He wiped away tears when he heard it. His family erupted. And then the federal marshals walked him right back into custody anyway.
On September 11, 2026, a Los Angeles federal jury found Grammy-winning rapper Lil Durk — real name Durk Banks, 33 — not guilty on all charges in a murder-for-hire trial that had followed him for nearly two years. It's the case that alleged he paid to have a rival rapper killed, and it ended in a full acquittal. It still isn't over for him.
What He Was Accused Of
Prosecutors said Banks orchestrated a plot to kill Tyquian Bowman — the Atlanta rapper known as Quando Rondo — as revenge for the 2020 killing of Banks's close friend, fellow Chicago rapper Dayvon "King Von" Bennett, who died in a shootout with an associate of Bowman's outside an Atlanta nightclub.
The retaliation prosecutors described happened on August 19, 2022, near the Beverly Center in Los Angeles: at least 18 rounds fired into a black Escalade. Bowman wasn't hit. His cousin, 24-year-old Saviay'a Robinson, was killed.
The Defense
Banks's attorneys argued the real architect of the plot was his former personal assistant, Kavon Grant, who they said orchestrated the shooting on his own to impress his boss — not on Banks's orders. After three days of deliberation, the jury agreed there wasn't enough to convict.
Twenty-two months ago, Durk and I made an agreement that we would make history with the greatest verdict in this country, and it happened today. Durk is not guilty of all charges.
Drew Findling, attorney for Durk Banks
What Happened to the Co-Defendants
Banks wasn't tried alone. Co-defendants Deandre "OTF Dede" Wilson and David "Browneyez" Lindsey were convicted of conspiracy to commit stalking and stalking — but like Banks, both were acquitted of the murder-for-hire charges that carried the heaviest potential sentences.
Why He's Still Behind Bars
A full acquittal would normally mean walking out the door. Banks didn't. He remains in federal custody because this case was never the only one against him — he still faces a separate trial next month, on October 5, on federal racketeering, murder, and firearms charges tied to different allegations entirely.
The Reaction
Outside the courthouse, what one outlet described as a media circus formed — fans, tourists, and content creators packing the block. Kanye West had sat with Banks's family during testimony and held up a "Free Durk" shirt after the verdict. Drake and 21 Savage each posted photos with Banks to their own accounts. Inside the courtroom, Banks — dressed in a tan suit — reportedly wiped away tears as the verdict was read.
