Grammy winning rapper Lil Durk has been acquitted of all charges in a federal murder for hire case involving the fatal shooting of a rival rapper’s cousin in Los Angeles.
The Chicago based recording artist, whose legal name is Durk Devontay Banks, was cleared on Friday after a jury deliberated for three days. He had faced five felony charges, including murder for hire resulting in death and conspiracy. A conviction could have resulted in a life sentence.
Banks was arrested in 2024 and accused of arranging a revenge attack against rapper Quando Rondo, whose real name is Tyquian Bowman. The incident occurred in August 2022 at a petrol station in Los Angeles, where a vehicle carrying Bowman came under gunfire. Although Bowman survived the attack, his cousin, Saviay’a Robinson, was killed.
Following the verdict, supporters gathered outside the Los Angeles courthouse and celebrated the rapper’s acquittal. His defence lawyer, Drew Findling, said Banks was thankful for the outcome.
Despite being cleared in the case, however, Banks remains in custody because he is facing a separate prosecution. His second trial is scheduled for October 5 and will involve racketeering murder and firearms charges.
First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli expressed disappointment over the verdict and said prosecutors remained prepared to pursue the second case.
“While we are disappointed with the jury’s decision regarding Durk Banks, a.k.a. Lil Durk, we look forward to presenting our evidence at his second trial,” Essayli said in a statement.
The three week trial involved two other defendants, Deandre “OTF Dede” Wilson and David “Browneyez” Lindsey. The pair were convicted of stalking and conspiracy to commit stalking, although they were acquitted of the murder for hire allegations.
Prosecutors relied heavily on the testimony of three cooperating witnesses, Kavon “OTF Vonnie” Grant, Keith “Flacka” Jones and Kacey “OTF Jam” Hester. The witnesses had entered plea agreements and testified against Banks, Wilson and Lindsey.
The case arose from allegations that Banks had sought revenge for the 2020 killing of Chicago rapper King Von, who was affiliated with Banks’ Only the Family, or OTF, collective. King Von was killed during an early morning exchange of gunfire in Atlanta.
A friend of Quando Rondo was initially charged in connection with King Von’s death, but the charges were subsequently dropped. Rondo himself was never arrested or charged in that case.
Federal prosecutors alleged that Banks had made it known he would pay a bounty to anyone who killed Rondo. They argued that the rapper had been influenced by pressure on social media to retaliate for King Von’s death.
Banks established OTF in 2010 and has since become one of the most commercially successful figures in contemporary hip hop. He has placed seven albums in the top five of the United States Billboard chart since 2019 and has collaborated with major artists, including Drake and J Cole.
In 2024, he won the Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance for “All My Life,” a song featuring J Cole. He has also received three additional Grammy nominations.
