A Los Angeles federal jury on Friday acquitted Grammy-winning rapper Lil Durk (real name: Durk Banks) of murder-for-hire, conspiracy and stalking resulting in death charges in connection with the 2022 killing of Saviay’a Robinson, cousin of rapper Quando Rondo (Tyquian Bowman), according to the Los Angeles Times.
Prosecutors alleged that Durk directed hit men to target Quando Rondo in revenge for the 2020 death of his friend Dayvon Bennett, known as rapper King Von. The shooting occurred at the Beverly Center shopping mall in Los Angeles, where three gunmen fired 18 rounds at a vehicle carrying Bowman and Robinson. Robinson was fatally shot.
Co-defendants Deandre Wilson and David Lindsey were convicted of conspiracy to commit stalking, stalking using a dangerous weapon and stalking resulting in death, but acquitted on murder-for-hire charges. The prosecution’s case relied on testimony from three cooperating witnesses: Kacey Hester (OTF Jam), Keith Jones and Durk’s former assistant Kavon Grant. Defense attorneys challenged their credibility; attorney Drew Findling said Kavon Grant had “manipulated the FBI, the LAPD” and prosecutors.
Durk, 32, is a key figure in the Chicago drill music scene. His past five solo albums debuted in the top five on the Billboard 200. His 2023 single “All My Life” featuring J. Cole reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 and won a Grammy for best melodic rap performance earlier this year.
The underlying incident occurred in Atlanta in 2020, when Bennett was fatally shot following a scuffle with Bowman outside a hookah lounge.
Source: Variety, Los Angeles Times
