Lil Durk‘s song “Pissed Me Off” is set to be introduced in a murder-for-hire trial, despite being released nearly a year before the shooting incident in Los Angeles central to the case.
U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald has ruled that prosecutors can present this track and its music video at Durk’s upcoming trial. This decision was made against the defense’s claim that such material could unfairly influence the jury’s perception of him.
Prosecutors argue that the 2021 song highlights Durk’s alleged intention to avenge his close friend and OTF member King Von, who was killed during a confrontation in November 2020 involving Quando Rondo’s associates.
Federal authorities assert that Durk later funded an attempt on Rondo’s life, which resulted in the death of Rondo’s cousin, Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson, in Los Angeles in August 2022. Durk has pleaded not guilty and denies any involvement in the attack.
The prosecution points to specific lyrics in “Pissed Me Off” where Durk speaks about financing a gun and a car and mentions those who reference Von’s name. They claim these words indicate Durk was willing to spend money on revenge. The track was released in October 2021 as part of the album “7220”.
Jury Selection Set to Commence Next Week
On the other hand, Durk’s defense, led by attorney Marissa Goldberg, argues the song reflects numerous personal losses, not just King Von’s death. It begins by honoring his older brother, Dontay “DThang” Banks Jr., adding complexity to the song’s interpretation.
Goldberg warns that presenting the video from a murder-for-hire angle poses significant risks of prejudicing and confusing jurors, particularly if they struggle to discern which lyrics relate to which individual.
This issue has been further complicated following Fitzgerald’s decision to handle additional racketeering charges separately. Durk now faces these accusations later, but some of these relate to alleged retaliation linked to DThang’s death.
The defense argues that including “Pissed Me Off” might inadvertently reintroduce elements from the second case into the first jury’s consideration.
Prosecutors plan to present the video through a cooperating witness who was present during its filming and is connected to the Los Angeles shooting. This witness is anticipated to provide an interpretation of specific parts of the song and video.
Judge Fitzgerald granted permission for this evidence but acknowledged that the defense could contest the government’s narrative. He also mentioned that he might instruct jurors on how they should consider the material appropriately.
