The prosecution continued its case Thursday morning with testimony from Kacey Hester, also known as OTF Jam, who described growing up surrounded by crime, being \u201cblessed\u201d into the Black Disciples at age 9 for \u201cviolence\u201d and his close relationship with Durk Banks, also known as Lil Durk.<\/p>\n
Hester testified that Banks never forgot about him while he was in prison and would always answer his calls. But that relationship soured, he said, after Banks forced him to participate in the killing of Saviay\u2019a Robinson.<\/p>\n
During cross-examination, defense attorney Brian Steel turned Hester\u2019s troubled past against him, repeatedly characterizing him as \u201cdangerous\u201d and a \u201ccoward.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Steel questioned Hester about fleeing after Robinson\u2019s killing, Hester said \u201cany one of you would\u201d run. He then clarified that most people in the courtroom likely had never committed murder.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re different, aren\u2019t you, Mr. Minister?\u201d Steel asked, referring to Hester\u2019s position in the Black Disciples.<\/p>\n
The tense back-and-forth prompted presiding Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald to describe the exchange as a \u201csoap opera.\u201d Despite Steel\u2019s aggressive questioning, Hester remained relatively calm, at times laughing at the defense attorney\u2019s questions.<\/p>\n
Hester\u2019s Final Testimony Moments<\/p>\n
Hester described the morning of Aug. 19, 2022, when the attempted murder of Quando Rondo and killing of his cousin Robinson occurred.<\/p>\n
Hester, along with Keith Jones, Asa Houston and David Lindsey, drove a stolen white Infiniti with fraudulent plates to the Level Hotel, where Rondo was staying, Hester testified. DeAndre Wilson and Kayvon Grant were in a rented BMW nearby. According to Hester, the group determined they would not kill Rondo outside the hotel because there were too many people, mirroring their decision from the night before.<\/p>\n
Scroll to continue reading<\/p>\n
They then followed a black Escalade carrying Robinson and Rondo to Litco, a dispensary. Hester testified that they circled the block, parking in the store\u2019s garage at one point. He also testified that Lindsey entered the dispensary to find Rondo and gauge the situation. Hester said the two cars were in \u201cconstant communication,\u201d talking on the phone and sharing locations.<\/p>\n
It was determined that they would not make an attempt at the dispensary, Hester said.<\/p>\n
He repeatedly told the court he did not know Los Angeles and could not give specific locations of where they went, but said he remembered the hotel, the dispensary and then traveling to a clothing store behind the Escalade, where they also determined they would not make an attempt on Rondo\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis \u2026 don\u2019t feel right,\u201d Hester testified that he thought at the time. \u201cAin\u2019t nothing consistent \u2014 there\u2019s no real plan.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hester said he made an attempt to end the plan, making up a lie that Jones and Lindsey were scared and texting this to Wilson. He said he believed if Wilson called off the plan, Blood would not get mad because the two were closer. However, the plan was not called off, and the group followed Rondo to a gas station.<\/p>\n
Hester described driving past the Escalade, noting that a \u201ctall\u201d man exited the vehicle and seemingly noticed their car. This is when the group determined to carry out their plan, Hester said, noting that the BMW was parked nearby.<\/p>\n
When the Infiniti pulled behind the gas station, Hester testified that Lindsey jumped out of the car and quickly ran toward where the Escalade was parked. Hester said he was \u201cused to walking on people\u201d and expected to attempt the shooting at a closer range. He testified that he was surprised when Lindsey began shooting so quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cDum dum dum dum dum,\u201d Hester said, describing the rapid gunshots and the moment as \u201cchaotic.\u201d Hester testified that he only fired four shots.<\/p>\n
What Came Next<\/p>\n
The group then ran back to the Infiniti and took off, later parking and disposing of the hoodies and three guns in a garbage bin. The Infiniti was left behind, according to Hester, and the group traveled together in the BMW before being picked up by another black Escalade.<\/p>\n
Hester testified that while in one of these cars, Banks called Wilson and asked for information on the shooting. Hester said he heard Banks\u2019 voice.<\/p>\n
At the end of Hester\u2019s testimony, he described feeling mad, saying the Rondo beef had \u201cnothing to do\u201d with him. He described the murder of Robinson as \u201csloppy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my eyes, he was innocent,\u201d Hester testified. He then said he called Banks to express his anger and ask why Banks called him to commit the crime.<\/p>\n
Hester testified that Banks just smiled, told him he loved him and said \u201cpap counts,\u201d pap being a nickname for Robinson.<\/p>\n
When the prosecution asked Hester if he was offered payment prior to the attempt on Rondo, Hester said \u201cno.\u201d Hester then testified that he appeared in a\u00a0Federal Freestyle\u00a0music video and was paid $10,000. He said he had never previously been on one of Banks\u2019 albums and did not believe he would have been without his involvement in Robinson\u2019s murder.<\/p>\n
Hester was later arrested in 2023 for possessing a weapon while on probation. While in prison, he wrote a note that was shown to the jury, which read:<\/p>\n
I know about murders
I don\u2019t wanna talk on camra
I know a lot<\/p>\n
Hester testified that he felt guilt for murdering a person he did not know but said he does not feel guilty when killing for a personal reason.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was weighing on me, and I saw the opportunity,\u201d Hester said when asked why he pleaded guilty to the murder of Robinson, along with a murder he committed when he was younger.<\/p>\n
Hester was asked if he had any feelings toward Banks today.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis may be hard to believe because of what I\u2019m doing,\u201d Hester said. \u201cI still have love for him, I just don\u2019t have no respect for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steel Asks About Hester\u2019s Family<\/p>\n
To begin his cross-examination, Steel asked about Hester\u2019s relationship with his family. Steel brought up Hester\u2019s twin sister and older siblings before asking why he does not speak to his family. The prosecution objected to the question, and the judge sustained the objection.<\/p>\n
Steel then returned to prior testimony in which Hester said he provided for his family. When Steel called this untrue, Hester said, \u201cMy mom would say I did.\u201d Steel then looked around the room and asked Hester where his family was if they supported him.<\/p>\n
This line of questioning was heavily objected to, and counsel was called to the bench to discuss it. Hester laughed as he sat on the stand.<\/p>\n
Steel then moved on to ask about Hester\u2019s motives, asking if there was a plea agreement, to which Hester said there was. He asked if Hester wanted to be released immediately, and Hester responded that he expected to serve some time but admitted to wanting a shorter sentence.<\/p>\n
Hester was asked by Steel if he told his wife he would be out in 18 months if he testified. Hester said he did not say this, then said he did not remember. Steel asked why he would tell his wife this timeline, to which Hester replied that if he said this, he was likely trying to \u201cgive her hope.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steel pointed out that Hester has been in continuous custody since he was 12 years old, with February 2022 to May 2023 \u2014 the period surrounding Robinson\u2019s killing \u2014 being the longest time he was a free man in adulthood. Steel pushed the issue of Hester wanting to be released, possibly motivating his testimony.<\/p>\n
Later in his cross-examination, Steel asked if Hester is a \u201cdangerous man.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can be,\u201d Hester responded.<\/p>\n
Steel described Hester\u2019s MO of robbing others, putting a gun on them and stealing material items. He asked Hester about this, and Hester replied, \u201cSteal? I call it taking.\u201d<\/p>\n
The defense painted a picture for the jury of Hester\u2019s criminal past, specifically calling attention to the other murder Hester has pleaded guilty to. Steel said Hester traveled to Wisconsin, entered a store and locked the door behind him. He then described Hester pointing a gun at a man\u2019s head and shooting him in graphic detail.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s your life,\u201d Steel said, asking Hester if this was true.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my past,\u201d Hester responded.<\/p>\n
Steel repeatedly called Hester selfish, saying he only thinks of what is best for him, though Hester disagreed and said he did think of others. Hester often replied that what Steel said was his opinion, stating, \u201cI see the picture you\u2019re trying to paint and I understand \u2014 that\u2019s the job you\u2019re paid for.\u201d<\/p>\n
The defense mentioned a woman Hester had a sexual relationship with and whose address he used while on probation. Steel asked if Hester ever called Banks derogatory names to this woman, specifically asking if he said \u201cDurk\u2019s success is on [his] back,\u201d because Banks mentions Hester\u2019s name in songs. He also asked Hester if he ever claimed to this woman that he was using Banks for his money. Hester denied these statements, saying \u201cour relationship was our relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other inconsistencies in Hester\u2019s story that Steel pointed out involved Hester\u2019s testimony that he received a phone call to fly to Los Angeles from Boonie Moe out of the blue. However, Steel pulled out Hester\u2019s phone records and had Hester look over them while on the stand.<\/p>\n
Hester called Boonie Moe twice, both of which went unanswered. Boonie Moe then called Hester back, and this was the alleged phone call in which he told Hester to fly to Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
Hester then said the call wasn\u2019t what was out of the blue \u2014 he stated he meant the \u201cconversation\u201d was out of the blue.<\/p>\n
Hester also previously testified that he could hear Banks\u2019 voice on a separate phone while speaking with Boonie Moe during this call. Steel asked if his wife was ever interviewed to corroborate this, then stated she was not and asked Hester why.<\/p>\n
Hester replied that it was not his job, that it was the police\u2019s job.<\/p>\n
Hester previously testified about a meeting in a Georgia studio where someone in a group meeting mentioned a payout of \u201chalf a million\u201d or $1 million to target Quando Rondo. Durk was allegedly in the room, Hester said, and was involved in the conversation about the murder plot. <\/p>\n
Steel played a clip for the court in which Hester told authorities in an interview that he never spoke about Rondo or Lul Timm with Durk before the Aug. 18, 2022, trip to Los Angeles. Steel pointed out that the Georgia meeting was never mentioned.<\/p>\n
Steel then brought up each moment Hester previously testified about that involved his client. Steel asked Hester if there was any proof beyond his word, and Hester often agreed that it was only his word. However, toward the end of the day, Hester mentioned Jones and Grant, who are also testifying for the prosecution, and said, \u201cThey\u2019ll be up here after me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The cross-examination of Hester will continue at the First Street Federal Courthouse on Friday morning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The prosecution continued its case Thursday morning with testimony from Kacey Hester, also known as OTF Jam, who…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":828572,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[34748,351005,88,351006,351007,105662,119374,216,351008,326693],"class_list":["post-828571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-brian-steel","tag-durk-banks","tag-entertainment","tag-judge-michael-w-fitzgerald","tag-kacey-hester","tag-king-von","tag-lil-durk","tag-music","tag-only-the-family","tag-quando-rondo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/828571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=828571"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/828571\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/828572"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=828571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=828571"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=828571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}