Deliberations in the Lil Durk trial began earlier this week, and many people were speculating about what would happen. Would Durk Banks, professionally known as Lil Durk, actually face life in prison? Or would the jury find him not guilty of the murder-for-hire retaliation? We dive into the courtroom drama now that we know the verdict. And we explain why Lil Durk was found not guilty on all charges.
The jury has found Durk NOT GUILTY on all charges.
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) September 12, 2026
Not guilty on everything for Durk.
It’s a complete acquittal.
Wilson and Lindsey were convicted of stalking and stalking conspiracy. Not guilty on murder for hire.
Why Lil Durk Was on Trial for Murder-for-Hire?
With so much happening in the media, it is hard to focus on just one particular thing. But this case has been relevant for a while now, ultimately stemming from the murder of King Von in 2020. That started the spiral that led to Lil Durk facing life in prison. Lil Durk is facing life in prison for orchestrating the ambush of Quando Rondo, which resulted in the death of Quando’s cousin, Lul Pub.
The beef started back when associates of Quando Rondo were spotted in an altercation with King Von outside of Atlanta’s hookah lounge, which resulted in King Von’s death. Although Quando Rondo was never convicted or charged with his death, his associate Timothy Leeks, also known as Lul Tim, was shot and later arrested for King Von’s murder. A few years later, Georgia dropped Lul Tim’s charges under its “stand-your-ground” law.
The prosecutors agreed with the defense’s assertion that Lul Tim acted in self-defense rather than simply intending or plotting to shoot King Von. Although gunfire was exchanged, under the Georgia “stand-your-ground” law, if deadly force is needed to protect yourself or others, then it is considered necessary no matter the outcome. The same defense was successfully used in the senseless killing of Trayvon Martin in Florida.
In retaliation, according to prosecutors, on August 19, 2022, several people associated with Lil Durk’s “Only The Family” (OTF) crew traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles to ambush Quando Rondo.
The Lil Durk Charges
He was accused of conspiracy to commit stalking; stalking Quando Rondo using a dangerous weapon; stalking resulting in Saviay’a Robinson’s death; conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death; and use of interstate commerce facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death.
What Evidence Did the Prosecutors Have Against Lil Durk
Prosecutors have worked endlessly to gather evidence to convict Lil Durk.
Prosecutors presented bank statements that declare Lil Durk funded the cars and flights that equipped his associates with the means to stalk and ambush Quando Rondo.
Deandre Wilson and David Lindsey were co-defendants on trial alongside Lil Durk. Both parties were convicted of conspiracy to commit stalking, stalking, and stalking that resulted in death. Neither party was convicted of a murder-for-hire charge.
Kacey “OTF Jam” Hester and Keith “Flaka” Jones were the admitted gunmen, along with the co-defendants, who testified that Lil Durk did, in fact, orchestrate the ambush that killed Quando Rondo’s cousin.
Kacey Hester and Keith Jones both pleaded guilty to the murder of Quando Rondo’s cousins. They testified, along with Lil Durk’s former assistant Kavon “OTF Vonni” Grant, that they carried out the shooting under orders.
Throughout the trial, the prosecutors were also allowed to present Lil Durk’s songs, “Piss Me Off,” and his unreleased music video “Red Man,” which reportedly featured screenshots of him acting out the killing of Quando Rondo.
The government also highlighted text messages that Lil Durk sent to one of his associates stating, “book no flights under no names involved with me.” They also argued that they tracked frequent phone number changes to hide his involvement.
The Lil Durk Defense
It can be hard to defend against cooperating witnesses, but it is not impossible. We saw Young Thug escape a major prison sentence on similar charges in the YSL case.
But Lil Durk’s defense team, Brian Steele (who helped Young Thug) and Drew Findling, argued that these witnesses were unreliable because they were cooperating for a lighter sentence. They also brought in Lil Durk’s talent agent, who could explain that changing phone numbers or discussing travel was normal for high-profile artists on tour.
You may remember the name Brian Steele in many high-profile cases, including the Diddy case. Brian Steele is a well-known defense attorney who focuses heavily on RICO cases, wire fraud, murder, and federal offenses. Most recently, he was on Young Thug’s team during his YSL RICO trial, where he held his ground and was held in contempt. Brian Steele fights for what is right and will make sure all sides are heard and reported accurately, which is why he was perfect for this case.
So in conclusion, the jury had to weigh the witnesses’ trustworthiness and whether they were reliable enough to sentence Lil Durk as the man responsible for their actions.
The Lil Durk Verdict
Lil Durk was facing multiple felony charges such as murder-to-hire, stalking, firearm offenses, and conspiracy. He pleaded not guilty to all of them.
The trial began in August of 2026, with jury deliberations starting on Wednesday, September 9th, 2026.
The verdict was released late Friday evening, September 11th.
The jury found him not guilty on all counts.
Ultimately, the jury did not find that prosecutors presented enough evidence to convict him beyond a reasonable doubt. Evidence like shared music lyrics and text messages was less convincing, especially given the defense’s argument that Lil Durk was not in Los Angeles during the 2022 shooting. The defense also argued that the key cooperating witnesses who took plea deals and his former assistant were killers trying to pin the plot on Lil Durk so that they wouldn’t have to face life in prison.
The jury considered many factors before deciding Lil Durk’s fate.
Luckily for him, there just wasn’t enough evidence that tied him to orchestrating the death of Quando Rondo’s cousin, nor the stalking of Quando Rondo.
What’s Next For Lil Durk?
It’s not quite over for Lil Durk. Although he has been acquitted for all charges pertaining to this trial, he still awaits the trial for his RICO case. The allegations aims that Lil Durk runs his “Only The Family” as a violent criminal enterprise involving drug trafficking and violence.
Lil Durk’s RICO case is set to begin on October 5, 2026.
