Lil Durk Faces 5 Federal Charges as Trial Opens Over 2022 Revenge Killing Plot

3 articles · Updated · Rolling Stone · Aug 24

Opening statements began Monday in Los Angeles, with prosecutors accusing Lil Durk of directing a 2022 murder-for-hire attack on rival Quando Rondo that instead killed Rondo’s cousin, Saviay’a Robinson.
Prosecutors said the plot was revenge for King Von’s 2020 killing, citing an Aug. 18, 2022 text about not booking flights under names tied to Durk and surveillance video of the gas-station ambush.
Kavon Grant, who has pleaded guilty, and two other cooperating co-defendants are expected to testify that Durk deployed the shooters and coordinated travel and logistics for the Los Angeles attack.
Defense lawyer Marissa Goldberg argued Grant was the real organizer, saying he used an Astronaut Soundz company card on his own, bought ski masks and travel, and later blamed Durk to win leniency.
Jurors are also expected to hear lyrics from several Durk songs, a disputed form of evidence that critics say can miscast artistic expression as literal criminal intent.