Entertainment
Defense rests in Lil Durk trial as closing arguments are scheduled for Tuesday
Attorneys challenged cooperating witnesses' credibility and violent song lyrics before closing arguments begin next week.
The short version
- Prosecutors and defense attorneys both rested their cases Thursday in the federal murder-for-hire trial of rapper Lil Durk.[Billboard]
- Cooperating witnesses claimed Durk ordered a 2022 shooting and offered a $1 million bounty, while Durk maintains his innocence.[Billboard]
- The defense presented testimony calling key witnesses untruthful and had a recording engineer testify that violent lyrics were commercial artistic expressions.[Billboard]
- Closing arguments and jury deliberations are set to begin on Tuesday, with Durk facing up to life in prison if convicted.[Billboard]
Key facts
- Keith 'Flacka' Jones testified that Lil Durk promised $1 million to kill rival rapper Quando Rondo.[Billboard]
- Former assistant Kavon 'Vonnie' Grant testified he coordinated shooting logistics and reported Durk was pleased upon learning of Lul Pab's death.[Billboard]
- The defense played jailhouse recordings of Grant describing the trial as his time to perform and discussing selling his story.[Billboard]
- Recording engineer Justin Gibson testified that the song 'Ahhh Ha' was created as a commercial response to audience demand rather than a literal confession.[Billboard]
- Both sides rested their cases on Thursday, Sept. 3, ahead of closing arguments scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 8.[Billboard]
What remains uncertain
- Whether the jury will credit the testimony of cooperating witnesses seeking sentence reductions or accept the defense's argument that they fabricated Durk's involvement remains undecided.[Billboard]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.