After a jury acquitted Lil Durk, the rapper’s father offered condolences to the mother of the man killed in the shooting at the center of the trial. He said he understood the pain of losing a son.
“We are truly sorry,” Dontay Banks Sr., better known as Big Durk, said outside the Los Angeles courthouse after the Sept. 11 verdict, according to the L.A. Times. He was addressing Saviay’a Robinson’s mother in his public remarks.
Robinson, 24, was killed in August 2022 while traveling with his cousin, rapper Quando Rondo, who survived the attack. Jurors found Durk not guilty on all five counts in the murder-for-hire trial arising from that shooting.
Big Durk also told TMZ that he was “bursting with joy” over the verdict. His son remained in federal custody, however, with additional charges still awaiting trial.
His Older Son Was Killed in 2021
“Losing a loved one is very hard. I lost a son,” Big Durk said while expressing sympathy for Robinson’s mother. He said his family’s hearts went out to her.
His son Dontay “DThang” Banks, Lil Durk’s older brother, was killed in a June 2021 shooting outside Club O in Harvey, Illinois. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that he was 32 and was pronounced dead at the scene, citing local officials and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Big Durk had discussed that loss before the jury reached its decision. In a report published by ABC7 on Sept. 2, he described how difficult it was for the family to watch Durk go through the trial after already losing another son to gun violence.
He also spoke about the 26 years he had spent in prison, saying he would not wish that experience on his son. He was already picturing the two of them leaving the courthouse together. “That day is coming,” he told the station.
His Son’s Confidence Helped Him Through the Wait
Speaking to TMZ’s cameras minutes after the acquittal, Big Durk said his son had remained confident that a not-guilty verdict would come. He said Durk’s optimism had helped him too, recalling that his son smiled during their conversations.
At the time of the interview, father and son had not yet spoken about the result. Big Durk said he had seen Durk in the courtroom and waved to him, and expected to talk with him later that evening.
Asked about celebrating, he said the family would do so in a big way when Durk was able to walk out. The rapper, whose legal name is Durk Banks, has been detained since his October 2024 arrest. Big Durk also acknowledged how anxious he had felt while waiting for the decision.
The Family Is Still Waiting to Bring Durk Home
Inside the courtroom, Durk began wiping away tears after the second not-guilty verdict, the Times reported. His mother was also crying, and India Royale put an arm around her as the clerk continued reading the decisions.
Outside, defense attorney Drew Findling told supporters that the team’s next task was to secure Durk’s release so he could return to his family.
The acquittal resolved the five counts presented to that jury. Separate proceedings remain on murder-related racketeering and weapons allegations, Reuters reported, citing a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles. Those remaining allegations were set aside for another trial, and Durk has pleaded not guilty.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said prosecutors were disappointed with the verdict concerning Durk and intended to present their evidence in the next proceeding. The second trial is scheduled for Oct. 5.