Lil Durk will remain behind bars as he prepares to face racketeering and murder-related charges in a second trial scheduled for next month.
The Chicago rapper, whose real name is Durk Banks, secured a major legal victory last Friday (Sept. 11) after being acquitted of every charge in his murder-for-hire case. However, he is set to stand trial again on Oct. 5 on racketeering and weapons charges connected to the alleged murder. Durk was initially charged under VICAR (violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity) in a third superseding indictment filed in June. His attorneys successfully had those charges separated from the murder-for-hire case, leaving the 33-year-old rapper to face them in a separate trial.
The charges are tied to the same incident involving Quando Rondo and Saviay’a Robinson, for which Durk was just found not guilty. As a result, his legal team can argue that the remaining case should also be dismissed based on the outcome of the first trial.
After a three-week trial, Durk was acquitted of stalking Quando Rondo with a dangerous weapon; stalking Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson resulting in death; conspiring to use interstate commerce facilities in a murder-for-hire resulting in Pab’s death; and using interstate commerce facilities in a murder-for-hire resulting in Pab’s death.
His co-defendants, Deandre Dontrell Wilson, known as OTF Dede, and David Brian Lindsey, known as Browneyez, were convicted of the stalking and stalking conspiracy charges. Both men, however, were acquitted of the murder-for-hire charge.
Following the verdict, Durk’s attorney, Drew Findling, strongly argued that the rapper should be released.
“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,” Findling told reporters.
“Durk is not guilty of all charges,” he added. “The shackles must come off, and he must walk free.”
