Lil Durk Acquitted in Federal Murder-for-Hire Trial, Remains in Custody

Lil Durk acquitted after a federal jury rejected murder-for-hire and related charges tied to a deadly 2022 Los Angeles shooting, but a separate racketeering prosecution keeps the Grammy-winning Chicago rapper in custody.

LOS ANGELES — Grammy-winning rapper Lil Durk has been acquitted of federal murder-for-hire and related charges in a closely watched Los Angeles trial, delivering a major legal victory for the Chicago artist after nearly two years in custody.

A federal jury on September 11 found Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, not guilty of conspiracy, murder-for-hire and stalking resulting in death charges connected to a 2022 shooting that targeted rapper Quando Rondo. Rondo was not killed in the attack, but his cousin Saviay’a Robinson, known as Lul Pab, was fatally shot.

Jurors deliberated for three days before returning the verdict. Co-defendants Deandre Wilson and David Lindsey were convicted on stalking-related counts but, like Durk, were acquitted of murder-for-hire.

Federal prosecutors had alleged that the shooting was retaliation connected to the 2020 killing of Durk’s friend and fellow Chicago rapper King Von. Von was killed following a confrontation involving Rondo’s entourage. Durk denied wrongdoing and contested the government’s case at trial.

The courtroom proceedings attracted attention well beyond legal circles because Durk entered the case as one of Chicago drill music’s most commercially successful figures. Supporters attending the trial included fellow musicians Ye and Machine Gun Kelly.

A Separate Case Keeps Durk in Custody

The acquittal, however, does not mean Durk is immediately returning home.

The rapper remains in federal custody while awaiting a separate racketeering trial. Prosecutors said after the verdict that they were disappointed by the jury’s decision in the murder-for-hire case and were preparing for the upcoming prosecution.

A Career Interrupted at a Commercial Peak

Durk has been jailed since his 2024 arrest, interrupting a career that had reached new mainstream heights. His J. Cole collaboration “All My Life” won Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 2024 Grammy Awards, giving Durk his first Grammy.

The September verdict therefore closes one of the most serious cases hanging over the rapper without a conviction, while leaving his broader legal situation unresolved. The acquittal applies to the Los Angeles murder-for-hire prosecution and should not be confused with the separate racketeering case still before the federal courts.

Vision Newspaper will continue to follow that case as it develops.

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