Judge Defers Ruling on Rapper Lil Durk's Pretrial Release in Los Angeles

Federal Judge Michael Fitzgerald in Los Angeles postponed a decision on whether to release Grammy-winning rapper Lil Durk from custody while he awaits a second trial.

The judge heard arguments on Wednesday regarding a defense motion for pretrial release but declined to issue an immediate ruling. Durk, born Durk Banks, has been held in federal custody since October 2024.

Defense attorneys presented a financial package designed to ensure Banks appears for his next court date. Sony Entertainment agreed to guarantee an appearance bond of up to $1 million. Additionally, Banks offered his future royalties, publishing revenue, and touring income as security for the court.

The filing states that if Banks flees, the house he purchased for his mother, Andrea Robinson, would be sold to satisfy the court. His lawyers argued that this arrangement ensures compliance because a flight would leave him and his family penniless.

Support for the release came from several high-profile figures. Hip-hop artists Jay-Z and J. Cole, businessman Michael Rubin, and former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx submitted letters in favor of pretrial release. Robinson, the mother of the murder victim, also wrote to the judge stating she had no objection if the court decided bond was appropriate.

Federal prosecutors opposed the motion. They argued that Banks remains a danger to witnesses and that the proposed bail package is insufficient to guarantee his attendance at future hearings. The government contends the financial stakes are not high enough to prevent a potential flight.

Banks faces racketeering and firearms charges in a trial scheduled for next summer. This is a second trial following his acquittal on all counts in September 2025 in Los Angeles federal court. His co-defendants, Deandre Dontrell Wilson and David Brian Lindsey, were convicted of stalking and conspiracy to commit stalking but acquitted of other counts.

The original case centered on the death of 24-year-old Saviay’a Robinson. Prosecutors alleged that Banks paid a hit team to travel from Chicago to Los Angeles in August 2022 to kill rival rapper Tyquian Bowman, known as Quando Rondo. The plan went awry when the shooters mistakenly killed Robinson, who was sitting in a black Escalade with the intended victim.

Banks was arrested near Miami International Airport on October 17, 2024, while attempting to leave the country, according to the FBI. He won a Grammy for best melodic rap performance in 2024 for the song “All My Life,” a track that featured J. Cole. Since his debut album in 2015, Banks has released eight solo studio albums and received four Grammy nominations.

The court has not set a date for a final ruling on the bail motion. Banks will remain in federal custody until Judge Fitzgerald issues a written decision.