Tag: Lil Durk

Prosecutors allege threats were made as rapper seeks case dismissal

Lil Durk is facing serious new allegations as prosecutors claim the rapper has threatened witnesses ahead of his upcoming murder-for-hire trial. The Chicago artist stands accused of orchestrating the 2022 killing of Quando Rondo’s cousin and had recently filed a motion to dismiss the case.

According to a legal response from U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli, Durk’s actions during his incarceration have included threatening key witnesses. “He is not on trial for his lyrics or his music,” Essayli stated, “he is on trial because he directed, orchestrated, and financed the brazen murder plot at issue in this case.”

Durk’s legal team has argued that the prosecution relied heavily on song lyrics—specifically from his track “Wonderful Wayne & Jackie Boy”—as part of their case. They emphasized that the lyrics were recorded months prior to the attack and should not be considered evidence.

In a win for the defense, a judge has ruled that Durk’s lyrics cannot be used against him during the trial. His family has also criticized the government’s attempt to weaponize his music in court.

Despite the ruling, the new claims of witness intimidation may significantly impact the outcome of the high-profile case scheduled for later this year.

Lil Durk, who already has murder-for-hire charges filed against him in Los Angeles, has now been implicated in connection with the 2022 shooting of an alleged gang lead on the city’s Far South Side, according to newly unsealed court records, Chicago Tribune reported.

The warrant application was made public on Wednesday ahead of a detention hearing for Durk’s murder-for-hire case in Los Angeles, which had been filed in April of 2023.

The rapper’s real name is Devontay Durk Banks, and he was charged last month with orchestrating a cross-country murder-for-hire scheme in retaliation for the killing of fellow Chicago rapper King Von in Atlanta in 2020.

According to an unsealed filing in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Banks was responsible for the engineered murder of 24-year-old Stephon Mack, the leader of the Smashville Gangster Disciples. Mack was shot shortly after leaving the Youth Peace Center of Roseland on West 111th Street.

The filing adds that Durk’s brother, Dontay Banks, was murdered in 2021 outside a nightclub in Harvey, Illinois, with police suggesting that a rival faction of the Gangster Disciples connected to Smashville was responsible for the backlash.

“Lil Durk has been offering money for the killing of those responsible for his brother’s death specifically targeting members of the Gangster Disciples,” an agent wrote in the Federal Bureau of Investigations warrant of April 2023.

Although rumors are fueling the fact that Durk is not yet officially named in the investigation underway in Chicago, sources mentioned to the Tribune that this case remains very active and ongoing.

Lil Durk’s legal team argues that prosecutors have weak evidence in the murder-for-hire charges against him

Lil Durk’s legal team puts up a defense by claiming that prosecutors lack strong evidence in the murder-for-hire charges the rapper is facing. Durk’s attorneys-Drew Findling, Marissa Goldberg, Jonathan Brayman, and Christy O’Connor-inferred that if prosecutors are banking on the rap lyrics to establish their case, it is evident intelligence failure.

In a statement given to TMZ, Durk’s attorneys pointed out that using lyrics as evidence usually lacks sufficient reliability. The piece of evidence presented by prosecutors alleged that Durk’s song “Wonderful Wayne & Jackie Boy” by Babyface Ray illustrates the ulterior memory of what happened in 2022 during the murder of rival rapper Quando Rondo’s cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson. It links possible accusations to the shooting since Durk in the song brags about having a location and visiting threats made against the victim.

Despite the song being dropped after the murder, his lawyers rejected any association between the song and crime. They contest that the case simply is not valid and investigatory. Durk’s lawyers not only consider him as a Grammy-winning artist and devoted father but also as a philanthropist who has given much to the community in Chicago with his Neighborhood Heroes Foundation. They are going to fight with him in the courtroom to exonerate him.

Durk’s legal woes deepen

Lil Durk has been hit with two additional charges in connection to a murder-for-hire case stemming from a 2022 shooting death, which may land him behind bars for life if found guilty, according to reports.

On Friday (November 8), the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California’s office stated that a new indictment against Durk includes additional charges of conspiracy and firearms in relation to the murder of Quando Rondo’s cousin Lul Pab.

The Chicago rapper was initially charged with conspiracy to use interstate facilities in the commission of murder for hire which involved the death.

Durk pleads not guilty in murder-for-hire case

Lil Durk was arraigned in a Los Angeles court on November 14 after being extradited from Miami and pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him in his murder-for-hire case, according to NBC 5 Chicago.

Smurk was arrested three weeks ago and was held in custody without bond in Florida and will be transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center located in Los Angeles. In the meantime, a detention hearing has been set for December 12, to determine whether any bond will be posted, however, bond is vehemently contested by the prosecutors.

Chicago’s Mayor noted Durk’s contribution to the community

Lil Durk’s family thanks Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for his supportive comments following the rapper’s arrest in connection with Quando Rondo’s cousin Lul Pab’s murder. Durk’s son Zayden shared a post on Instagram with a clip of Mayor Johnson’s remarks from a press conference.

In the video, Mayor Johnson says: ” I don’t know all the circumstances and details around these accusations. What I do know, though, is that Lil Durk’s mission to build financial literary for children across the city and making other critical investments for the children of this city is where his heart has been.”

Durk’s son’s account had the caption: “I want to take a moment to stand up for my dad, Durk Banks. He has always dedicated his life to uplifting others and giving back to our community through his nonprofit organization, Neighborhood Heroes. Beyond that, he is a great father who has always supported and loved our family unconditionally.”