After being indicted for his alleged connection to a murder-for-hire plot, Lil Durk has pled not guilty.
According to a federal indictment, the rapper, born Durk Devontay Banks, is facing charges of conspiracy, use of interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death, and using, carrying, and discharging firearms and a machine gun and possession of such firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death.
Attorney Martin Estrada condemned the crime, stating: “Mr. Banks is charged with orchestrating a cold-blooded murder that resulted in the death of a rival’s family member … Not only that, the shooting occurred in the open, at a gas station at a busy intersection, endangering many others in the area. Violent gun crime of this sort is devastating to our community and we will have zero-tolerance for those who perpetrate such callous acts of violence.”
Banks was originally arrested in Florida where officials claim he was found at a Miami-area airport and allegedly tried to escape the country, booking three international flights before being apprehended. He was then extradited to California where he had his arraignment hearing with U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue who ordered Banks jailed without bond.
A status conference is set for Nov. 25 with a detention hearing on Dec. 12. His trial is currently set for Jan. 7, but will likely be postponed.
His arrest came after five individuals associated with his Only the Family group – Kavon London Grant, Deandre Dontrell Wilson, Keith Jones, David Brian Lindsey, and Asa Houston – were taken into police custody in Illinois.
On August 19, 2022, Quando Rondo and his friend were shot at while refueling their car at a Los Angeles gas station. Rondo’s companion, Lul Pab, was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The suspects reportedly fled the scene in a white sedan. This incident follows federal charges against five members of Lil Durk’s Only the Family (OTF) crew, who are accused of executing the 2022 shooting, with Quando Rondo believed to be their intended target.
The alleged motive behind the murder-for-hire plot is thought to be linked to Quando Rondo’s supposed involvement in the 2020 killing of King Von. King Von, who was only 26 years old, died after a disagreement with Quando Rondo’s crew in Atlanta, Georgia escalated into a shooting. King Von lost his life after being shot multiple times, succumbing to his wounds in the hospital.
Lil Durk reportedly tapped Drew Findling, a prominent Atlanta lawyer, to represent him. The attorney previously represented stars like Lil Baby.
The Mirror contacted Drew Findling for comment.
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