The bond hearing of Lil Durk ended indeterminately, with the Chicago rapper waiting on a judge’s decision, which he promised to issue soon.
Durk, facing trial next year on racketeering counts following his acquittal this fall on murder-for-hire charges, had a hearing in Los Angeles federal court on Wednesday (Nov. 4) to decide whether he would be let out of jail until his trial. His co-defendants in that trial will be Deandre “OTF DeDe” Wilson, David Lindsay, and Asa “OTF Boogie” Houston.
Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald listened to arguments from both sides, and announced that he will issue a decision after some further consideration. He told the courtroom that the decision was complicated, and he was reluctant to show favoritism given the defendant’s celebrity status.
Judge Fitzgerald said during the hearing that the rapper had “indisputably attempted to flee” prior to being arrested in September, 2024, but wondered aloud if it was from “guilt or panic.”
“A great deal has changed” since the rapper’s acquittal, the judge admitted, but he believes that Durk, real name Durk Banks, is still a danger to the community.
The rapper’s lawyers argued on his behalf. Lead counsel Drew Findling reminded the judge that celebrities including Jay-Z, Michael Rubin, and J. Cole had advocated for Durk’s release, an act that “put their reputations on the line.”
Attorney Christy O’Connor emphasized of her client that if he is released, “I want him to know that if he breaks the rules in any way, he is going to lose everything that he has.”
Another member of Durk’s team, Brian Steel, emphasized that his client’s trial was many months away — it is currently set to begin on August 30, 2027.
“To cause this young man to sit almost another year, to me, that’s unthinkable,” he said. Steel also said that Durk is subject to “invasive body cavity searches” at MDC Los Angeles.
Prosecutors, for their part, tried to use the rapper’s celebrity status against him, arguing that he feels he’s “above the law and will use his wealth and power to get what he wants.”
Late last month, Durk, who has been incarcerated since his fall 2024 arrest, offered up a bond package his lawyers described as “robust.” That package would include a guarantee that, if he were to flee, the court would still have access to his royalties, publishing money, and fees generated from his name, image, and likeness. This would be in addition to his mother’s home and "a significant sum of cash and property” put up by his friends.
Just hours before the hearing, prosecutors submitted a written argument against the rapper being freed. They said that September’s not guilty verdict “does nothing to change the dangerousness or flight risk analysis.” They also said that Durk has shown “a distain for and unwillingness to abide by” jail rules while locked up.
“Among other violations, defendant has repeatedly attempted to conceal his communications by using other inmates’ phone access, engaging in impermissible three-way calls, and smuggling in and using contraband communications devices to make hundreds of phone calls,” the brief reads. It also mentions a recent incident where he “refused to comply with instructions” to search his cell for contraband.
The missive also contained a shot at Kanye West’s appearance at Durk’s trial, making mention of “a prominent celebrity who arrived during crucial cooperator testimony” in order to “distract decisionmakers.”
On Sept. 11, the Grammy winner was acquitted on all five counts during his murder-for-hire trial, which lasted for several weeks before concluding on Sept. 11. Durk faced a life sentence and was accused of murder-for-hire, which led to 24-year-old Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson being slain in Aug. 2022. The murder, which was carried out by Durk’s former associates including Kacey "OTF Jam" Hester, David "Browneyez" Lindsey, and Keith “Flacka” Jones, occurred in Beverly Hills. Durk’s co-defendants, Deandre “OTF Dede” Wilson and Lindsey were found guilty on two stalking-related charges, which they are seeking to appeal.
A fifth participant in the murder, Durk’s former assistant Kavon “OTF Vonnie” Grant, was also cooperating witness during the trial and claimed that Durk ordered the group to murder rapper Quando Rondo in retaliation for the killing of fellow Chicago rapper King Von. The late artist was fatally shot by Rondo’s friend, Timothy “Lul Timm” Leeks during a Nov. 2020 incident outside an Atlanta nightclub.
