A federal jury in Los Angeles found Lil Durk not guilty on all five counts in the murder-for-hire case against him on September 11, 2026, after three days of deliberation. The Chicago rapper, whose legal name is Durk Derrick Banks, had faced a potential life sentence.
He is not going home. Prosecutors confirmed after the verdict that Banks stays in federal custody for a separate racketeering trial scheduled to begin October 5, 2026. U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald indicated he will remain detained until that case is resolved.
What were the five counts in the Lil Durk not guilty verdict?
The jury cleared Banks on every count. Two co-defendants tried alongside him, Deandre Dontrell Wilson and David Brian Lindsey, were convicted on the two stalking counts and acquitted of the rest.
| Count | Lil Durk | Wilson and Lindsey |
|---|---|---|
| Conspiracy to commit stalking | Not guilty | Guilty |
| Stalking with a dangerous weapon | Not guilty | Guilty |
| Stalking resulting in death | Not guilty | Not guilty |
| Conspiracy to use interstate facilities for murder-for-hire resulting in death | Not guilty | Not guilty |
| Use of interstate facilities for murder-for-hire resulting in death | Not guilty | Not guilty |
Banks was arrested on October 17, 2024 near Miami International Airport and had been held without bail since, after multiple failed release bids. The trial opened on August 20, 2026 and jurors began deliberating on September 9. Banks declined to testify in his own defense.
Why is Lil Durk still in custody after the verdict?
A superseding indictment filed on June 3, 2026 added two counts under the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering statute, known as VICAR. The first alleges Banks and his associates operated a criminal enterprise that used murder, attempted murder and drug trafficking to hold rank. The second recharacterizes the same Los Angeles shooting as murder in aid of racketeering.
Fitzgerald granted a defense motion to sever those counts on July 14, 2026, which is why they were not before this jury. Prosecutors have signalled they will lean on the February 2022 killing of Stephon Mack, a Gangster Disciples figure, to argue that Banks ran a bounty system. Two men pleaded guilty in April and May 2026 and admitted killing Mack for money.
What did prosecutors allege about the Quando Rondo shooting?
The government said Banks put a bounty on rapper Tyquian “Quando Rondo” Bowman as revenge for the death of Dayvon “King Von” Bennett, his Only The Family labelmate, who was shot outside an Atlanta nightclub in November 2020. Timothy “Lul Tim” Leeks, an associate of Bowman, was identified as the shooter. Charges against Leeks were dropped in August 2023 under Georgia stand-your-ground law.
On August 19, 2022, a group in several vehicles cornered Bowman at a gas station near the Beverly Center in Los Angeles and opened fire wearing ski masks, using multiple firearms including a machine gun. Bowman survived. His cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson, was killed. The Justice Department indictment alleged the group met at a restaurant afterwards to discuss payment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Yanniello closed by trying to strip the celebrity out of the case. “This case is not about rap. It’s not about celebrity. It’s about Saviay’a Robinson,” he told jurors. “They are guilty on all counts.”
What evidence did the government rely on?
The case rested heavily on men who admitted their own roles and then testified for the prosecution, among them Kacey “OTF Jam” Hester and Kavon London Grant. Prosecutors also presented records showing hotel rooms and ski masks bought on a credit card tied to Banks, flight and rental bookings, and a text reading “Don’t book no flights under no names involved wit me.”
Music was part of it too, though less than at the outset. The video for “Pissed Me Off” was admitted, but an earlier allegation linking Banks lyrics to the killing was dropped in a later indictment. The defense hammered that line of proof anyway, arguing rap lyrics are not evidence of intent, a fight that has run through drill music prosecutions for a decade.
How did Brian Steel and Young Thug end up on the defense?
Banks was represented by Brian Steel, Drew Findling and Marissa Goldberg. Steel is the Atlanta attorney who defended Young Thug through the YSL racketeering trial, and he did not come to the case on his own.
Young Thug said on X on September 2, 2026 that he sent him. “I sent Brian to get with him and take the case,” he wrote. “Stop making me the bad guy and pray harder for him cause I am.” He added that “if I didn’t say he was my brother my lawyer wouldn’t have even took the case.”
In closings, Steel argued that OTF membership alone could not make Banks responsible for what others did. “Durk Banks is not guilty. If you have one reason to doubt that Durk is involved, the verdict is not guilty,” he said, and attacked the government star witness directly: “How dare they put him in front of you and continue this story. They know it’s a lie.”
Findling went after Grant and cast Banks as a grieving artist. “It’s time for you to say, he will not manipulate us,” he told the jury, describing his client as “a lyricist” who “is blessed from above.” The defense summarized its own case as a tsunami of reasonable doubt, according to Rolling Stone.
How did hip-hop react to the verdict?
Ye posted “Lil Durk is not guilty on ALL COUNTS” to X, drawing about 2.9 million views. Young Thug followed at 3:30 a.m. on September 12, 2026 with two words: “Thank me later.” That post passed 4.1 million views within hours.
Drake shared a selfie with Banks to his Instagram Story. Meek Mill replied with praying hands, 21 Savage posted a photo with him, and G Herbo shared celebration clips. 50 Cent praised Findling, and Cordae compared Steel to Johnnie Cochran. Fans surrounded Steel outside the courthouse.
What happens next?
The racketeering trial is the whole story now. It begins October 5, 2026 before the same judge, on the two VICAR counts, and Banks is expected to stay in custody for the several weeks it runs. An acquittal there would be what actually ends his detention.
Banks won Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 2024 Grammy Awards for “All My Life” with J. Cole and had been one of the most commercially consistent rappers in the United States before his arrest. He has now spent close to two years in federal custody without a conviction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Lil Durk found not guilty?
Yes. On September 11, 2026 a federal jury in Los Angeles found Lil Durk not guilty on all five counts in the murder-for-hire case connected to the August 2022 shooting near the Beverly Center.
What were the five charges against Lil Durk?
Conspiracy to commit stalking, stalking with a dangerous weapon, stalking resulting in death, conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death, and use of interstate commerce facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death.
Is Lil Durk out of jail after the not guilty verdict?
No. He remains in federal custody because a separate racketeering case was split off from this trial in July 2026. That trial starts on October 5, 2026 and the judge indicated he stays detained until it is resolved.
Who was Lil Durk accused of targeting?
Prosecutors said he placed a bounty on rapper Quando Rondo, whose legal name is Tyquian Bowman, in revenge for the November 2020 killing of King Von. Bowman survived the 2022 shooting. His cousin Saviaya Robinson was killed.
Who were Lil Durk lawyers at trial?
Brian Steel, Drew Findling and Marissa Goldberg. Steel previously represented Young Thug in the YSL racketeering trial, and Young Thug said he sent Steel to take the case.
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