Lil Durk’s Murder-For-Hire Trial Begins With Jury Selection

A federal jury is now being assembled to decide whether prosecutors can prove Lil Durk ordered a 2022 attempt on Quando Rondo’s life that instead killed his cousin. Jury selection began Thursday (August 20) in Los Angeles, moving the murder-for-hire case against Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, into its trial phase after nearly two years of pretrial fights over evidence, witnesses and the scope of the government’s case.

Durk is being tried alongside Deandre “DeDe” Wilson and David “Browneyez” Lindsey, two defendants prosecutors have tied to the alleged plot. All three have pleaded not guilty. Federal authorities accuse Durk of putting a bounty on Tyquian “Quando Rondo” Bowman in retaliation for the November 2020 killing of King Von. Timothy “Lul Tim” Leeks, an associate of Quando, shot Von during an altercation outside an Atlanta nightclub. The murder charge against Leeks was later dropped after Georgia prosecutors determined he acted in self-defense.

The government says that retaliation reached Los Angeles on August 19, 2022. Prosecutors allege members and associates of Only The Family tracked Quando before gunmen opened fire on his vehicle at a gas station near the Beverly Center. At least 18 shots were fired, according to federal authorities. Quando survived, but his cousin Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson was killed. Investigators contend Durk financed and directed the attack, pointing to travel arrangements, OTF-related money and communications they believe connect him to the men who traveled from Chicago to California.

The case jurors will hear has been detailed considerably before anyone takes the witness stand. U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald has ruled on repeated efforts by Durk’s attorneys to suppress government evidence, while another major ruling kept newly added charges from expanding the August trial. In July, Fitzgerald agreed to sever two counts added through a broader indictment, allowing the Los Angeles murder-for-hire case to proceed on schedule rather than forcing the defense to prepare for substantially new allegations weeks before trial. Those severed charges remain pending and could be tried separately.

Jurors will still encounter a sizable collection of material prosecutors say helps establish motive and intent. Fitzgerald has allowed portions of music videos, podcast appearances, text messages, photographs from Durk’s iCloud account, and a 911 call connected to the shooting. The government can also introduce a 2021 DJ Akademiks interview in which 6ix9ine and Wack 100 criticized Durk for supposedly failing to retaliate over Von’s death. Prosecutors say a witness will testify that Durk was bothered by that perception. His defense has disputed the relevance of the interview and challenged the government’s attempts to treat music and public commentary as evidence of criminal intent.

Durk has remained in federal custody since his October 2024 arrest near Miami International Airport. Federal investigators said he had booked multiple international flights after learning several defendants had been arrested in the case. His attorneys have maintained his innocence and repeatedly pushed to bring the case before a jury. Once a jury is seated, prosecutors are expected to spend roughly 11 to 13 days presenting their case. Durk faces life in federal prison if convicted on the most serious charges.