Lil Durk Closings: Prosecutors Hammer ‘Revenge,’ Defense Cites ‘Tsunami of Reasonable Doubt’

Prosecutors told jurors Tuesday that Chicago rap star Lil Durk “had his shooters on speed dial” when he allegedly set a murder-for-hire plot in motion that left rival rapper Quando Rondo’s cousin dead in Los Angeles. But Durk’s defense lawyers, Brian Steel and Drew Findling, fired back, calling the government’s case “replete with reasonable doubt” and built on cooperators desperate to avoid life sentences. Attorney Ian Yanniello gave the first closing argument on the 13th day of the murder-for-hire trial in downtown Los Angeles, arguing Lil Durk “wanted revenge for a fallen gang member,” a reference to the rapper’s friend and musical protégé King Von.

It is a tsunami of reasonable doubt,” Findling shot back when it was his turn after the lunch break. Steel told jurors the government’s three star witnesses, all of whom pleaded guilty, “were looking at life” in “a box” when they agreed to testify. Without cooperating, he said, they stood to “die in custody.” “They are snitches, cooperators, rats.

They are getting a potential benefit, and the only way they benefit is if they include Durk,” Steel said. Banks, 33, and two co-defendants are on trial for conspiracy, stalking resulting in death, and murder for hire. Prosecutors allege Banks placed a bounty on musician Quando Rondo, whose legal name is Tyquian Bowman, because he blamed him for the 2020 shooting death of King Von.

Prosecutors say members and associates of Banks’ Only The Family, or OTF, collective traveled from Chicago to California on Aug. 18, 2022, then followed Bowman through Los Angeles before opening fire on his vehicle at a gas station near the Beverly Center the next day. Bowman survived, but his cousin, Saviay’a Robinson, known as Lul Pab, was killed. The government’s three cooperating witnesses — Kasey “OTF Jam” Hester, Kavon “OTF Vonnie” Grant, and Keith Jones — admitted to roles in the attack, pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire, and took the witness stand to describe the fatal shooting.

They testified Banks was involved and that the shooters expected compensation. With Banks sitting at the defense table Tuesday, Yanniello showed jurors surveillance photos, text messages, and video linked to the deadly ambush. He played a harrowing 911 call in which an unidentified woman described the broad-daylight shooting at the center of the case.

He said the men had been “hunting” Quando Rondo since arriving in Los Angeles but ultimately missed their “intended target,” killing Robinson instead. Yanniello said Banks funded the alleged conspiracy, with the men’s plane tickets and their stay at a Sheraton hotel charged to his credit cards. He also displayed an Aug. 18, 2022, text message in which Banks wrote, “Don’t book no flights under no names involved wit me.” He claimed it was part of Banks’ effort to cover his tracks. (During the trial, Banks’ lawyers presented evidence that the text instead referred to a friend’s wedding in Mexico that weekend, which Banks decided at the last minute not to attend.) Related Content ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Announcer Jim Thornton Fired After Investigation Into Allegations Bravo Parts Ways With ‘Below Deck’ Star Nathan Gallagher After Domestic Violence Charges Lindsay Clancy Murder Trial Ends in Mistrial After Defense's Emergency Appeal Bid Fails Judge Orders Competency Evaluation for Ex-Turnstile Guitarist in Attempted Murder Case When it was his turn, Steel argued that Grant, Banks’ former personal assistant, had been calling the shots on his own.