qualifies as a conspirator and what constitutes an overt act. Another focused on the requirement that prosecutors prove intent in a stalking-related charge connected to Saviay’a Robinson, who was killed even though prosecutors maintained Quando Rondo was the intended target.
Fitzgerald declined to create a new definition of intent for the jury and directed jurors back to the existing instructions and the word’s ordinary meaning. The jury also requested access to the evidence in digital form as it continued reviewing the government’s case against Durk and co-defendants Deandre Wilson and David Lindsey.
The questions came after deliberations began Wednesday, Sept. 9, following weeks of testimony from law enforcement officials, cooperating OTF associates, defense witnesses and experts. The jury ultimately deliberated for three days before returning its verdict.
Prosecutors and Lil Durk’s Defense Clash in Closing Arguments
Closing arguments began Tuesday, Sept. 8, with prosecutors portraying Lil Durk as the driving force behind a revenge plot while his attorneys argued that the government’s case depended on unreliable cooperating witnesses and left substantial reasonable doubt.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Yanniello told jurors that Durk wanted revenge following King Von’s death and argued that the rapper used his money and influence to set the alleged operation in motion. Prosecutors pointed to the travel arrangements, financial records, communications and testimony from cooperating witnesses as evidence connecting Durk to the men who traveled to California before the shooting. Yanniello argued that Durk “had his shooters on speed dial.”
Durk’s attorneys Brian Steel and Drew Findling offered a sharply different interpretation. They attacked the credibility of Kacey “OTF Jam” Hester and Kavon “OTF Vonnie” Grant, both of whom gave testimony implicating Durk after becoming cooperating witnesses. The defense argued that their accounts were motivated by efforts to reduce their own potential punishment and maintained that Grant, rather than Durk, was responsible for organizing the retaliation.
Steel particularly targeted Hester’s testimony, arguing that jurors should not rely on the admitted shooter’s account to convict Durk. The defense characterized the government’s evidence as filled with reasonable doubt and argued that grief, angry words or financial connections were not enough to prove Durk joined a murder-for-hire conspiracy. With both sides making their final appeals, the case was handed to jurors the following day.
Lil Durk’s Defense Pushes Back as Both Sides Rest Their Cases
Lil Durk’s murder-for-hire trial moved closer to a verdict Thursday, Sept. 3, as his attorneys called nine witnesses before the defense rested. Prosecutors also concluded their case, and Rolling Stone reported that jurors were ordered to return Tuesday for closing arguments.
One of the defense’s most notable witnesses was Lashawntay Hester, wife of cooperating witness Kasey “OTF Jam” Hester. Her testimony challenged her husband’s account of how he became involved in the California trip preceding the 2022 shooting. Jam previously testified that he was with his wife when Anthony “OTF Boonie Mo” Jones called about an urgent flight and that Durk could be heard on a separate call directing the travel. Lashawntay denied hearing such a conversation or Durk giving her husband those instructions.
The defense also called Shekema Springfield, who previously dated King Von and shares a son with him. Her testimony targeted the credibility of another government witness, Kavon “OTF Vonnie” Grant. Springfield said Grant helped manage Von’s finances and recalled asking him about Von’s killing. According to her testimony, Grant told her not to worry because he would “take care of it.”
Kevin Freeman, executive director of Durk’s Neighborhood Heroes nonprofit, also addressed the circumstances surrounding the rapper’s 2024 arrest. Freeman testified that he was the person who suggested Durk leave home and “lay low,” saying he feared a federal raid could traumatize Durk’s children. With testimony now complete, the closely watched case is headed toward closing arguments and jury deliberations.
OTF Vonnie Gives Jurors His Account of Lil Durk’s Alleged Role
Before Durk’s defense presented its witnesses, Kavon “OTF Vonnie” Grant delivered some of the prosecution’s most direct testimony linking the rapper to the alleged murder-for-hire plot. Grant, Durk’s former personal assistant and a cooperating witness, testified about both the 2022 Los Angeles shooting and what he described as an earlier attempt to target Quando Rondo.
Grant claimed Durk set the 2022 operation in motion after learning Rondo would be in Los Angeles. He testified that Durk instructed him to obtain a stolen vehicle and said OTF associates traveling from Chicago should fly into San Diego rather than Los Angeles in an effort to avoid detection. Rolling Stone reported that Grant acknowledged obtaining the white Infiniti allegedly used by the gunmen and riding in the rented BMW that followed Rondo.
Grant also testified about what he described as an earlier effort to target Rondo in Georgia. According to Complex, Grant said discussions about locating Rondo began at King Von’s family home shortly after Von was killed in November 2020. When the group later learned Rondo had an upcoming Georgia performance, Grant claimed Durk instructed him to “put it together.” Grant said he subsequently obtained stolen vehicles and traveled with others to Georgia, where an unsuccessful attack allegedly took place in May 2021.
His testimony directly challenged Durk’s defense, which has portrayed Grant as the person who orchestrated the retaliation. Grant rejected that theory, while Durk’s attorneys have emphasized his cooperation with prosecutors and questioned his credibility.
OTF Jam Admits He Was a Shooter and Testifies Against Lil Durk
Kacey “OTF Jam” Hester delivered some of the trial’s most consequential testimony on Aug. 26 and Aug, 27. He admitted that he was one of three masked gunmen who opened fire on Quando Rondo’s vehicle during the August 2022 shooting. Rondo survived, but his cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson, was killed. Hester has pleaded guilty to Robinson’s murder, according to Courthouse News.
Hester implicated Durk directly, claiming the rapper was behind the alleged effort to kill Rondo. He testified that Durk offered a bounty of either $500,000 or $1 million for Rondo’s killing. Hester said he never received the promised payout, although he later received $10,000 for recording a track with Durk.
Hester also described the shooting itself. He said the gunmen fired at Rondo’s vehicle before fleeing in a stolen car and later switching vehicles. Hester testified that Durk was on the phone afterward asking whether anyone had been hit and how many shots had been fired. His decision to cooperate also came under intense scrutiny. Hester began speaking with authorities after a 2023 gun arrest that threatened to send him back to prison for violating parole.
While in custody, he passed a note to authorities stating that he knew about murders. Durk’s attorney Brian Steel pressed Hester on whether his cooperation was motivated by hopes of getting out of prison sooner. Hester denied being promised leniency and said he could still receive a life sentence. The testimony became personal when Hester said he still loved Durk but had lost respect for him. He also expressed remorse over his own involvement, describing Robinson as an innocent person who had nothing to do with his dispute.
Latest Update as Lil Durk’s Murder-for-Hire Trial Begins
Lil Durk’s murder-for-hire trial opened Monday, Aug. 24, with prosecutors presenting surveillance footage, financial records and testimony tracing the hours surrounding the 2022 shooting that killed Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson. Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, appeared in the Los Angeles courtroom supported by family and friends, including his wife, India Royale, father Dontay “Big Durk” Banks, MGK, Dreezy and actor Gianni Paolo. Robinson’s mother also attended.
Prosecutors allege Durk orchestrated the attack targeting rapper Quando Rondo, whose real name is Tyquian Bowman, in retaliation for King Von’s 2020 killing. The defense instead identified Kavon “OTF Vonnie” Grant as the alleged mastermind.
Jurors heard a frantic 911 call and saw footage showing two vehicles allegedly following the Escalade carrying Rondo, Robinson and two others. Surveillance later showed three men approaching the vehicle near a Mobil gas station on Beverly Boulevard before gunfire erupted. Former Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Luis Cavillo described administering CPR to Robinson, while footage captured the 24-year-old struggling to breathe as Rondo shouted nearby. A medical examiner testified that a bullet lodged between Robinson’s pericardium and heart caused a fatal injury.
Prosecutors also presented GPS records from a rented BMW, airline purchases made with an American Express card connected to Durk and a receipt for four black ski masks. The BMW was allegedly returned by Grant the day after the shooting. The evidence marks the first look at how prosecutors intend to connect Durk to the alleged plot, while his attorneys maintain another OTF associate was responsible.
Update: Judge Allows 6ix9ine Clip in Lil Durk Trial
Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald ruled Tuesday night, Aug. 18, that prosecutors can introduce a YouTube clip featuring Tekashi 6ix9ine discussing King Von during Lil Durk’s murder-for-hire trial. The exhibit comes from a 2021 DJ Akademiks interview in which 6ix9ine criticized Durk for allegedly not retaliating after Von’s death.
Prosecutors argued the interview contributed to public pressure on Durk to seek revenge. They allege the rapper later arranged and financed a 2022 Los Angeles shooting targeting Quando Rondo, whose cousin Saviay’a Robinson was killed.
Durk’s attorneys opposed the clip’s admission, arguing their client had never seen the interview. Fitzgerald’s ruling clears the prosecution to present it as evidence when the case goes before jurors.
Lil Durk Trial Will Feature His Music as Evidence
During a Thursday, Aug. 13 pretrial hearing, prosecutors revealed they have 35 witnesses prepared for the case, including 20 they consider key witnesses, per Rolling Stone. They also argued that Durk’s 2021 song “Pissed Me Off” could help establish his alleged intent to seek revenge following the death of his friend and fellow rapper King Von. Durk is scheduled to return to court for his final pretrial hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 18. Von, whose real name was Dayvon Bennett, was killed during a November 2020 shooting. The incident happened outside an Atlanta nightclub. It occurred after an altercation involving associates of Quando Rondo, whose real name is Tyquian Bowman.
Durk’s defense challenged the government’s interpretation of “Pissed Me Off”. They argued that the song reflected his emotions following the death of his brother, Dontay “DThang” Banks, rather than an intention to retaliate over Von’s killing. The judge nevertheless ruled that prosecutors may show the “Pissed Me Off” music video to jurors.
The ruling puts Durk’s case in the middle of a yearslong battle over using rap lyrics as criminal evidence. According to Billboard, prosecutors have cited hip-hop lyrics in more than 800 cases over the past four decades. This practice has drawn criticism from artists, academics and industry groups. They argue that creative expression can be wrongly treated as a literal confession.
California became the first state to restrict the practice in 2022, requiring creative expression to be directly relevant and not inject racial bias into proceedings. The federal RAP Act, which would impose additional restrictions, was reintroduced in Congress in 2025 but remains pending. Durk’s case has already tested those boundaries.
In February, a judge allowed prosecutors to use lyrics from “Who Want Smoke??” and “Ahhh Ha” to argue motive but excluded lyrics that merely portrayed his associates as violent without a direct connection to the case. The latest ruling involving “Pissed Me Off” pushes that debate further.
Prosecutors Accuse Durk of Financing a Murder-for-Hire Plot
The case centers on an August 2022 shooting in Los Angeles that prosecutors say was intended to kill Quando Rondo. Rondo’s cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson, was killed when gunmen opened fire on Rondo’s vehicle near the Beverly Center. At least 18 rounds were fired, according to the case allegations. Federal prosecutors allege Durk arranged for Rondo to be killed. They believe it was done in retaliation for Von’s death. They claim he used his own money and funds connected to his Only the Family record label to finance the operation.
Five OTF associates allegedly traveled from Chicago to California before the shooting. Prosecutors have pointed to travel arrangements, hotel expenses and other records as part of their case. One text attributed to Durk instructed an associate, “Don’t book no flights under no names involved wit [sic] me.” Durk and five OTF associates were ultimately charged in connection with the alleged murder-for-hire conspiracy. He pleaded not guilty in November 2024.
His lawyers have repeatedly sought his release while awaiting trial. One proposed bond package included $2.3 million in home equity and $1 million in cash. A later offer increased the package to $4.5 million. Both attempts were unsuccessful. U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald denied the later request, finding that “no combination of conditions would reasonably assure that the rapper would show up for future court dates or reasonably assure the safety of any other person and the community.” Prosecutors announced in June 2025 that they would not seek the death penalty.
New Racketeering Charges Will Be Handled Separately
Durk’s legal fight became more complicated in June 2026 when prosecutors filed a third superseding indictment accusing him and his associates of violations of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering Activity statute (VICAR). The government alleged that Durk operated a criminal organization called the “Banks Gang Enterprise.” Prosecutors claim it offered money and music opportunities in exchange for violence against his rivals. The indictment also revisited the 2019 Atlanta shooting and the killing of Mack.
The Grammy-Award-winning Chicago rapper’s attorneys responded by seeking to dismiss the new charges or have them separated from the approaching murder-for-hire trial. On July 14, the judge granted severance. This means the VICAR allegations will be addressed in a separate proceeding.
The defense has previously accused prosecutors of presenting misleading information about the father-of-seven’s music. In an earlier effort to dismiss the case, his attorneys disputed claims surrounding lyrics from his appearance on a Babyface Ray song. They maintained that Durk wrote those lyrics seven months before the shooting prosecutors sought to connect them to.
The coming trial will focus on more than the government’s interpretation of Durk’s music. Jurors are expected to hear from dozens of witnesses and consider extensive digital and documentary evidence. This evidence was gathered during an investigation that has already produced hundreds of gigabytes of discovery. As the Aug. 20 trial begins, jurors will ultimately have to decide whether the song reveals something about the government’s allegations or remains what his defense says it was: an artist expressing grief through music.
