Lil Durk’s Murder-for-Hire Trial Pushed to Spring as Co-Defendants Seek More Time
A federal judge has agreed to delay Lil Durk’s murder-for-hire trial by at least three months, granting a request from several of his co-defendants to allow additional time to prepare their cases.
Durk, born Durk Banks, appeared in a Los Angeles federal courtroom on Wednesday as U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald considered a motion to continue the trial, which had been scheduled to begin Jan. 20. While the defense requested a delay until May 4, the judge declined to set a firm start date, citing court scheduling constraints. He said the trial could begin as early as April 21 or April 28, with counsel expected to confer further before a date is finalized.
Three of Banks’ five co-defendants told the court they needed more time to review discovery materials and prepare for trial. Banks himself did not join the request. “We would have been ready to try the case in two weeks, but the court appropriately decided that with everyone together, we still aren’t there yet,” Banks’ attorney Drew Findling said. “It’s a complex case. These are the stepping stones toward a trial.”
Banks, 33, appeared in court with a noticeably shorter haircut and briefly acknowledged his wife, India Royale, who was seated in the gallery. His legal team raised concerns about his confinement conditions, telling the judge that Banks has been held in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day without a disciplinary hearing, allegedly following the discovery of an Apple Watch in his possession last August. They said the restrictions have limited visitation and could affect his mental health. Judge Fitzgerald set a status hearing on the issue for Feb. 9.
Banks has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he orchestrated a murder-for-hire plot targeting Quando Rondo, whose legal name is Tyquian Terrel Bowman. Prosecutors allege Banks sought retaliation for the 2020 killing of his close friend and collaborator King Von (born Dayvon Bennett). According to the government, the alleged plot culminated in an ambush near a Beverly Hills-area gas station on Aug. 19, 2022, during which Bowman’s cousin, Saviay’a Robinson, was fatally shot.
Federal prosecutors claim multiple gunmen fired at least 18 rounds, including from a fully automatic weapon, and that the attack was carried out pursuant to a promised bounty. Banks’ defense has denied those allegations, arguing that prosecutors are relying heavily on a cooperating witness whose account has shifted over time.
In court filings, Banks’ attorneys have argued that a key cooperating witness initially told investigators there was no bounty and that he acted under duress. They contend the witness later altered his account, claiming a co-defendant remained in Los Angeles to collect and distribute the alleged payment. The defense has pointed to changes between superseding indictments as evidence that prosecutors themselves questioned the reliability of that narrative.
Banks’ legal team has also challenged the government’s use of his music as evidence. Prosecutors initially cited lyrics from his 2022 song “Wonderful Wayne & Jackie Boy,” suggesting they referenced the fatal shooting. At a December bond hearing, however, the defense produced a sworn declaration from the song’s producer stating the track was recorded months before the incident. The government subsequently removed the lyric reference from its second superseding indictment.
Prosecutors continue to defend the strength of their case. On Wednesday, they successfully opposed a defense request for an evidentiary hearing related to anonymous phone threats received by a prior judge earlier in the proceedings. Judge Fitzgerald rejected the request, characterizing the incident as an isolated act that did not compromise the integrity of the case.
With trial now expected in the spring, the court will continue to address pretrial disputes as both sides prepare for what is expected to be a closely watched and legally complex proceeding.
