UPDATED 8/18, 8:29 p.m. ET: Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald ruled on Tuesday night (Aug. 18) that Exhibit 170, a “YouTube excerpt of Tekashi69 commenting on Von,” will be admitted into Lil Durk’s trial as evidence.
See original story below.
Lil Durk’s trial on murder-for-hire charges will have one very surprising exhibit entered into evidence if prosecutors get their way: a DJ Akademiks interview with 6ix9ine and Wack 100.
On Tuesday (August 18), Durk had his final pre-trial hearing at Los Angeles federal court. One of the major focuses of the day was going through potential trial exhibits that the state wants to include, and that Durk’s side doesn’t.
One of those, as it turns out, is an excerpt of this August 2021 episode of Akademiks’ show Off the Record, on which 6ix9ine and Wack 100 were guests. In it, 6ix9ine criticizes Durk for not “sliding” on anyone as revenge for the murder of King Von.
“What is Durk doing [to avenge Von’s death]? He’s not doing shit!” 6ix9ine screams at one point.
Prosecutors said on Tuesday that they want to present an excerpt of the interview, which they said “blew up” the idea that Durk should take violent revenge for Von’s death.
That sort of violent revenge is exactly what Durk is on trial for allegedly spearheading — an August 2022 shooting in Los Angeles that prosecutors say Durk arranged and paid for, and the intended target of which was Quando Rondo, though Rondo’s cousin Saviay'a Robinson was killed instead. Quando Rondo was present at the 2020 shootout that led to King Von’s death. Timothy “Lul Tim” Leeks, a rapper affiliated with Rondo, was charged with Von’s murder, but those charges were eventually dropped.
Durk’s lawyers denied that their client had ever seen the 6ix9ine interview, and argued that it should not be admitted. A decision will be issued before the trial begins.
Jury selection in Lil Durk’s trial starts on Thursday (August 20). Once that trial ends, whatever the verdict, the rapper will face a second trial on racketeering charges. For more on those, read our detailed breakdown.
