Lil Durk Trial Closings: Prosecutors Allege Revenge Plot As Defense Attacks Cooperators

Federal prosecutors told jurors that Lil Durk financed and directed the deadly Los Angeles operation targeting Quando Rondo, while the rapper’s defense argued that cooperating witnesses blamed him to improve their own legal situations.

The competing accounts arrived Tuesday as closing arguments began in the Lil Durk murder-for-hire trial. Both sides have rested, ending the evidence phase of the federal case.

Taylor Parise of Los Angeles magazine reported the arguments from the courtroom.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Yanniello portrayed the August 19, 2022, shooting as an organized revenge mission driven by Lil Durk’s money, authority and access to violent OTF associates.

Prosecutors contend Tyquian “Quando Rondo” Bowman became vulnerable after arriving in Los Angeles. Five men, including defendants David “Browneyez” Lindsey and Deondre “DeDe” Wilson, traveled from Chicago with few belongings and allegedly began searching for him soon after reaching Southern California.

The government says the men flew into San Diego before traveling north to Los Angeles to conceal their connection to the operation. Members of the alleged crew then followed Quando Rondo’s Cadillac Escalade across the city until gunmen attacked it at a gas station near the Beverly Center.

Quando Rondo survived. His 24-year-old cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson, was fatally wounded.

Yanniello focused jurors on Robinson and the consequences of the attack. Prosecutors again showed video of him being removed from the Escalade. The government argued DeDe and Browneyez showed no remorse afterward and instead treated the killing like a victory.

Prosecutors placed the shooting at the end of an alleged revenge campaign that followed Dayvon “King Von” Bennett’s November 2020 death. King Von was killed after a fight involving Quando Rondo’s entourage outside an Atlanta nightclub.

The government alleges Lil Durk later offered money for Quando Rondo’s death. His defense denies that claim.

Yanniello argued Lil Durk led OTF and could call upon members willing to commit violence. Prosecutors portrayed Kacey “OTF Jam” Hester as a dangerous killer whose background made him useful to the alleged plan.

OTF Jam, Keith “Flacka” Jones and Kavon “OTF Vonni” Grant testified for the prosecution after admitting their own involvement in serious crimes.

The government acknowledged OTF Vonni’s major role but argued he acted as Lil Durk’s assistant and lacked the power to command OTF members independently. OTF Vonni testified that he arranged travel, vehicles, hotel rooms, guns and ski masks. He also claimed he collected firearms from Lil Durk’s Encino residence.

Prosecutors argued Robinson’s death would not have occurred without Lil Durk’s dispute, money and resources.

The government also highlighted messages recovered from Lil Durk’s phone. One discouraged booking flights under names connected to him. Prosecutors treated that message as an effort to hide his relationship with the travelers.

The defense says the message concerned talent agent Jeremy Marcano’s wedding rather than the alleged plot. Other messages addressed concerns about OTF Jam cooperating and Lil Durk’s frustration with members who were not acting as a team.

Prosecutors argued the communications demonstrated Lil Durk’s authority within OTF. They also claimed money motivated the alleged shooters.

Yanniello identified Browneyez as a shooter and pointed to footwear that prosecutors say connected him to the crime scene. He accused DeDe of recruiting Browneyez and Flacka with promises of payment.

The prosecution asked jurors to separate the case from Lil Durk’s celebrity and music and focus on Robinson’s death. Yanniello requested guilty verdicts on every charge.

Brian Steel opened Lil Durk’s closing argument by emphasizing the government’s duty to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Steel argued that OTF affiliation did not make Lil Durk responsible for crimes committed by other members. Prosecutors still had to prove that he knowingly joined an agreement to stalk and kill Quando Rondo.

The defense placed the credibility of OTF Jam, OTF Vonni and Flacka at the center of its argument.

Steel portrayed OTF Jam as an extremely violent man with an extensive criminal history. He argued the government asked jurors to trust a witness who admitted responsibility for several killings.

The defense also questioned why investigators did not record OTF Jam’s first interviews. Steel suggested the unrecorded sessions allowed authorities to shape his account before preserving a later interview. He maintained that independent evidence did not support OTF Jam’s allegations against Lil Durk.

Steel then focused on OTF Vonni’s access to Lil Durk’s finances. The former assistant admitted possessing the rapper’s wallet, credit cards, banking information, passwords, PINs and Social Security number.

The defense argues that purchases bearing Lil Durk’s name do not prove he personally ordered or approved them.

During OTF Vonni’s first interview, investigators confronted him with evidence suggesting he appeared to be running the operation. Steel used that exchange to support the defense theory that OTF Vonni shifted responsibility toward Lil Durk to avoid being treated as the leader.

Steel argued OTF Jam, OTF Vonni and Flacka could all receive benefits for helping prosecutors obtain convictions. He also accused the FBI of focusing on Lil Durk because his fame made him a valuable target.

Lil Durk, DeDe and Browneyez have pleaded not guilty.

As Los Angeles magazine explained, the defendants face five charges connected to the alleged operation.

Those include conspiracy to commit stalking, stalking Quando Rondo with a dangerous weapon and stalking Robinson resulting in death. They also face conspiracy to use interstate facilities in a murder-for-hire resulting in death and using those facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death.

The Justice Department’s case announcement alleges Lil Durk used his money and OTF resources to target Quando Rondo. An indictment contains accusations, not proof.

Drew Findling was scheduled to continue Lil Durk’s closing argument before the jury receives its final instructions and begins deliberating. All three defendants remain presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.