Grammy-winning rapper Lil Durk’s federal murder-for-hire trial has opened in Los Angeles, with prosecutors accusing him of financing a revenge attack intended to kill rival rapper Quando Rondo.
The August 2022 shooting near the Beverly Center failed to kill Rondo, whose real name is Tyquian Bowman, but claimed the life of his 24-year-old cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson.
Durk, whose legal name is Durk Devontay Banks, has pleaded not guilty. If convicted on all charges, the 33-year-old could spend the rest of his life in federal prison.
Prosecutors allege Durk funded revenge hit
Assistant US Attorney Daniel Weiner told jurors that Durk was “consumed with revenge” following the November 2020 killing of his close friend and fellow rapper King Von, whose real name was Dayvon Bennett.
“This is a case about revenge, stalking and premeditated murder,” Weiner said during Monday’s opening statements.
Prosecutors allege Durk offered a bounty for Rondo’s death and financed the travel and other expenses of Only the Family associates who flew from Chicago to Los Angeles to carry out the attack.
“It was defendant Banks’ beef, it was defendant Banks’ money, it was defendant Banks’ hitmen,” Weiner told the court, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The prosecution is expected to rely on surveillance footage, text messages, credit-card records, rap lyrics and testimony from three alleged co-conspirators who accepted plea agreements.
Three OTF associates to testify
The cooperating witnesses are Kavon “Vonnie” Grant, Kacey “OTF Jam” Hester and Keith “Flacka” Jones.
Prosecutors describe Grant, Durk’s former personal assistant, as the rapper’s right-hand man. They allege that he obtained vehicles and firearms and helped organise the operation.
Hester and Jones are also expected to testify against Durk, with Jones identified by prosecutors as one of the men involved in the shooting.
The government alleges that flight bookings and other expenses connected to the alleged hit appeared on an American Express account associated with Durk.
Evidence concerning Durk’s spending during the period, including thousands of dollars allegedly spent at luxury retailers Neiman Marcus and Amiri, was also discussed. However, the relevance of those personal purchases to the alleged conspiracy remains disputed.
Defence identifies former assistant as mastermind
Durk’s lawyer Marissa Goldberg told jurors that her client had no connection to the shooting and accused Grant of orchestrating the attack before offering prosecutors a more prominent target to reduce his own culpability.
“Mr Banks had nothing to do with it,” Goldberg said. “He was not there, he was not connected to it.”
The defence argued that Grant had access to Durk’s credit cards through his work for OTF and was responsible for booking hotels, obtaining vehicles and buying ski masks.
Goldberg said Grant had a deeply personal motive because he had been King Von’s friend since childhood and drove him to hospital after the 2020 shooting.
She accused Grant of attempting to hand prosecutors “a big fish” after he was caught.
The defence also challenged the prosecution’s planned use of Durk’s music, arguing that his lyrics represented artistic expression rather than evidence of a criminal agreement.
“This is art. This is performance,” Goldberg told the jury. “This is what he did for a living.”
Dispute over alleged attempt to flee
Prosecutors have previously alleged that Durk attempted to leave the United States before his October 2024 arrest near Miami International Airport.
His legal team disputes that interpretation, maintaining that he was in Miami to work with music producer DJ Khaled and was not attempting to escape prosecution.
Durk is standing trial alongside David “Browneyez” Lindsey and Deondre “OTF Dede” Wilson, who have also denied the charges. Asa “OTF Boogie” Houston is expected to be tried separately.
The trial is expected to continue for between two and four weeks, depending on the length of witness testimony.
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