When exactly Lil Durk’s trial in his federal murder-for-hire case happens depends on one thing: whether three of his co-defendants are successful in separating their cases from his.
On Monday afternoon (February 23) in a Los Angeles courtroom, Durk’s father, Dontay Banks, and Power universe actors Gianni Paolo and Kris D. Lofton were among those present to support the Grammy-winning artist. Durk, real name Durk Devontay Banks, had notable hair growth after shaving his head late last year, and wore a white jumpsuit with gray sleeves.
Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald presided over the hour-long hearing, where the lawyers for defendants Deandre Wilson, David Lindsay, and Asa Houston argued for a separate trial from Durk and the other co-defendants in the case. Prosecutors are fighting against the request.
Durk is alleged to have orchestrated a murder-for-hire plot targeting rapper Quando Rondo, which resulted in the killing of Rondo’s cousin, 24-year-old Saviay’a Robinson, in 2022.
In addition to arguing over the need for separate trials, scheduling issues also came into play. The trial, estimated to last for two to three weeks, was scheduled to begin on April 21.
If Wilson, Lindsay, and Houston’s cases are not severed, then the trial for all defendants, including Durk, will now, Judge Fitzgerald ruled, have a new, later start date of August 25.
If severance is granted, then Durk’s case would go forward on the previously-agreed April 21 date, and Wilson, Lindsay, and Houston would be tried afterwards.
Fitzgerald did not give any indication of when he would rule on the severance question.
During the hearing, Judge Fitzgerald apologized for the Chicago artist remaining detained and having his bail denied since being arrested in October 2024.
Speaking at length during the hearing was Wilson’s lawyer, Craig Harbaugh, who argued that rap lyrics the government wants to use in trial would be prejudicial, and denied that his client engaged in misconduct. In his push for a separate trial, Harbaugh stressed that he wanted to ensure fairness. At one point, Harbaugh mentioned a message chain for members of Durk’s Only the Family (OTF) collective, and Durk and Wilson looked at each other and smirked.
The government believes there is no basis to sever the trial, and alleges that the plot was a “gang murder” where Rondo, real name Tyquian Bowman, was stalked. Harbaugh rejected the argument, and claimed that the government’s premise was based upon “circular reasoning.”
Earlier this month, Judge Fitzgerald landed on a split decision involving nine music videos and three songs being used as evidence in the case.