Lil Durk Pleads Not Guilty to Murder-for-Hire Charges
Arraignment Held in U.S. District Court
Chicago rapper Lil Durk pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal charges that he allegedly paid for the attempted revenge killing of rapper Quando Rondo.
Detention Hearing Scheduled
Lil Durk, real name Durk Banks, entered the plea at his arraignment in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles Thursday afternoon, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office. A detention hearing in the case is scheduled for Dec. 12 and a trial date was set for Jan. 7.
Prosecutors Request Detention
Prosecutors have requested Banks be held in custody pending trial because he is a flight risk and poses a danger to the community, according to court documents.
Charges and Penalties
Banks was initially charged with a murder-for-hire conspiracy in a criminal complaint filed Oct. 24 — the same day an indictment was unsealed charging five others in the 2022 attack that killed the cousin of Quando Rondo, whose real name is Tyquian Bowman, in Los Angeles.
Banks was also charged with additional conspiracy and gun charges in a superseding indictment filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. He faces up to life in prison. Banks has been held without bail since his arrest on Oct. 24.
Commercializing the Shooting
The superseding indictment notes Banks released a song that “sought to commercialize” the shooting that targeted Bowman and killed his cousin, Saviay’a Robinson.
The Organization
The indictment notes that Banks’ record label, Only the Family, doubled as a violent criminal organization whose members engaged in “murder and assault at the direction of defendant Banks and to maintain their status in OTF.”
“Banks would place bounties on individuals that he and other OTF members wanted to kill, including [Bowman],” prosecutors said. “As part of the bounty, co-conspirators known and unknown … would pay anyone who took part in the killing of [Bowman] and/or reward individuals with lucrative music opportunities with OTF.”
Co-Conspirators Charged
Also charged are: Kavon “Cuz” or “Vonnie” Grant; Deandre “DeDe” Wilson; Keith “Flacka” Jones; David “Browneyez” Lindsey; and Asa “Boogie” Houston. All five were arrested in Chicago.
Background of the Case
The plot to kill Bowman was hatched in retaliation for the killing of King Von, a Chicago rapper who was Banks’ protege. King Von, real name Dayvon Bennett, was shot and killed outside an Atlanta hookah lounge during an altercation with Bowman and his crew on Nov. 6, 2020.
Bennett died while he and Banks were facing charges in connection to another shooting in Atlanta in 2019. The charges against Banks were later dismissed.
Conclusion
Lil Durk’s plea of not guilty marks the beginning of his legal battle against the federal charges. The case is set to go to trial in January, and it remains to be seen how it will unfold.
FAQs
Q: What are the charges against Lil Durk?
A: Lil Durk is charged with murder-for-hire conspiracy, conspiracy, and gun charges.
Q: What is the penalty for the charges?
A: Lil Durk faces up to life in prison.
Q: Who are the co-conspirators charged in the case?
A: The co-conspirators charged in the case are Kavon “Cuz” or “Vonnie” Grant; Deandre “DeDe” Wilson; Keith “Flacka” Jones; David “Browneyez” Lindsey; and Asa “Boogie” Houston.
Q: What is the background of the case?
A: The plot to kill Bowman was hatched in retaliation for the killing of King Von, a Chicago rapper who was Banks’ protege.
