Grammy-winning US rapper Lil Durk has been acquitted of all charges in a federal murder-for-hire case, marking a major legal victory for the Chicago artist.
The 33-year-old, whose real name is Durk Devontay Banks, was arrested in 2024 and accused of orchestrating the revenge killing of a man in a daytime ambush in Los Angeles four years ago. Federal prosecutors alleged the shooting was retaliation for the 2020 death of his OTF label-mate, rapper King Von, who was killed in an exchange of gunfire in Atlanta.
Banks faced five felony counts, including murder for hire resulting in death and conspiracy. A conviction on any of these charges could have carried a life sentence.
Following the not-guilty verdict on Friday, his defense lawyer, Drew Findling, stated that the recording artist was “thankful” for the jury’s decision.
However, the legal ordeal is not entirely over. Although cleared in this specific case, Banks remains in custody. He is scheduled to face a separate trial on October 5, where he will confront a new set of racketeering, murder, and firearms charges.
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Federal prosecutors expressed their intent to continue pursuing the broader case against him. “While we are disappointed with the jury’s decision regarding Durk Banks, a.k.a. ‘Lil Durk,’ we are looking forward to presenting our evidence at his second trial,” First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli said.
The original case also involved Tyquian Bowman, a friend of the victim, who was initially charged in connection with King Von’s murder. Those charges were later dropped, and Bowman was never arrested or charged in the Los Angeles ambush.
For now, the acquittal is a significant reprieve for the rapper and his supporters. But as he remains behind bars awaiting his next court date, the music industry and the justice system alike are watching to see how this complex, multi-layered legal saga will ultimately conclude.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
