A federal jury in Los Angeles has found rapper Lil Durk not guilty on all charges in a closely watched murder-for-hire case linked to a deadly shooting that occurred in 2022.
The verdict was delivered on Friday after jurors spent three days deliberating. The decision cleared the Grammy-winning artist, whose legal name is Durk Banks, of every charge brought against him in the federal prosecution.
The case centered on allegations that Banks organized a plan to target Atlanta rapper Tyquian Bowman, better known as Quando Rondo. Prosecutors argued that the alleged plot was an act of revenge following the 2020 death of Dayvon “King Von” Bennett, a close friend and fellow rapper associated with Banks.
According to federal prosecutors, Banks directed and financed efforts to track down Bowman. They claimed the operation led to a shooting near the Beverly Center area of Los Angeles on Aug. 19, 2022.
Authorities alleged that the intended target survived. Instead, the gunfire killed Bowman’s cousin, 24-year-old Saviay’a Robinson. Prosecutors argued that Robinson became the unintended victim of the alleged plan.
Throughout the trial, Banks denied any involvement in the shooting. His legal team maintained that the government failed to prove he played any role in planning, ordering, or funding a criminal act.
Defense attorneys argued that former personal assistant Kavon Grant was responsible for arranging the events that prosecutors connected to the case. They told jurors there was no evidence directly linking Banks to the alleged murder-for-hire scheme.
The trial attracted national attention because of Banks’ success in the music industry and the serious nature of the allegations. If convicted on all counts, he could have faced life in federal prison.
Banks pleaded not guilty to charges that included conspiracy, stalking with a dangerous weapon, stalking resulting in death, and multiple murder-for-hire allegations.
After reviewing the evidence, the jury returned not guilty verdicts on every count against the rapper. The decision marked a major victory for Banks and his defense team.
The case also involved two additional defendants, Deandre Dontrell Wilson and David Brian Lindsey. Both men pleaded not guilty and stood trial alongside Banks.
Jurors reached mixed verdicts for the co-defendants. Wilson and Lindsey were convicted of conspiracy to commit stalking and stalking-related charges. However, they were acquitted of several other allegations, including counts tied to the alleged murder-for-hire plot.
The differing outcomes reflected the jury’s separate evaluation of the evidence presented against each defendant.
The prosecution had spent the trial attempting to convince jurors that Banks played a central role in organizing the operation. Defense lawyers challenged that claim and argued that prosecutors relied heavily on assumptions rather than direct proof.
Ultimately, jurors sided with the defense regarding Banks and rejected the government’s allegations against him.
The verdict prompted an immediate reaction outside the federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. Supporters gathered outside the building celebrated after learning that the rapper had been acquitted.
Fans cheered and expressed relief as the outcome spread through social media and news reports. The case had been followed closely by many within the hip-hop community and by supporters across the country.
Although Banks was cleared in this trial, his legal challenges are not over. He remains in federal custody while awaiting another trial scheduled for next month.
That separate case involves federal racketeering murder allegations and firearms-related charges. Those accusations are distinct from the charges considered by the jury in the murder-for-hire trial.
Banks remains one of the most recognized artists in modern rap music. In 2024, he earned a Grammy Award for the hit song “All My Life,” recorded with J. Cole. The track became one of the biggest successes of his career.
Friday’s verdict represents a significant legal victory for the rapper. However, attention will soon shift to the next stage of his legal battle as he prepares to face a separate federal trial in the weeks ahead.
