Lil Durk’s high-profile federal murder-for-hire trial is nearing its verdict, with the Chicago rapper represented by a four-lawyer defense team that includes some prominent names from the US criminal defense bar.
Durk, whose real name is Durk Banks, is accused of being involved in a 2022 plot targeting rapper Quando Rondo that resulted in the death of Rondo’s cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson. Banks has pleaded not guilty. His defense has argued that he was not responsible for organising the shooting. The Los Angeles Times reported that the trial is being heard in federal court in Los Angeles.
The defense team includes Brian Steel, Drew Findling, Marissa Goldberg and Christy O’Connor, according to recent court reporting.
Deep Dive
What are the roles of Lil Durk's lawyers in his murder-for-hire trial?
Why was Brian Steel chosen as one of Lil Durk's defense lawyers?
What challenges does Lil Durk face after being found not guilty in his murder-for-hire trial?
Brian Steel
Brian Steel is among the most prominent members of Durk’s legal team. He has represented high-profile figures in the music industry, including rapper Young Thug, and has also represented Sean “Diddy” Combs, according to the Los Angeles Times.
{{/usCountry}}Brian Steel is among the most prominent members of Durk’s legal team. He has represented high-profile figures in the music industry, including rapper Young Thug, and has also represented Sean “Diddy” Combs, according to the Los Angeles Times.
{{/usCountry}}Steel has played a visible role during the trial, including cross-examining prosecution witnesses. According to the report, he questioned Kacey Hester, also known as OTF Jam, one of the admitted shooters who testified for the government.
Drew Findling
Drew Findling is another prominent criminal defense attorney on Durk’s team. His previous celebrity clients include rappers Cardi B and Lil Baby.
Findling has been part of the defense team's arguments as the case has moved toward jury deliberations. Recent filings identified Findling alongside Steel, Goldberg and O’Connor as attorneys representing Banks.
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Marissa Goldberg
Marissa Goldberg is also representing Banks at trial. She delivered the defense's opening argument, portraying Durk as a performer and celebrity who had been wrongly blamed for a murder-for-hire plot that the defense says was driven by his former assistant, Kavon Grant.
The defense has argued that Grant, rather than Banks, was responsible for arranging key elements of the alleged plot, including vehicles and accommodation. Those are defense arguments, not findings by the court.
Christy O’Connor
Christy O’Connor is the fourth attorney on Banks’ defense team. She has joined Steel, Findling and Goldberg in recent legal filings as the defense has challenged parts of the prosecution’s case.
On September 9, the four lawyers sought to have additional footage from a 2023 interview between Durk and media personality DJ Akademiks admitted for the jury to consider. The defense argued that prosecutors had presented selected portions of the interview during closing arguments. The judge ultimately rejected the request, according to iHeartRadioreport on the filing.
What happens next for Lil Durk?
The jury is deliberating after closing arguments in the federal case. Prosecutors allege that Banks helped orchestrate a revenge attack targeting Quando Rondo, while the defense has sought to shift responsibility toward Grant and challenge the government's interpretation of the evidence.
Banks faces charges including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire resulting in death and firearms-related offenses. He has pleaded not guilty, and the final decision rests with the jury.