Lil Durk denied motion to disqualify prosecution in murder-for-hire trial
Lil Durk has been denied by the judge after filing a motion to dismiss his murder-for-hire case and disqualify the prosecution.
The Chicago rapper is set to stand trial on January 20th, 2026, after being charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of use of interstate facilities to commit murder-for-hire resulting in death.
In addition, he’s facing one count of using, carrying, and discharging firearms and a machine gun and possession of such firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death.
In court documents obtained by My Mixtapez, United States District Judge Michael J Seabright revealed that Durk’s attempt to throw out the prosecution had been denied.
“On October 6th, 2025, Defendant Durk Banks filed a Motion to Dismiss and to Disqualify Based on Unlawful Designation of Bilal A Essayli as US Attorney,” he said on December 16th.
It continued, “Meanwhile, on October 28th, 2025, the court denied similar motions to disqualify in United States v Ramirez.”
Seabright stated that Durk was asked to provide a statement to explain why the court shouldn’t deny his motion for the same reasons as Ramirez.
After failing the provide a statement, the judge confirmed that Essayli will continue to supervise Banks’ prosecution.
Durk was arrested in October 2024 and faces life in prison if found guilty of the charges against him. He’s currently located at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, California, after his trial was back from its initial October 2025 start date.
The 33-year-old released his latest album, Deep Thoughts, from behind bars in March. The project featured Lil Baby, Future, Jhené Aiko, and Hunxho, reaching number three on the Billboard 200 chart.