The Lil Durk trial has finally started with jury selection, nearly two years after he was arrested for murder-for-hire in connection with an attempted hit on Quando Rondo that took the life of the rapper’s cousin. The judge is reportedly allowing background checks on potential jurors.
On Thursday (Aug. 20), the Chicago rapper appeared in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California for the first day of what is expected to be a complicated and lengthy trial, as the defense and prosecution tried to cut the potential jury pool of 80 people down to 16 (12 sitting jurors and four alternates).
According to attorney Moe Gangat, who was present during the hearing, Durk’s defense team successfully argued that background checks should be done on potential jurors to look for any bias, despite opposition from the prosecution. Potential jurors have been given a questionnaire to fill out. They will be questioned about their answers on Friday (Aug. 21).
Lil Durk, born Durk Banks, has been charged with paying his co-conspirators—Kavon London Grant, Deandre Dontrell Wilson, Keith Jones, David Brian Lindsey and Asa Houston—to travel to California and take out Quando Rondo in the summer of 2022. Investigators say the hit was retaliation for Durk’s artist King Von being killed by a Quando Rondo associate in November of 2022. However, Quando’s cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson, was killed in the brazen daytime shooting, which took place on Aug. 19, 2022.
Lil Durk faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, use of interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death, using, carrying, discharging and possessing firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death, stalking resulting in death and conspiracy to commit stalking.
On Aug. 18, U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald ruled on what evidence will be allowed to be presented during the trial. The list includes texts, iCloud Photos, music videos, two DJ Akademiks interviews, a Million Dollaz Worth of Game interview and more.
Watch Lawyer Moe Gangat Break Down the First Day of Jury Selection in the Lil Durk Trial
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