Lil Durk Defense Challenges Government's Phone Theory in Murder-for-Hire Trial
FBI agent Cody Burke testified that rapper Lil Durk's phone number changes followed a pattern that started nearly five years before a shooting in Los Angeles. The government alleges that Lil Durk ordered and financed the attack as retaliation for the killing of his friend Dayvon 'King Von' Bennett.
Prosecutors say Lil Durk switched phones after the August 19, 2022, shooting that killed Saviay'a 'Lul Pab' Robinson near the Beverly Center. They claim he purchased a new phone on August 20 and registered it under 'Prepaid Customer' using his American Express card.
However, FBI agent Burke agreed with defense attorney Marissa Goldberg's argument that Lil Durk regularly changed his numbers and distributed them to a limited circle. The same pattern was seen in messages from December 2017, January 2021, and September 2021, where Lil Durk announced new numbers and instructed recipients not to share them.
The defense is trying to separate Lil Durk from transactions made in his name. Kavon 'OTF Vonni' Grant, a cooperating witness, previously admitted controlling Lil Durk's wallet, banking credentials, PINs, and Social Security number.