The murder-for-hire trial of Chicago rapper Durk Banks, known as Lil Durk, is unfolding in downtown Los Angeles, drawing a remarkable collection of celebrities, bodyguards, and curious onlookers to the Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez United States Courthouse. While the proceedings address the serious 2022 killing of Saviay’a Robinson near the Beverly Center, the courtroom has become a spectacle reflective of the city itself.
The trial centers on the death of 24-year-old Robinson, who was killed in a drive-by shooting that prosecutors and defense attorneys agree was an act of revenge. The intended target was rapper Tyquian Bowman, known as Quando Rondo, in retaliation for the 2020 killing of rapper Dayvon Bennett, also known as King Von, in Atlanta.
Prosecutors argue that Banks was “consumed with revenge” after Bennett’s death, using his wealth to hire hit men to settle the score. Banks, 33, has pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy, stalking resulting in death, and murder for hire.
Banks' defense team contends that his former personal assistant, Kavon Grant, was the one seeking revenge for his cousin Bennett’s death. Defense attorney Marissa Goldberg stated that Grant was responsible for securing cars, hotel accommodations, and ski masks for the plot, and later implicated Banks to mitigate his own legal issues.
The courthouse scene on 1st Street has included security officers warning Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, to remove his dark glasses, and rapper MGK (Machine Gun Kelly) setting off a metal detector with his chain. Bodyguards, some with distinctive tattoos, escort family members, while content creators record updates for social media. Even international tourists, such as Kyiesha Moncrieffe from England, have come to witness the clash of justice and celebrity.
Court security officers, accustomed to high-profile cases, remarked they had never seen such a “circus.” Phones are locked away in pouches, and attendees are wanded before entering Courtroom 10C, which is often packed. Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald has limited family-reserved seats to 15, making other spots first-come, first-serve. This has led hopeful spectators to arrive as early as 7 a.m. Among the crowd are fans driving from San Diego, paid line sitters, and law students hoping to observe the defense in action. Many attendees, including Brandon Santiago, a visitor from New York, expressed a desire to “get to the truth of everything.”
