Lil Durk has been in custody for almost two years, a saga that started to come to a close yesterday (Friday, September 11). The jury in his murder-for-hire case acquitted him on all counts, which included stalking and murder-for-hire charges. As caught by DJ Akademiks on Twitter, a video emerged soon after news of the verdict broke that showed the Chicago rapper in the courtroom just moments before the court read the verdict.
In the video, you can see him sporting a brown suit and a shorter haircut than what most fans are used to these days. The Voice's family was also present in the courtroom, including his wife and longtime partner India Royale.
Speaking of which, as caught by The Shade Room Teens on Instagram, India shared an IG Story post celebrating the not guilty verdict. "Thank you GOD," she captioned a picture of him kissing their daughter on the cheek.
What's Next For Lil Durk?
According to Rolling Stone's Nancy Dillon, Durk hung his head and began to cry as the court read the verdict. Royale reportedly put her arm around his mother LaShawnda Woodward in the gallery's second row. Christy O'Connor, one of the defense team's members, reportedly linked arms with her client to steady his emotional reaction.
Durk's codefendants, Deandre "OTF Dede" Wilson and David "Browneyez" Lindsey were convicted of the stalking charges against them, but not the murder-for-hire ones. They will receive their sentence after Lil Durk's racketeering-related case wraps up.
That's scheduled for October 5 at press time, and will cover murder in aid of racketeering and firearms charges connected to a 2022 Chicago murder and a 2019 Atlanta shooting. Prosecutors and defense attorneys will expectedly clash over bond possibilities following the Los Angeles trial's verdict.
Elsewhere, Lil Durk's hip-hop peers reacted to his verdict, mostly in celebration, but also with disdain. 6ix9ine, for example, brought up the next trial in reaction to the murder-for-hire acquittal. He's been trolling Durk incessantly throughout this process, which is the latest chapter in a years-long beef saga.
While more legal trouble is on the way, supporters are happy to focus on the good news for now. One day, we will finally get to hear from The Voice himself, regardless of what the future looks like for him after October.
