Lil Durk's federal murder trial is now in the jury's hands, and rap is holding its breath

Lil Durk's federal murder trial is now in the jury's hands, and rap is holding its breath

On Wednesday morning, a 15-person Los Angeles jury walked into a deliberation room to decide the fate of one of the biggest names in hip-hop. By the end of the day, they had not walked back out with an answer. Jurors did not return a verdict before the end of the day and requested evidence in digital form, extending deliberations into Thursday. That means September 10 is now verdict watch day for Lil Durk's federal murder-for-hire trial, and the entire industry is staring at its phone.

Rapper Lil Durk's fate moved into the hands of a Los Angeles jury after prosecutors accused the Grammy-winning rapper of orchestrating a deadly revenge plot, while his lawyers argued the government's case is overwhelmed by reasonable doubt. The 33-year-old Chicago rapper, whose real name is Durk Banks, has pleaded not guilty to five federal counts linked to the August 2022 shooting that killed Saviay'a Robinson, the cousin of rapper Quando Rondo.

The trial began August 24 in Los Angeles, the location where six Only the Family affiliates fatally shot Saviay'a "Lul Pab" Robinson, the distant cousin of rapper Quando Rondo, in August 2022. The shooting is alleged to be a targeted hit of Rondo, orchestrated by Durk Banks, in retaliation for the November 2020 murder of King Von.

The charges themselves are serious. Durk faces five charges, including conspiracy to commit stalking, stalking with a dangerous weapon, and stalking resulting in death. He also faces two charges related to using interstate commerce facilities in a murder-for-hire resulting in death. Banks could face life in prison if convicted.

What happened in closing arguments

Prosecutors told jurors that Chicago rap star Lil Durk "had his shooters on speed dial" when he allegedly set the murder-for-hire plot in motion that left rival rapper Quando Rondo's cousin dead in Los Angeles. But Durk's defense lawyers, Drew Findling and Brian Steel, countered that the government's case was "replete with reasonable doubt" and built on cooperators desperate to avoid life sentences.

Then came the DJ Akademiks wrinkle. According to Complex, the jury's request for digital evidence came as Durk's attorneys were pressing Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald over portions of the rapper's 2023 interview with DJ Akademiks. The defense argued that prosecutors relied on selected excerpts during rebuttal closing arguments and asked the court to admit additional portions or give jurors a curative instruction. Judge Fitzgerald denied that request, with Complex reporting that he noted statements made by attorneys during closing arguments are not evidence.

The court did not reach a verdict Wednesday, as jurors asked for digital evidence. It was revealed that the digitization process is a lengthy one, and that jurors would have the evidence by Thursday morning at 8:30 AM local time. HotNewHipHop reports the case could realistically wrap today.

Five charges, three defendants, one verdict watch

Durk and co-defendants Deandre "OTF DeDe" Wilson and David "Browneyez" Lindsey are facing five counts tied to stalking and the alleged murder-for-hire conspiracy. The jury must consider each defendant and each count separately, and Durk has pleaded not guilty.

Even a not-guilty verdict would not end this legally. Federal prosecutors will likely seek to keep Lil Durk jailed regardless of his murder-for-hire verdict because he faces a second racketeering trial and allegations of witness intimidation and attempted flight, Complex reported. He will have another trial for racketeering charges added during a superseding indictment. The racketeering charges center on whether OTF was a gang.

In June 2026, two months before the August 20 trial date, prosecutors produced a third superseding indictment, charging Banks and his associates with violations of the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering Activity (VICAR) statute. That second case sits on the horizon no matter what a jury says today.

Hip-hop's culture moment, not just a legal story

Outside the federal courthouse, the scene has been anything but quiet. Fans and peers have advocated for the "Free Durk" movement, a phrase that was chanted outside of the courthouse during the trial. Live-streamers have been camped near the building since deliberations began.

The trial has pulled in everyone. Rolling Stone covered closing arguments in detail. The Source has run daily updates. DJ Akademiks, whose name got dropped repeatedly by both sides in court, had his own October 2024 "Off the Record" interview with Durk placed under a legal microscope by federal prosecutors. That interview became a flashpoint during rebuttal arguments, with prosecutors leaning on a 56-second clip, according to The Source.

The scale of public attention is real. This trial has received tons of public interest, and it is easy to see why. Durk is one of the biggest rappers in the world, and his 2024 arrest sent shockwaves throughout the industry.

The request for digital evidence does not indicate which way the jury is leaning, only that jurors wanted additional access to material already admitted as they continued evaluating the case. Deliberations are expected to resume Thursday, September 10, keeping one of hip-hop's most closely watched federal trials on verdict watch.

Twelve people in a Los Angeles federal courthouse are reading phone records, surveillance footage, and witness transcripts this morning. The rap world has no choice but to wait.

Sources

• Rolling Stone: Lil Durk Closings
• Complex: Lil Durk Trial Jury Note
• HotNewHipHop: Lil Durk Verdict Delayed
• HotNewHipHop: Judge Sympathizes With DJ Akademiks
• The Source: Lil Durk Jury Ends Day Without Verdict
• IBTimes UK: Lil Durk Trial Update
• 24Hip-Hop: Lil Durk Awaits Verdict
• Wikipedia: Lil Durk Murder-for-Hire Trial
• Complex: Why Durk Might Stay in Jail Even If Acquitted