Lil Durk Trial Turns To King Von Texts As Defense Challenges Context

Lil Durk’s second full day in his murder-for-hire trial gave jurors a clear fight over motive, witness deals and travel records tied to the case.

LAPD Detective Warner Carias returned Tuesday before Brian Steel questioned how police dealt with three men who now help prosecutors. Kacey “OTF Jam” Hester, Kavon Grant and Keith Jones have pleaded guilty and may seek less prison time for their help.

Steel said Hester spoke with agents about 30 times, but only three talks were taped. Carias joined five talks with Jones, one of which was taped, and ten talks with Grant, none of which were taped.

That gap became Steel’s point when Carias agreed taped talks give a cleaner record of what a witness actually said. Steel also asked if men facing long prison terms might blame innocent people to help themselves, and Carias agreed that could happen.

The defense next turned to flights and money that prosecutors say link Durk to the alleged plot. Jason Smith, described in court as Durk’s close friend and business associate, worked for Durk and booked the flights at issue.

Smith used an American Express credit card on an Astronaut Soundz account to buy flights for men tied to the case. Carias said he had no proof Durk reviewed those credit card statements or saw the flight charges himself.

“Don’t book no flights under no names involved with me,” Durk wrote to Smith before the shooting.

Steel noted Smith later bought return flights under names tied to Durk’s circle, while Carias said he thought Smith made a mistake.

Prosecutors answered that Durk sent the warning two minutes after Smith sent Deandre Wilson a flight notice. They said the timing showed Durk knew about the travel plan, even without proof that he checked the credit card bills.

FBI Special Agent Jarron Farmby then took jurors back to King Von’s November 2020 death as prosecutors tried to show motive.

“I’m dead inside,” Durk wrote after Von died. “I gotta go all out for him,” another message read.

“I can’t let this slide,” Durk wrote in another exchange. “Him dying turning me a different animal,” Durk wrote in another message.

Prosecutors say those words help show Durk wanted payback against Quando Rondo after Von was killed.

Prosecutors also showed Smith sent Durk a video mocking Rondo after Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson was killed. Carias said Durk changed his phone number about 48 hours after Robinson’s death and after Smith sent the clip.

Durk’s lawyers challenged how prosecutors read some texts because missing words could change what jurors heard. Prosecutors read part of one text as, “put this shit together.”

Prosecutors then gave jurors the full wording, while Steel said the case had moved too far into gang claims.

“Yea I’m good in my feelings ready to put this shit together,” the full message read after Steel objected.

Farmby was due back Wednesday for Steel’s cross, while Hester had still not testified when Tuesday’s testimony ended.