Lil Durk Accused of Witness Intimidation in Murder-for-Hire Case

The claims come in response to Durk’s request for a full dismissal of the case, which he and his legal team argue is built largely around rap lyrics — not actual evidence.

Lil Durk is facing even more legal heat as he awaits trial in a federal murder-for-hire case tied to the killing of Quando Rondo’s cousin back in 2022.

According to prosecutors, the Chicago rapper has allegedly threatened witnesses while behind bars. The claims come in response to Durk’s request for a full dismissal of the case, which he and his legal team argue is built largely around rap lyrics — not actual evidence.

But federal prosecutors aren’t backing down. “[Lil Durk] is not on trial for his lyrics or his music; he is on trial because he directed, orchestrated, and financed the brazen murder plot at issue in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli.

The prosecution originally leaned on Durk’s lyrics from his song Wonderful Wayne & Jackie Boy to help secure an indictment. However, a judge has since ruled that those lyrics cannot be presented as evidence in the upcoming trial — a major win for Durk’s team.

Still, the legal battle is far from over.

Durk’s family released a strong statement calling the government’s actions “a violation of the very system that’s supposed to protect all of us.” They emphasized that Durk has always used his music as an outlet for storytelling and healing, not violence.

“Durk has always used music to tell stories, to express pain to heal — and yet those same lyrics are now being used against him. We refuse to stay silent as Black artists continue to be criminalized for their creativity. Rap is art.”

With another bond hearing coming up next month, Durk remains in custody. His family and supporters are now calling on fans, artists, and the culture as a whole to rally around him.