Brian Steel Labels OTF Jam A Serial Killer During Closing Statements Of Lil Durk Trial

BY Aron A.
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MLB: Los Angeles Angels at Chicago White Sox
May 2, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago rapper Lil Durk attends a baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Angels at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports/USA TODAY Sports
Brian Steel tore into the cooperating witnesses during closing statements.

Closing statements in the Lil Durk trial happened on Tuesday, and the rapper’s lawyer didn’t hold back when addressing the testimony of a key witness: OTF Jam. According to Los Angeles Magazine’s Taylor Parise, Brian Steel ripped into Kacey "OTF Jam" Hester, during the first part of his closing statements. 

“He has been incarcerated more in his lifetime than he has been out… This man is not human,” Steel reportedly said. "That's who the government wants you to rely on."

Steel continued to poke holes in Jam’s testimony, specifically pointing out how the initial interviews weren’t recorded, but the fifth one was. Moreover, Steel said that no authority figure tried to challenge the discrepancies in his claims. “You have reasons to doubt,” he said.

“How dare they put him in front of you and continue this story. They know it's a lie," he said of Hester's testimony. "There is no corroboration for anything Hester says involving Durk.” He added, "Hester is a serial killer who pled guilty to three murders."

Lil Durk's Lawyer's Closing Arguments

Steel redirected his energy to Kavon Grant, a.k.a. Vonnie, whose interrogation was played in court. The lawyer argued that Vonnie, Jam, and Keith “Flacka” Jones gained from testifying against Lil Durk while their testimonies were only valuable to authorities if they implicated Lil Durk in the alleged crimes.

“Durk Banks is not guilty," Steel reportedly told the jury. "If you have one reason to doubt that Durk is involved ... the verdict is not guilty."

The jury will begin deliberations today following the closing statements, and Lil Durk is facing life in prison if convicted. The final day of trial saw supporters outside of the court, who were later alleged to have been hired actors

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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