American rapper Durk Banks, popularly known as Lil Durk, has been acquitted of all federal charges arising from a 2022 murder-for-hire case in Los Angeles.
A federal jury found the Grammy-winning rapper not guilty after three days of deliberations, clearing him of charges including conspiracy, stalking resulting in death and murder-for-hire.
The case centred on a 2022 shooting near the Beverly Center in Los Angeles that resulted in the death of Saviay’a Robinson, the cousin of rapper Quando Rondo.
Prosecutors alleged that Lil Durk had financed and directed an attack targeting Rondo as retaliation for the 2020 killing of his close friend and fellow rapper King Von.
The prosecution argued that members of Lil Durk’s Only the Family collective followed Rondo to a gas station before opening fire.
Robinson was killed during the shooting.
Lil Durk’s defence rejected the prosecution’s account and argued that the rapper did not orchestrate the attack.
After hearing evidence during the trial, the jury ultimately concluded that prosecutors had not proved the charges against him beyond a reasonable doubt.
The acquittal represents a major legal victory for the Chicago-born rapper, who has been in federal custody since his arrest in 2024.
However, the verdict does not mean Lil Durk is immediately free.
He remains in custody because he faces a separate federal case involving racketeering and weapons-related allegations.
That case is scheduled for trial on October 5, according to Reuters.
The rapper’s legal troubles have attracted considerable attention because of his status as one of the most commercially successful figures in contemporary American hip-hop.
Lil Durk has built a global following through a career that includes several successful albums and collaborations with major artists.
His 2023 song “All My Life”, featuring J. Cole, won a Grammy Award and helped expand his mainstream profile.
The murder-for-hire case nevertheless placed his career and freedom at significant risk.
Prosecutors had sought to establish that he used his music organisation and financial resources to facilitate the attack.
The defence countered that other individuals were responsible for the plot and challenged the credibility of witnesses who testified against the rapper.
The jury’s verdict ultimately rejected the government’s case on the charges before it.
Two co-defendants were also acquitted of the central murder-for-hire allegations, although they were convicted on other stalking-related counts.
Lil Durk’s legal battle is therefore far from over.
While he has now been cleared of the murder-for-hire case, the pending racketeering proceedings mean that another major legal test awaits him.
The latest acquittal, however, removes the most serious set of allegations he faced in the Los Angeles prosecution.