{"id":6305,"date":"2026-07-15T02:05:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T21:05:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=6305"},"modified":"2026-07-15T02:05:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T21:05:32","slug":"lil-durks-murder-for-hire-trial-on-track-judge-scolds-prosecutor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=6305","title":{"rendered":"Lil Durk&#8217;s Murder-for-Hire Trial on Track, Judge Scolds Prosecutor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/lil-durk\/\">Lil Durk<\/a> is still set to go before a Los Angeles jury next month in a federal murder-for-hire case, despite prosecutors\u2019 attempt to delay the trial with new charges and evidence about alleged gang activity in Chicago.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tJudge Michael W. Fitzgerald ruled on Tuesday (July 14) that the rapper (Durk Banks) will go to trial as scheduled on Aug. 20. During a hearing earlier in the day, where <em>Billboard <\/em>was present, the judge sharply admonished prosecutors for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/pro\/lil-durk-murder-for-hire-case-bulked-up\/\">tacking on additional charges<\/a> last month and then requesting to push back Durk\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/pro\/lil-durk-murder-for-hire-trial-postponed-again\/\">already-delayed trial<\/a>. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"injected-related-story \/\/ lrv-u-align-items-center u-align-items-flex-start@mobile-max  lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest  lrv-u-flex lrv-u-flex-direction-column@mobile-max u-width-710@desktop lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-u-margin-tb-1 u-margin-b-250@mobile-max u-margin-t-275@mobile-max u-margin-t-250@desktop u-margin-b-250@desktop u-margin-lr-n1@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-1 lrv-u-border-color-brand-secondary-dark lrv-u-border-t-1 lrv-u-padding-tb-1  lrv-u-padding-tb-1@mobile-max lrv-u-padding-r-1@mobile-max lrv-u-padding-l-00@mobile-max u-grid-gap-18@desktop u-grid-gap-0@mobile-max\">\n<h3 id=\"title-of-a-story\" class=\"c-title  a-article-related-module-title a-article-related-module-title--color-brand-primary a-font-accent-xl u-font-weight-800 u-letter-spacing-0179 u-line-height-normal lrv-u-color-grey-dark bb-pro-related-stories-label lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tRelated\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<div class=\"injected-related-story-wrapper lrv-u-flex lrv-u-justify-content-space-between  a-children-border-vertical a-children-border--grey a-children-border-width-050\">\n<div class=\"o-card  lrv-u-width-100p\">\n<div class=\"o-card__image-wrap lrv-u-flex-shrink-0 u-width-191 u-width-150@mobile-max\">\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image   lrv-u-margin-b-00@mobile-max u-width-130px@mobile-max lrv-u-margin-b-00@mobile-max\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/pro\/lil-durk-murder-for-hire-case-bulked-up\/\" class=\"c-lazy-image__link lrv-a-unstyle-link\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-crop-6x4 a-crop-3x2@mobile-max\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1986467127-e1780625287323.jpg?w=237&amp;h=147&amp;crop=1\" alt=\"LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 04: Lil Durk, winner of the &quot;Best Melodic Rap Performance&quot; award for &quot;All My Life&quot;, poses in the press room during the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez\/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)\" srcset=\"\" data-lazy-sizes=\"auto\" height=\"\" width=\"\"\/><\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tIn an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/business\/legal\/lil-durk-ordered-quando-rondo-murder-planned-flee-country-feds-1235811786\/\">original indictment<\/a> from 2024, Durk is charged with putting a bounty on rival rapper <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/Quando-Rondo\">Quando Rondo<\/a> in retaliation for the 2020 killing of his close friend and collaborator <a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/King-von\">King Von<\/a>. Rondo was shot at a Los Angeles gas station in 2022 and survived, but another man was killed in the crossfire.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tIn June, prosecutors added new counts under the federal Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering Activity (VICAR) statute, which broadly criminalizes violent gang activity. The updated indictment claimed that in addition to the Los Angeles murder, Durk ordered additional killings and other crimes through his Chicago-based Only the Family (OTF) label crew.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tLead prosecutor <strong>Ian Yanniello <\/strong>argued in court on Tuesday that the new VICAR counts are inextricably tied to the existing charges, since the Los Angeles murder was allegedly \u201cdone on behalf of a gang.\u201d But Judge Fitzgerald said he views the new charges as a strategy, albeit a \u201cno doubt clever\u201d one, to bolster the case with separate incidents that look bad for Durk.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t\u201cYou think you will have a better chance to win if the Chicago count is tried with the Los Angeles murder. That\u2019s obvious,\u201d the judge told Yanniello during the hearing<strong>. \u201c<\/strong>You treat that as a feature. I treat that as a bug.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"injected-related-story \/\/ lrv-u-align-items-center u-align-items-flex-start@mobile-max  lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest  lrv-u-flex lrv-u-flex-direction-column@mobile-max u-width-710@desktop lrv-u-margin-lr-auto lrv-u-margin-tb-1 u-margin-b-250@mobile-max u-margin-t-275@mobile-max u-margin-t-250@desktop u-margin-b-250@desktop u-margin-lr-n1@mobile-max lrv-u-border-b-1 lrv-u-border-color-brand-secondary-dark lrv-u-border-t-1 lrv-u-padding-tb-1  lrv-u-padding-tb-1@mobile-max lrv-u-padding-r-1@mobile-max lrv-u-padding-l-00@mobile-max u-grid-gap-18@desktop u-grid-gap-0@mobile-max\">\n<h3 id=\"title-of-a-story\" class=\"c-title  a-article-related-module-title a-article-related-module-title--color-brand-primary a-font-accent-xl u-font-weight-800 u-letter-spacing-0179 u-line-height-normal lrv-u-color-grey-dark bb-pro-related-stories-label lrv-u-text-transform-uppercase\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tRelated\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<div class=\"injected-related-story-wrapper lrv-u-flex lrv-u-justify-content-space-between  a-children-border-vertical a-children-border--grey a-children-border-width-050\">\n<div class=\"o-card  lrv-u-width-100p\">\n<div class=\"o-card__image-wrap lrv-u-flex-shrink-0 u-width-191 u-width-150@mobile-max\">\n<div class=\"c-lazy-image   lrv-u-margin-b-00@mobile-max u-width-130px@mobile-max lrv-u-margin-b-00@mobile-max\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/pro\/lil-durk-murder-for-hire-trial-postponed-again\/\" class=\"c-lazy-image__link lrv-a-unstyle-link\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-crop-6x4 a-crop-3x2@mobile-max\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto\" src=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1762513071-e1772230441952.jpg?w=237&amp;h=147&amp;crop=1\" alt=\"NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 28, 2023 Lil Durk performs during iHeart Powerhouse 105.1 at Prudential Center.\" srcset=\"\" data-lazy-sizes=\"auto\" height=\"\" width=\"\"\/><\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tJudge Fitzgerald said it would be \u201cmuch simpler\u201d to have one trial focused only on the Los Angeles murder, and then potentially hold a second trial later on the VICAR gang counts. He told Yaniello that if the government felt so strongly about including the Chicago gang-related evidence in the initial trial, they should have pushed for it earlier.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t\u201cYou chose not to do that,\u201d Judge Fitzgerald said to the prosecutor. \u201cYou had over a year\u2026 so I don\u2019t want to hear more argument that the third superseding indictment is necessary to prove the Los Angeles murder.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tDurk vehemently maintains he\u2019s innocent of all charges against him. His defense team has argued that the latest indictment is \u201clipstick on a pig\u201d and \u201can acknowledgment of weakness.\u201d One of Durk\u2019s lawyers, <strong>Drew Findling<\/strong>, told the press after Tuesday\u2019s hearing that Judge Fitzgerald got it right in his comments from the bench.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s one of those days that makes it so rewarding to be a trial attorney,\u201d said Findling. \u201cWe so appreciate the thoroughness that took place in that courtroom today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ubpass.co\/billboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.imgur.com\/2HpFicp.png\" alt=\"Billboard VIP Pass\" style=\"max-width: 100%;height: auto\"\/><br \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lil Durk is still set to go before a Los Angeles jury next month in a federal murder-for-hire case, despite prosecutors\u2019 attempt to delay the trial with new charges and evidence about alleged gang activity in Chicago. Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald ruled on Tuesday (July 14) that the rapper (Durk Banks) will go to trial&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6306,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1762513064-e1784061410946.jpg?w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity-gossip"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6305"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6305\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}