Machine Gun Kelly shows up to Lil Durk’s federal trial after Durk personally called asking for his support in court.
Machine Gun Kelly showed up to the downtown Los Angeles courthouse on August 24 to sit with his longtime friend during opening statements in one of the biggest Hip-Hop trials of the year.
The platinum-selling rapper made his presence felt as prosecutors laid out their case against Lil Durk, who’s accused of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot that left a rival’s cousin dead in 2022.
MGK’s courtroom appearance sent a message that wasn’t lost on anyone watching the proceedings unfold.
The reason for his surprise visit became clear, when MGK posted on social media.
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“This been my bro for a decade,” he wrote, explaining that Durk had personally called and asked him to come support him in court. “When he called and asked if id pull up and support im there no question. free durk.”
Lil Durk’s trial kicked off August 20 with jury selection before opening statements began on August 24.
Prosecutors are alleging that the Chicago rapper placed a bounty on rival Quando Rondo and orchestrated a hit that went down in August 2022 near the Beverly Center in Los Angeles.
The shooting was supposed to target Rondo but instead killed his cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson, at a gas station. Federal prosecutors say Durk became consumed with revenge after his close friend King Von was killed in 2020 and wanted to “slide for Von.”
Durk’s defense team is taking a different angle, pointing fingers at OTF member Kavon Grant as the one who actually orchestrated the hit.
They’re arguing that Grant had his own reasons for seeking revenge after Von’s death, since Grant was the one driving Von to the hospital during the 2020 Atlanta shooting.
The trial revealed how police used “Rats to Riches” pants to crack the case, with detectives spotting the branded clothing on one of the masked gunmen in surveillance footage and using that detail to identify suspects through Chicago police.
The prosecution has lined up around 35 witnesses, including cooperating witnesses like Jerome Kacey Hester (OTF Jam), who’ve already pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against Durk.
Meanwhile, Durk’s legal team is challenging the government’s narrative by questioning whether there’s actual proof of a bounty or final payment, arguing that the case relies too heavily on the testimony of people who made deals with prosecutors.
It’s worth noting that Durk is also facing separate racketeering charges under the Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering Activity statute, but those charges were severed from this trial after his defense team argued they were blindsided by the sweeping new allegations.
The trial continues today with more testimony expected as the case unfolds in federal court.