Lil Durk Allegedly Smirked At His Lawyer After Cross-Examination 

BY Aron A.
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MLS: Inter Miami CF at Chicago Fire
Oct 4, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Rapper and singer Lil Durk gestures during halftime of the game between the Chicago Fire and Inter Miami CF at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

By the time Lil Durk’s trial began this week, most people felt as though things probably weren’t looking good for him. Despite his family and attorney making it clear they have faith in how things will end, the evidence before jury selection cast doubt on his chances of freedom. But with high-power attorneys on hand, it appears that there is hope after all.

According to journalist Michael Blackshire, who attended on Tuesday, Brian Steel managed to put a smile on Durk’s face, at least for a brief moment. 

“Lil Durk looked more gloomy yesterday. As soon as Brian Steel did his cross he started to smirk and shake his head and look directly at Steel. Today was his first cross,” Blackshire wrote on X.

Lil Durk Trial Continues

Brian Steel reportedly applied pressure on detectives during cross-examination this week. Although it’s unclear what exactly prompted a brief smile from Durk, Steel cut through the detective’s testimony at several points. As Taylor Parise reports, Steel had detectives admit that they didn’t record all conversations with cooperators. Apparently, OTF Jam had 30 interviews with cooperators, but only 3 were recorded. Keith Jones sat down with detectives on five occasions, though only one was on record. Then, OTF Vonnie, who Durk reportedly fired as his personal assistant in January 2023, sat down for 10 interviews. None of them were recorded.

What seemed to be the most effective way to doubt the testimony was when Steel asked if some of the cooperators might have had motivation to put innocent people away because they faced life in prison. That’s when the detective said that “it’s possible.”

It’s too early to indicate whether Durk will be able to beat the case but we will keep you posted on any further updates on the trial. 

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.

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