Lil Durk Found Not Guilty On All Charges In Murder-For-Hire Trial

Federal Jury Clears Grammy Winner in L.A. Shooting

Lil Durk, legally named Durk Banks, remained in federal custody after a Los Angeles jury acquitted him of all five federal charges on September 11, 2026. The verdict followed three days of deliberations. The charges stemmed from an August 19, 2022, shooting near the Beverly Center. Prosecutors alleged Banks orchestrated the hit as retaliation for the November 6, 2020, killing of his close associate Dayvon “King Von” Bennett. According to the indictment, the government claimed Banks placed bounties on targets, specifically tracking Georgia rapper Tyquian Bowman, known as Quando Rondo. Shooters fired at least 18 rounds into Bowman’s black Escalade at a gas station. Bowman survived, but his cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson, was killed.

The Prosecution Relies on Studio Output

To establish the artist’s state of mind, federal prosecutors took the unusual step of introducing rap lyrics from songs like “Pissed Me Off,” “Who Want Smoke?,” and “Ahhh Ha.” They also played an unreleased “Redman” video for the jury.

The defense countered immediately. They maintained that the artistic material was strictly creative expression rather than a literal confession. Jurors ultimately agreed, rejecting the government’s entire case and returning not-guilty verdicts on counts of conspiracy, stalking involving a dangerous weapon, stalking resulting in death, and two murder-for-hire counts. Two co-defendants were also acquitted.

Defense Points to a ‘Tsunami of Reasonable Doubt’

Banks’ defense team, featuring attorneys Drew Findling and Brian Steel, hammered home two core facts during the proceedings: Banks was not even in Los Angeles when the shooting occurred, and no financial records existed showing he paid out money for a hit.

This case is flooded. It is a tsunami of reasonable doubt, Findling told the court during closing arguments. He dismissed the government’s narrative as the bounty case with no money, the stalking case with no stalking. Instead, the defense directed blame toward Banks’ former assistant, Kavon Grant, arguing Grant acted independently simply to impress Banks.

Custody Status and Ongoing Legal Battles

Despite securing the complete acquittal on the federal murder-for-hire charges, Banks remains in federal custody. Separate racketeering charges were severed from this trial, meaning the legal proceedings against the artist are not yet over. While the verdict removes the immediate threat of conviction on the five trial charges, his custody status remains subject to ongoing court proceedings.