A federal judge has ruled that newly added racketeering charges against rapper Lil Durk will be tried separately from his upcoming federal murder-for-hire case, handing the Chicago artist a partial legal victory weeks before his scheduled trial.
U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald ruled that prosecutors may not combine the recently filed racketeering allegations with the original murder-for-hire case, allowing the government to proceed first on the initial charges while postponing the racketeering counts for a separate trial. The judge declined to dismiss the new indictment outright.
The decision follows arguments from attorneys for Lil Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, that federal prosecutors improperly expanded the case shortly before trial by filing a third superseding indictment that added racketeering allegations. Defense lawyers argued the timing violated Banks’ right to a speedy trial and would require significant additional preparation.
In a written order, Fitzgerald said evidence tied to a separate 2022 Chicago homicide alleged in the racketeering indictment will not be introduced during the upcoming Los Angeles trial. The racketeering charges will instead be addressed in a later proceeding.
“We are very happy with the court’s order,” defense attorney Drew Findling told Complex. “For 21 months, we have been unwavering in our commitment to Mr. Banks and his innocence, and look forward to an August 20, 2026 trial.”
Federal prosecutors have accused Banks of directing associates in a murder-for-hire plot targeting rapper Quando Rondo that resulted in the 2022 killing of Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson in Los Angeles. Banks has pleaded not guilty and remains in federal custody.
Defense attorneys had asked the court to either dismiss the newly filed racketeering indictment or sever it from the murder-for-hire case. They argued prosecutors altered the scope of the case after nearly two years of litigation, leaving insufficient time to prepare a defense without delaying the trial.
The ruling means Banks will face trial on the original charges as scheduled, while the racketeering allegations will be litigated separately at a later date. A date for that proceeding has not been announced.
