Chicago‑born rapper Durk Devontay Banks, known as Lil Durk, was acquitted on Friday of all five felony charges in a federal murder‑for‑hire case that alleged he plotted the killing of a man shot dead in a daytime ambush in Los Angeles four years ago.
The trial, which lasted three days, centered on a fatal shooting at a petrol station in August 2022. A car carrying rival rapper Quando Rondo (Tyquian Bowman) was fired upon; Bowman survived, but his cousin Saviay’a Robinson was killed. Prosecutors said Banks had offered a bounty to anyone who would kill Bowman in revenge for the 2020 murder of Chicago OTF rapper King Von.
Defence lawyer Drew Findling said Banks was “thankful” following the verdict. Although the rapper was cleared of these charges, he remains in custody and faces a separate trial on 5 October on racketeering murder and firearms charges.
Supporters cheered outside the Los Angeles courthouse after the verdict, while First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said the government would present evidence at the second trial. Two co‑defendants, Deandre “OTF Dede” Wilson and David “Browneyez” Lindsey, were convicted of stalking and conspiracy to commit stalking but acquitted of murder‑for‑hire.
The case relied on testimony from three cooperating witnesses who reached plea deals. Banks, who founded OTF in 2010, won the 2024 Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance for “All My Life” featuring J Cole and has been nominated three other times.
As the court’s decision clears him of the murder‑for‑hire allegations, fans and observers will now turn to the upcoming racketeering trial to see what the next chapter in Banks’ legal saga will bring.
