A federal jury has reached a verdict in Grammy-winning rapper Lil Durk’s murder-for-hire trial after beginning deliberations Wednesday over a deadly shooting near a Los Angeles shopping center. And he has been found not guilty of all the charges.
However, but the decision may not immediately mean freedom for the rapper. Even if Durk he is not guilty, he could still remain behind bars because he faces a separate federal racketeering case.
Why could Lil Durk remain in Jail?
Durk has found not guilty in this trial, but he still faces a second trial on racketeering charges, according to Complex. Prosecutors wanted both cases to be tried together, but they lost that request over the summer. In the racketeering case, Durk is accused of running a criminal enterprise involved in violence and drug trafficking.
Deep Dive
What charges does Lil Durk face in the current trial?
Why is Lil Durk still at risk of remaining in jail even if found not guilty?
How could the jury's verdict in Lil Durk's trial impact the ongoing racketeering case?
Because of the second case, federal prosecutors are expected to try to keep Durk in custody even if he is found not guilty in the current trial. Prosecutors have already accused him of trying to intimidate witnesses. They are likely to argue that he could pose a greater risk of intimidating witnesses if he is released. They have also accused Durk of trying to flee the country, which prosecutors are expected to use to argue that he is a flight risk.
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, now president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, told Complex that prosecutors will "almost certainly" ask for detention even if they lose the trial. "Detention is appropriate if there's two factors in place: someone is either a risk of flight, or they're a danger to the community," he explained. “It doesn't really turn on the merits of the case or the strength of the evidence, although that's one factor to be considered. But the primary factor is risk of flight and danger. And the evidence is generally viewed in the light most favorable to the government.”
{{/usCountry}}Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, now president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, told Complex that prosecutors will "almost certainly" ask for detention even if they lose the trial. "Detention is appropriate if there's two factors in place: someone is either a risk of flight, or they're a danger to the community," he explained. “It doesn't really turn on the merits of the case or the strength of the evidence, although that's one factor to be considered. But the primary factor is risk of flight and danger. And the evidence is generally viewed in the light most favorable to the government.”
{{/usCountry}}About the case
Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Banks, is accused of planning a 2022 murder-for-hire attack that killed a rival's cousin near the Beverly Center, according to The Independent.
Prosecutors say Banks sent a group from Chicago to Los Angeles to kill rapper Tyquian Bowman, also known as Quando Rondo. They say the attack was revenge for the 2020 killing of Banks' friend, rapper Dayvon "King Von" Bennett.
The attack took place on August 19, 2022. A gunman fired at least 18 rounds at a vehicle, killing Bowman's cousin, Saviay'a Robinson. Bowman was not injured.
Also read: How many kids does Lil Durk have? Meet the rapper's children and family
"This case is not about music- it's about murder," Assistant US Attorney Daniel Weiner told jurors. He also alleged that Banks became "consumed with revenge."
Defense lawyers blamed Banks' former assistant, Kavon Grant. Grant later testified against Banks after making a plea deal with the government. Bankspleaded not guilty to conspiracy, stalking, and murder-for-hire charges. He was arrested in October 2024 while allegedly trying to leave the country.