(American rapper Lil Durk. Photo by People.com)
American rapper Lil Durk has been found not guilty of five federal charges in a case connected to a 2022 shooting in Los Angeles that k!lled the cousin of fellow rapper Quando Rondo.
Durk was accused of arranging the att@ck against Rondo to get revenge for the 2020 killing of his close friend King Von.
The shooting happened at a petrol station in August 2022.
Prosecutors claimed that the att@ck was meant to k!ll Rondo.
Rondo was not hurt, but his cousin Saviay’a Robinson, who was in the vehicle with him, was k!lled when gunmen opened fire.
The prosecution said Durk offered money for Rondo’s k!lling and helped set up the att@ck.
They argued that pressure to avenge King Von’s d£ath led to the alleged plot.
King Von was k!lled during a gunfight in Atlanta in 2020.
A friend of Rondo was initially charged in that k!lling, but charges were later dropped.
Rondo himself was never arrested or charged.
Durk’s legal team rejected the prosecution’s case and argued that a former associate named Kavon Grant arranged the att@ck, allegedly to impress Durk.
After a three-week trial, a jury spent three days deliberating before finding Durk not guilty of all five charges, including murder-for-hire resulting in d£ath, conspiracy and stalking-related offences.
Two other defendants tried alongside Durk were found not guilty of murder-for-hire but were convicted of stalking and conspiracy to commit stalking.
Despite being acquitted in this case, Durk remains in custody and is expected to face another trial on October 5 on charges of racketeering, murder and firearms violations.
Durk’s lawyer said he was thankful with the verdict.
Prosecutors said they were disappointed but would continue with the separate case.
