The fate of six alleged Chicago gang members is now in the hands of a federal jury following a near three-month-long racketeering trial surrounding the 2020 Gold Coast murder of drill rapper FBG Duck, reported the Chicago Tribune. The accused, believed to be connected to the notorious O-Block gang, stand charged for their roles in the daylight attack.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the panel comprising five men and seven women, whose identities have been concealed due to the case's security concerns, commenced deliberations around 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, but left shortly thereafter at 6 p.m. They are set to continue reviewing evidence on Thursday morning.
The contentious trial, described in some instances as both "uproarious and outright bizarre," has seen its share of delays and procedural wrangling before Judge Martha Pacold at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Julien, in his concluding statements, labeled the defendants as part of "a violent criminal enterprise" known as O Block, stressing that Duck was "murdered by O Block."
On trial are Charles "C Murda" Liggins, Kenneth "Kenny Mac" Roberson, Christopher "C Thang" Thomas, Marcus "Muwop" Smart, Tacarlos "Los" Offerd, and Ralph "Teezy" Turpin. These suspects face life in prison if convicted for the murder, which prosecutors argue was the result of a gang feud played out through brutal diss tracks and real-world violence. Julien emphasized that the defendants were motivated by a gang war, not music or entertainment business. Defense lawyers, however, attempted to discredit government witnesses and pointed out inconsistencies in evidence during their closing arguments.
According to the Tribune's extensive coverage, Duck, born Carlton Weekly, was shopping for his son's birthday gift when he was ambushed and fatally shot. The defense has retorted that rap culture is an entertainment sector that reflects street violence but argued this does not constitute evidence of murder.
The prosecution's narrative, buttressed by security and surveillance footage, places the accused at the slaying scene, with Turpin allegedly alerting his gang affiliates upon spotting Duck, leading to the deadly shootout. Both defense and prosecution have expressed their positions forcefully, with the latter urging the jury that the "only verdict that's consistent with the evidence is finding each one of those defendants over there guilty," according to remarks from Assistant U.S. Attorney Julien reported by the Sun-Times.
