Lil Durk and his legal team are countering federal prosecutors' request for an anonymous jury. In a filing obtained by AllHipHop, the rapper's attorney, Drew Findling, argued that hiding the jurors' identities would undermine "transparency and fairness." Durk is facing a charge of murder for hire regarding an alleged attack on Quando Rondo in 2022.
Findling wrote: “An anonymous jury would undercut transparency and fairness in these proceedings and would be inconsistent with Mr. Banks’ presumption of innocence. Such a drastic measure is justified only when there is a strong reason to believe that anonymity is necessary to protect jurors or the integrity of the trial, and even then, only when accompanied by reasonable safeguards to mitigate prejudice.”
Lil Durk Trial Update
Durk's lawyer went on to explain that identities can remain hidden from the public, but the defense team needs to know to whom they're presenting their case.
“Anonymity would convey to jurors that Mr. Banks is inherently dangerous, infringe upon his presumption of innocence, and prejudice the defense in the most fundamental of ways,” Findling continued. “The government’s motion conflates generalized fears of publicity with actual threats of juror harm. None exist. Mr. Banks has no history of interference with the judicial process, no record of violence against witnesses or jurors, and no connection to organized crime.”
The prosecution submitted their reasoning for having an anonymous jury, earlier this month. In doing so, they alleged that some of the rapper's fans had already made threats of violence against a prosecutor and a judge ahead of the trial. They cited phone calls allegedly made to a United States Magistrate Judge in the Central District of California, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Ian Yanniello.
Durk's trial is scheduled to begin on January 6, 2026. Prosecutors have already confirmed that they will not be seeking the death penalty against him.
