Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to keep the witness list in Lil Durk’s upcoming federal trial out of public view as the high-profile case moves toward opening statements. The request comes just days before the Chicago rapper, whose legal name is Durk Banks, is scheduled to stand trial in Los Angeles. Prosecutors have indicated that they expect to call 35 witnesses, including roughly 20 they consider substantive to their case.
The government’s sealing request reflects continuing concerns over witness safety and the intense public attention surrounding the proceedings. Prosecutors previously alleged that witnesses and their relatives had been threatened during the case, an issue they have cited while arguing for tighter controls around sensitive information. The judge will determine whether the government has shown sufficient grounds to shield the identities from public access.
Durk’s trial is scheduled to begin August 20, 2026, after months of pretrial litigation over the scope of the government’s case. U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald previously severed newly added racketeering-related counts from the August proceeding while keeping the murder-for-hire case on track. Durk has pleaded not guilty and has remained in federal custody since his October 2024 arrest.
The charges stem from an August 2022 shooting in Los Angeles that prosecutors allege was part of a murder-for-hire plot targeting rapper Quando Rondo. Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson, Rondo’s cousin, was killed in the shooting. Federal authorities allege that Durk financed and orchestrated the plot through associates connected to his Only The Family collective, allegations that Durk and his attorneys have contested.
The witness issue is one of several consequential matters being addressed as both sides prepare for trial. Prosecutors and defense attorneys have also battled over what evidence jurors should be allowed to hear, including music, expert testimony and material recovered from electronic devices. Those rulings could shape how broadly each side is able to present its theory of the case once testimony begins.
For Durk, the sealed-witness request adds another significant pretrial question to a case that has undergone repeated changes since the original charges were filed. The government’s proposed witness lineup suggests prosecutors are preparing an extensive presentation, but the number of witnesses alone does not indicate what each person will say or which defendant their testimony will concern. With the August 20 trial date approaching, the court’s handling of witness identities will determine how much of that lineup becomes public before testimony begins.
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