Lil Durk Celebrates Acquittal in Murder-For-Hire Trial: ‘I Feel All the Love and Positive Energy’

Lil Durk is giving thanks and praise following his acquittal last week in a murder-for-hire trial. The “Laugh Now Cry Later” MC was found not guilty on Friday (Sept. 11) of all charges accusing him or plotting a planned killing that targeted fellow rapper Quando Rondo, killing the rival rapper’s cousin.

“Against all odds, we’re stronger together,” Durk (born Durk Banks), 33, wrote on Instagram over the weekend alongside a picture of his legal team. “Allah doesn’t make mistakes. I feel all the love and positive energy. Now let me be free to help save our kids and bring unity back to our communities. I couldn’t have made it this far without my family, my lawyers, and supporters. Freedom. Freedom. Freedom.”

A Los Angeles jury deliberated for three days before finding the Chicago drill star not guilty last week of five counts of murder-for-hire, stalking and conspiracy that could have landed him in prison for life. Durk’s alleged co-conspirators, David “Browneyez” Lindsey and Deandre “OTF Dede” Wilson, were convicted of stalking and conspiracy but acquitted of murder-for-hire; both will be sentenced at a later date.

While Durk as acquitted, he remains in custody, as he still faces an additional racketeering charge accusing him of operating his OTF label as a violent gang tied to the 2022 shooting death of Stephon Mack; that trial is slated to begin on Oct. 5, meaning Durk will remain in lockup until that trail is over.

While friends and supporters such as producer/rapper Swizz Beatz and Moneybagg Yo offered support (both commented “alhamudlilah,” Arabic for “all praise due to Allah”), and attorney Drew Findling wrote, “Being the voice of the voice was and is my honor. Love you and will not relent in the fight on your behalf,” one fellow MC with his own history of incarceration took a shot at Durk.

“How come you still locked up right now I don’t get it if you won? Someone explain #freedom,” trolled 6ix9ine in the comments after previously posting a fireworks-filled video taunting Durk on the day of the acquittal, captioned, “Von dead 💀 Dthang dead 💀 Surk still in 🔒 Prison,” the middle reference alluding to the 2021 killing of Durk’s brother, Dontay “DThang” Banks.

Durk was a leading light of the Chicago drill scene and was at the peak of his career when he was arrested in 2024 while trying to board a flight to Dubai. His trial was headline news in the hip-hop world, spawning a legion of “Free Durk” T-shirts and drawing support from Ye (formerly Kanye West) and mgk, who showed up to court to lend support to the MC.