Rapper Durk Banks, known as Lil Durk, was acquitted this week in a federal murder-for-hire trial that concluded in downtown Los Angeles. A jury found the Grammy-winning artist not guilty of conspiracy, stalking resulting in death, and murder for hire, clearing him of all charges in a case that drew significant public attention.
Prosecutors had alleged that Banks orchestrated a revenge plot, dispatching hit men to target rapper Tyquian Bowman, also known as Quando Rondo. The alleged motive stemmed from the death of Banks’ close friend, Dayvon Bennett, a rapper known as King Von. In an ambush near the bustling Beverly Center in the summer of 2022, prosecutors said the intended target, Bowman, was spared, but his 24-year-old cousin, Saviay’a Robinson, was fatally shot instead.
While Banks was acquitted, two men tried alongside him, Deandre Wilson and David Lindsey, faced a different outcome. Lindsey, who prosecutors identified as one of the alleged shooters, and Wilson were both convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit stalking, stalking using a dangerous weapon, and stalking resulting in death. However, they were also acquitted on the more severe murder-for-hire charges.
The courtroom, packed with over 60 people, was a scene of palpable tension as the verdicts were read. U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald had cautioned the gallery to “maintain decorum,” anticipating a moment of strong emotion. Banks, dressed in a tan suit and brown tie, appeared visibly nervous, swaying and swiveling in his chair. He kept his head down as the clerk read each count. Upon hearing “not guilty,” Banks was seen wiping away tears, and a collective clap was heard from the gallery.
Throughout two weeks of testimony, federal prosecutors argued that Banks was “consumed with revenge” following the shooting of his friend, Bennett, in Atlanta two years prior. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Yanniello stated in closing arguments that Banks “had his shooters on speed dial” and that the Los Angeles incident wouldn’t have happened “without his leadership.” Yanniello further asserted that Banks “used his money, his power, and his influence to try to kill his biggest opp.” Prosecutors said three shooters unleashed 18 rounds at the black Cadillac Escalade carrying Bowman and Robinson.
The defense, however, presented a different narrative. Defense attorney Brian Steel characterized the prosecution’s key witnesses — Kacey Hester, known as OTF Jam, Keith Jones (both admitted shooters), and Banks’ former personal assistant Kavon Grant — as unreliable “snitches, cooperators, rats” looking for lighter sentences. Steel argued that federal agents had “targeted Durk” and suggested that Grant, who had “all access to Durk’s resources,” was actually responsible for securing the weapons and vehicles used in the Los Angeles shooting.
Another defense attorney for Banks, Drew Findling, accused Grant of being a “master of deception,” driven by a desire for revenge over the death of his cousin, Bennett. Findling told jurors that Grant “has manipulated the people in this case,” including law enforcement agencies. In a final rebuttal, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morse maintained that Banks had pressured members of his Only the Family hip-hop collective for retribution. Morse likened Banks’ situation to ordering a package and then blaming the delivery service, stating, “You can’t blame Amazon for delivering a package that you ordered.”
The origins of the deadly feud trace back two years and 2,000 miles away from Los Angeles. Dayvon Bennett, or King Von, was involved in a fistfight with Tyquian Bowman outside a hookah lounge in Atlanta. Bennett was fatally shot during the altercation by someone in Bowman’s entourage, setting off the chain of events that culminated in the L.A. trial.
The high-profile nature of the case, unfolding in a downtown federal courthouse, drew considerable public interest to Los Angeles. Rappers like Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and Machine Gun Kelly were seen among the spectators. Swarms of fans, many wearing “Free Durk” shirts and playing the rapper’s music on speakers, gathered outside the courthouse, hoping to secure one of the limited seats inside or simply show their support.
Despite the acquittal on these charges, Banks was not released from custody. He is currently facing a separate racketeering charge, with a second trial scheduled to begin on October 5.
