Prosecutors fighting to use Lil Durk’s lyrics as evidence in murder-for-hire trial
Lil Durk is preparing for his murder-for-trial later this year, with prosecutors pushing to use the rapper’s music as evidence.
In January, Durk’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the use of his art as evidence, claiming it “carries an extraordinary risk of unfair prejudice.”
However, prosecutors believe that the prohibition of lyrics in the trial “diminishes the jury’s role to weigh defendants’ own words.”
Durk has been accused of conspiring with others to kill Quando Rondo, resulting in the death of his cousin, Lul Pab.
According to Complex, prosecutors are focusing on several lyrics from Durk’s catalogue, including his song ‘All My Life’ featuring J Cole.
Lyrics include, “They be on my page like ‘Slide for Von’, I know they trollin me,” and “Got it back in blood, y’all just don’t know, that’s how it ‘posed to be.” Prosecutors claim that these lyrics and others prove that Durk and his crew “had motive for seeking revenge for [King Von’s] death and to kill [Quando Rondo].”
They also allege that lyrics from an unreleased song, ‘Scoom His Ass’, show that Durk “was the leader of OTF who funded his co-conspirators’ violence against rivals, including by placing bounties.”
In the track, he allegedly raps, “Popping traffic, we in Cali’, ride through Beverly Hills with choppers … Bounty hunter.” Pab’s murder took place around a mile and a half away from Beverly Hills in Los Angeles’ Beverly Grove neighbourhood.
Durk’s trial is scheduled for April 21st. He’s been charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of use of interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death.
The Chicago rapper has also been charged with one count of using, carrying, and discharging firearms and a machine gun and possession of such firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death.