Brian Steel emerged at the center of celebrations after a Los Angeles federal jury cleared rapper Durk Banks, known professionally as Lil Durk, of all five counts in a murder for hire trial.
The verdict came after three days of deliberation, following jurors who on Wednesday asked for evidence in digital form and on Thursday queried the judge about the legal meaning of intent.
Prosecutors had accused Durk of orchestrating a 2022 daytime shooting that killed Saviay'a "Lul Pab" Robinson, a cousin of Quando Rondo, and said the rapper had "his shooters on speed dial," according to court statements.
In closing, Steel attacked cooperating witnesses, calling Kacey "OTF Jam" Hester "is not human" while his team advanced an alternate theory naming Kavon "OTF Vonnie" Grant as the alleged mastermind, the defense said.
The trial produced mixed results for co-defendants. Deandre Wilson and David Lindsay were convicted on stalking and stalking conspiracy charges and were acquitted on the remaining counts, the court record shows.
The acquittal did not lead to Durk's release. He was ordered to remain behind bars and his lawyers and prosecutors are preparing for a second trial on related racketeering charges set to begin on Oct. 5.
Reactions And Next Steps
Outside the downtown Los Angeles federal courthouse, thousands of Lil Durk supporters celebrated the acquittal, and fans swarmed Steel as he left the courtroom, calling him the "MVP" and the "real GOAT."
Online reaction amplified the praise. On Complex's social feeds and on X, commenters hailed Steel's performance. One wrote that "Steele got a legendary resume," and another proclaimed "Brian Steel is GOAT."
Some fans compared recent high-profile defenses handled or credited to Steel, with one social media comment listing outcomes for other artists and crediting Steel's record in hip hop cases, according to the posts.
Brian Steel is described in coverage as a prominent Atlanta based criminal defense and appellate attorney who has drawn attention for representing major rap figures in serious federal matters, especially within hip hop circles.
With the murder for hire acquittal concluded, court observers say attention will shift to the upcoming racketeering trial and to how prosecutors and defense teams approach remaining charges.
