Lil Durk’s Federal Murder-For-Hire Trial Begins with Jury Selection
A federal jury will be selected Thursday for Chicago rapper Lil Durk, who denies murder-for-hire charges linked to a 2022 shooting that killed a rival’s cousin.
Jury selection for Lil Durk’s federal murder-for-hire case begins Thursday following multiple delays. Authorities assert the Chicago rapper ordered a bounty on rival Quando Rondo and coordinated an August 2022 assault on Bowman’s vehicle, which killed Bowman’s cousin Saviay'a "Lul Pab" Robinson. The November 2024 grand jury indictment charged Durk and co-defendants with conspiracy, use of interstate facilities for murder-for-hire resulting in death, and unlawful firearm possession, later expanded to include stalking, racketeering-related murder, and other allegations.
A May 2025 superseding indictment added a stalking count, and a June filing introduced a racketeering murder charge linking Durk to earlier gang killings. A judge later severed the newest charges for a separate trial after the defense argued they were unexpected. Prosecutors plan to admit lyrics from Durk’s song “Pissed Me Off” as evidence, despite objections, and have sealed a list of potential witnesses. Durk has been denied bail, faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and the death penalty is not being sought.
Why it matters
The trial could see a major hip-hop star sentenced to life, highlighting how criminal law intersects with the music industry.
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