Despite being found not guilty in his murder for hire trial, Lil Durk isn’t free just yet. In a report from independent journalist Meghann Cuniff, the judge revealed that the Chicago rapper has one more trial to face. He’s acquitted from the murder for hire trial, but not his RICO charge. Consequently, he’ll remain in custody until the case is resolved. That trial will begin on October 5th.
Regardless, Lil Durk’s defense team and hip-hop as a whole is rejoicing over his acquittal. Rappers like Drake, G Herbo, Kanye West, and Young Thug all shared posts across social media rejoicing in his innocence. For many, Machine Gun Kelly was the most surprising supporter, showing up to the courtroom personally to support his friend Lil Durk. “This been my bro for a decade,” MGK shared in a post on X. “When he called and asked if I’d pull up and support, I’m there no question. Free Durk.”
Additionally, his defense lawyer Drew Findling rejoiced in accomplishing his ultimate goal. “22 months ago, Durk and I made an agreement. That we would make history with the greatest verdict in this country, and it happened today. Durk is not guilty of all charges,” he said in a press conference.
Lil Durk Found Not Guilty in Murder for Hire Trial
Durk hadn’t been seen by the public since he was free in 2024. It wasn’t until a photo from jail finally leaked ahead of his murder for hire trial that we had laid eyes on the rapper and singer.
Reports from the Los Angeles Times depicted him as “consumed with revenge” in his alleged crimes. ““This is a case about revenge, stalking and premeditated murder,” Asst. U.S. Atty. Daniel Weiner told jurors. “It was defendant Banks’ beef, it was defendant Banks’ money, it was defendant Banks’ hit men.”
Meanwhile, Lil Durk and his winning team insisted that there was zero hard evidence that would connect him to any murder. “That was a channeling of emotions through his artwork,” Attorney Marissa Goldberg shared. “This is art, this is performance, this is what he did for a living.”
Although he finally beat his trial, some argued that his freedom doesn’t actually paint Lil Durk in a positive light. Hip-hop media figure DJ Vlad claimed that the Chicago MC is a snitch, even if he’s not doing so personally.
“A lot of people are saying Durk isn’t snitching; his lawyer is,” Vlad said. “As someone who has paid over $1M in lawyer fees over the years, let me be 100% clear. Your lawyer can ONLY do what YOU allow them to do. YOU PAY THEM, SO YOU HAVE THE FINAL SAY. I personally don’t care if Durk is snitching or not.”
(Photo by Prince Williams/FilmMagic)
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