Lil Durk has been found not guilty in the high-profile federal murder-for-hire case that has kept the Grammy-winning rapper behind bars since 2024.
A federal jury in Los Angeles acquitted the Chicago rapper, whose real name is Durk Banks, of charges including conspiracy, stalking resulting in death and murder for hire. The jury reached its verdict Friday after three days of deliberations.
The case centered on a 2022 shooting in Los Angeles that targeted rapper Quando Rondo but resulted in the death of Rondo's cousin, Saviay'a Robinson, also known as Lul Pab.
What was Lil Durk accused of?
Federal prosecutors alleged that Durk helped finance and organize an attack against Quando Rondo as retaliation for the 2020 killing of his close friend and fellow rapper King Von.
According to prosecutors, a group of men traveled to Los Angeles in August 2022 and followed Rondo and his associates before opening fire on an SUV near the Beverly Center. Rondo survived, but his cousin Robinson was killed.
Durk had consistently pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations.
The jury's decision
After weeks of testimony, the jury ultimately rejected the government's case against Durk and found him not guilty of all charges presented against him in this trial.
The verdict was a major victory for the 33-year-old rapper, who has built a huge following through Chicago's drill-rap scene and mainstream hits including “All My Life,” which features J. Cole.
Several celebrities also showed their support during the trial, including Ye and Machine Gun Kelly, who appeared at the Los Angeles courthouse.
Lil Durk is not going home yet
Despite the acquittal, Durk remains in federal custody.
A separate racketeering case against him was severed from the murder-for-hire trial and is expected to proceed separately. Federal prosecutors have indicated that they intend to continue pursuing that case.
That means Friday's verdict does not yet mark the end of Lil Durk's legal battle.
A dramatic moment for the rapper
The acquittal represents one of the biggest developments in Lil Durk's legal case since his 2024 arrest.
For his supporters and fans, the verdict immediately became a major moment across hip-hop and social media.
But with another federal case still ahead, Lil Durk's legal journey is far from over.
