Lil Durk's Life Spared As Death Penalty Dropped in Murder Plot Case

Federal prosecutors will not seek the death penalty for Lil Durk in his headline-grabbing murder-for-hire case, new court documents filed Monday reveal.

Durk, whose real name is Durk Devontay Bank, is charged with multiple felonies, including using interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime that caused death.

However, he faces up to life in prison if convicted.

The US Attorney General has ordered that the Central District of California should no longer pursue the death penalty for the 32-year-old rapper.

Durk was arrested in October 2024 and charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Savannah "Lul Pab" Robinson, the cousin of rapper Quando Rondo, at a gas station in Beverly Hills in 2022.

Authorities allege Durk orchestrated a murder-for-hire plot by paying five individuals to travel across state lines to kill Quando Rondo. While the rapper reportedly was the intended target, Robinson was fatally shot instead.

Durk has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is currently being held at the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center. His request for a bond has been denied multiple times. In his most recent attempt, the rapper's legal team offered a $4.5 million bail package, including $3 million in cash, home detention, and 24/7 private security.

In response, prosecutors argued the amount was insufficient, claiming Durk's wealth enables him to promote violence. The most recent bond motion is pending the court's decision. The trial, originally scheduled to commence on January 7, 2025, has been rescheduled for October 14, 2025.

Defense Challenges Informant Credibility

Meanwhile, Durk's legal team is contesting the reliability of a key FBI informant central to the government's case. Attorney Drew Findling criticized the prosecution's reliance on a cooperating human source described as "CHS 1" in the affidavit.

"The government repeatedly cites to allegations from a federal case out of Illinois where Mr. Banks has never been charged and never will be charged, despite the passage of over three years since the underlying incident," Findling stated, per Complex.

"The government's own exhibit reveals that the allegations pertaining to Mr. Banks are based primarily on information from a cooperating human source, 'CHS 1,' described in the affidavit as a paid FBI informant and former gang member with a criminal history."

Durk's team argues that the government has failed to establish that he is a danger to the community or a flight risk.

Tags

Lil Durk, Prison