By Onyx Bugett | TalkLife News
September 14, 2026
A federal jury in Los Angeles has acquitted Grammy-winning rapper Lil Durk of murder-for-hire, conspiracy and stalking-related charges tied to a fatal 2022 shooting.
Lil Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, had been accused of financing an attempt to kill fellow rapper Quando Rondo. Rondo survived the shooting near the Beverly Center, but his cousin Saviay’a Robinson, known as Lul Pab, was killed.
Prosecutors alleged that the attack was connected to the 2020 killing of Durk’s friend and collaborator King Von. The jury deliberated for three days before finding Durk not guilty on all charges in this case.
Different verdicts for co-defendants
Co-defendants Deandre Wilson and David Lindsey were convicted of conspiracy to commit stalking and other stalking-related offenses, including stalking resulting in death. Both were acquitted of murder for hire. Their attorneys said they plan to challenge the remaining convictions.
The acquittal does not mean Lil Durk is leaving custody immediately. A separate federal racketeering charge was removed from this trial and remains pending. Prosecutors say they intend to present that case later.
Why the legal distinction matters
Social posts saying the rapper has been cleared of every federal allegation or released from jail are inaccurate. He was acquitted of the charges decided by this jury, but another case remains unresolved.
An acquittal means prosecutors did not prove the charged crimes beyond a reasonable doubt. It is not the same as a judicial finding explaining exactly what happened during the shooting.
Confirmed: Durk was acquitted in this trial and remains in custody. Pending: The racketeering charge has not been tried.
Source: Associated Press, September 12, 2026.
Featured image: Lil Durk in 2022, image by JD Sports/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Cropped from a Creative Commons-licensed video.