Lil Durk Awaits Judge's Decision for Release on Bond Ahead of His 2027 Trial Date

Reporting by Vanitta Byron

Lil Durk is still awaiting a decision on whether he can go home before his next federal trial. U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald heard arguments for roughly two hours in Los Angeles on November 4 but did not rule from the bench. As of November 9, Hip Hop Enquirer could not verify a subsequent public ruling granting or denying release. 

A federal jury acquitted Durk, whose legal name is Durk Banks, on all counts in his first trial on September 11. That case centered on an alleged murder-for-hire plot targeting rapper Quando Rondo. The acquittal did not resolve separate racketeering-related charges that were split off for a later trial, now scheduled to begin August 30, 2027.

Durk’s attorneys argued that he should not spend nearly another year in custody awaiting trial. Their proposed bond package included cash and property, as well as financial guarantees tied to his music income. Prosecutors opposed release and raised an ongoing jail-contraband investigation involving an Apple Watch. The allegation was not a finding by the court.

The next development to watch is Fitzgerald’s ruling: whether he finds that release conditions can address flight and public-safety concerns, and how much weight, if any, he gives the disputed jail allegations.