Topline: A federal jury cleared Lil Durk in a fatal Los Angeles shooting case, but a separate racketeering trial is keeping him in custody.
Published: September 15, 2026 7:04 am ET
Shawn Fletcher
Committed to the craft of journalism and am driven by my desire to inform and inspire.
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Lil Durk (via Instagram)
LOS ANGELES, CA — Rapper Lil Durk was acquitted September 11 in a federal murder-for-hire trial involving a shooting that killed rival rapper Quando Rondo’s cousin, but he remains jailed awaiting a separate racketeering trial.
Jurors deliberated for three days before finding the 33-year-old Chicago artist not guilty of conspiracy, stalking resulting in death and murder for hire, according to Associated Press reporting published by KFOR. The two-week trial took place in downtown Los Angeles.
Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, has been in custody since his 2024 arrest. The racketeering count was separated from the charges heard in this trial, leaving another prosecution unresolved despite his acquittal.
Two Co-Defendants Convicted on Stalking Counts
Co-defendants Deandre Wilson and David Lindsey were also acquitted of murder for hire. Both, however, were convicted of conspiracy to commit stalking, stalking using a dangerous weapon and stalking resulting in death.
Wilson’s attorney, Craig Harbaugh, welcomed the murder-for-hire acquittal and said a pending motion sought acquittal on the remaining counts. In an updated AP report carried by FOX 8, Lindsey’s attorney, Tillet Mills, likewise welcomed that portion of the verdict and said September 12 that the defense would continue its fight. Durk’s attorneys did not immediately respond to AP’s requests for comment.
The Shooting That Killed Saviay’a Robinson
The prosecution alleged that Durk financed an effort to kill Rondo in retaliation for the 2020 death of rapper King Von. Someone in Rondo’s entourage had fatally shot Von at an Atlanta nightclub, according to prosecutors. Von was Durk’s close friend and belonged to his Only The Family hip-hop collective.
Prosecutors alleged that men traveled by plane to Los Angeles in August 2022 using funds Durk provided, tracked Rondo and his companions, and attacked his Escalade. Three gunmen opened fire at a gas station near the Beverly Center shopping mall. Rondo survived, but his cousin Saviay’a Robinson, 24, known as Lul Pab, was killed.
The case drew celebrity supporters, including Machine Gun Kelly and Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, into the courtroom. Fans, livestreamers and other content creators also gathered outside the courthouse.
Durk’s 2023 hit “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole, earned him a Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2024. He has received three other Grammy nominations and appeared on Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli described Wilson’s and Lindsey’s convictions as justice for Robinson’s family. He expressed disappointment with Durk’s acquittal and said prosecutors would present their evidence at the rapper’s second trial.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Lil Durk Acquitted in Murder-for-Hire Trial but Remains Jailed
A federal jury cleared Lil Durk in a fatal Los Angeles shooting case, but a separate racketeering trial is keeping him in custody.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: September 15, 2026 7:04 am ET
Lil Durk (via Instagram)
LOS ANGELES, CA — Rapper Lil Durk was acquitted September 11 in a federal murder-for-hire trial involving a shooting that killed rival rapper Quando Rondo’s cousin, but he remains jailed awaiting a separate racketeering trial.
Jurors deliberated for three days before finding the 33-year-old Chicago artist not guilty of conspiracy, stalking resulting in death and murder for hire, according to Associated Press reporting published by KFOR. The two-week trial took place in downtown Los Angeles.
Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, has been in custody since his 2024 arrest. The racketeering count was separated from the charges heard in this trial, leaving another prosecution unresolved despite his acquittal.
Two Co-Defendants Convicted on Stalking Counts
Co-defendants Deandre Wilson and David Lindsey were also acquitted of murder for hire. Both, however, were convicted of conspiracy to commit stalking, stalking using a dangerous weapon and stalking resulting in death.
Wilson’s attorney, Craig Harbaugh, welcomed the murder-for-hire acquittal and said a pending motion sought acquittal on the remaining counts. In an updated AP report carried by FOX 8, Lindsey’s attorney, Tillet Mills, likewise welcomed that portion of the verdict and said September 12 that the defense would continue its fight. Durk’s attorneys did not immediately respond to AP’s requests for comment.
The Shooting That Killed Saviay’a Robinson
The prosecution alleged that Durk financed an effort to kill Rondo in retaliation for the 2020 death of rapper King Von. Someone in Rondo’s entourage had fatally shot Von at an Atlanta nightclub, according to prosecutors. Von was Durk’s close friend and belonged to his Only The Family hip-hop collective.
Prosecutors alleged that men traveled by plane to Los Angeles in August 2022 using funds Durk provided, tracked Rondo and his companions, and attacked his Escalade. Three gunmen opened fire at a gas station near the Beverly Center shopping mall. Rondo survived, but his cousin Saviay’a Robinson, 24, known as Lul Pab, was killed.
The case drew celebrity supporters, including Machine Gun Kelly and Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, into the courtroom. Fans, livestreamers and other content creators also gathered outside the courthouse.
Durk’s 2023 hit “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole, earned him a Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2024. He has received three other Grammy nominations and appeared on Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli described Wilson’s and Lindsey’s convictions as justice for Robinson’s family. He expressed disappointment with Durk’s acquittal and said prosecutors would present their evidence at the rapper’s second trial.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Lil Durk Acquitted in Murder-for-Hire Trial but Remains Jailed
A federal jury cleared Lil Durk in a fatal Los Angeles shooting case, but a separate racketeering trial is keeping him in custody.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: September 15, 2026 7:04 am ET
Lil Durk (via Instagram)
LOS ANGELES, CA — Rapper Lil Durk was acquitted September 11 in a federal murder-for-hire trial involving a shooting that killed rival rapper Quando Rondo’s cousin, but he remains jailed awaiting a separate racketeering trial.
Jurors deliberated for three days before finding the 33-year-old Chicago artist not guilty of conspiracy, stalking resulting in death and murder for hire, according to Associated Press reporting published by KFOR. The two-week trial took place in downtown Los Angeles.
Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, has been in custody since his 2024 arrest. The racketeering count was separated from the charges heard in this trial, leaving another prosecution unresolved despite his acquittal.
Two Co-Defendants Convicted on Stalking Counts
Co-defendants Deandre Wilson and David Lindsey were also acquitted of murder for hire. Both, however, were convicted of conspiracy to commit stalking, stalking using a dangerous weapon and stalking resulting in death.
Wilson’s attorney, Craig Harbaugh, welcomed the murder-for-hire acquittal and said a pending motion sought acquittal on the remaining counts. In an updated AP report carried by FOX 8, Lindsey’s attorney, Tillet Mills, likewise welcomed that portion of the verdict and said September 12 that the defense would continue its fight. Durk’s attorneys did not immediately respond to AP’s requests for comment.
The Shooting That Killed Saviay’a Robinson
The prosecution alleged that Durk financed an effort to kill Rondo in retaliation for the 2020 death of rapper King Von. Someone in Rondo’s entourage had fatally shot Von at an Atlanta nightclub, according to prosecutors. Von was Durk’s close friend and belonged to his Only The Family hip-hop collective.
Prosecutors alleged that men traveled by plane to Los Angeles in August 2022 using funds Durk provided, tracked Rondo and his companions, and attacked his Escalade. Three gunmen opened fire at a gas station near the Beverly Center shopping mall. Rondo survived, but his cousin Saviay’a Robinson, 24, known as Lul Pab, was killed.
The case drew celebrity supporters, including Machine Gun Kelly and Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, into the courtroom. Fans, livestreamers and other content creators also gathered outside the courthouse.
Durk’s 2023 hit “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole, earned him a Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance in 2024. He has received three other Grammy nominations and appeared on Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli described Wilson’s and Lindsey’s convictions as justice for Robinson’s family. He expressed disappointment with Durk’s acquittal and said prosecutors would present their evidence at the rapper’s second trial.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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