US rapper Lil Durk found not guilty of murder-for-hire scheme
Prosecutors accused musician, born Durk Banks, of putting bounty on fellow rapper in retaliation for friend’s killing Chicago rapper Lil Durk has been acquitted of all charges in a murder-for-hire scheme, in which a man was fatally gunned down in 2022. Prosecutors had accused Lil Durk , born Durk Banks, of putting a bounty on Atlanta rapper Tayquian Bowman’s life in retaliation for the 2020…
US rapper Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Banks, was found not guilty of a murder-for-hire scheme in a highly publicized federal trial. Prosecutors alleged that Banks, also known as AKA Lil Durk, hired a hit on Atlanta rapper Tayquian Bowman in retaliation for the 2020 shooting death of fellow Chicago rap star King Von. According to prosecutors, Banks' associates tracked Bowman to a gas station in West Hollywood in 2022, where they opened fire on his car, resulting in the death of Bowman's cousin, Saviay'a Robinson.
However, a jury acquitted Banks of all charges related to the 2022 ambush. During the trial, Banks' defense attorneys questioned the reliability of Kacey Hester's testimony, who claimed to have been a shooter in the attack and testified about Banks' inquiries regarding the incident. The defense also sought to portray Kavon Grant, Banks' former assistant, as the mastermind of the 2022 shooting.
The prosecution countered this argument, stating that Banks' leadership and orchestration of the scheme could not be denied. Despite the not guilty verdict, Banks faces another trial on racketeering charges, which is scheduled for October 5th.
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