A significant development has emerged in the federal murder-for-hire case against rapper Lil Durk. Prosecutors disclosed a violent threat directed at one of their attorneys amid ongoing efforts by the rapper’s legal team to disqualify the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California from the case.
This alarming revelation surfaced as prosecutors opposed a motion seeking to dismiss the indictment against Durk. According to reports, an unidentified man placed a threatening call to an attorney in April, stating, “Free Durk or we gonna shoot that m########### up.” When pressed for clarification, the caller reiterated the threat. This incident allegedly occurred shortly after prosecutors filed their opposition to Lil Durk’s request for release.
Currently incarcerated since December 2024, Lil Durk faces charges of orchestrating the 2022 murder of Saviay’a “Lul Pab” Robinson, a relative of rapper Quando Rondo. Judges have denied bond for Durk, citing concerns regarding his potential danger to the community and allegations that he attempts to use his influence and resources to intimidate perceived threats.
The situation escalated further with two separate anonymous threats against federal prosecutors and U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Donahue. In February 2025, four voicemails were received for the judge, with the caller claiming Durk and a co-defendant were innocent and issuing a warning to “burn this m########### down” if they faced life sentences. Despite these serious threats, investigators found no evidence linking the defendants to them.
Durk’s defense team argues that the prosecution should have disclosed both instances of threats simultaneously, alleging that the timing displays favoritism and improper communication with the court. However, prosecutors have dismissed these allegations as “misleading and meritless,” emphasizing that judges rarely grant disqualifications of the entire U.S. Attorney’s Office, labeling it an “extreme remedy.”
In their response, prosecutors emphasized that a defendant cannot force the recusal of prosecutors through threats, referring to Lil Durk’s motion as “bewildering” and “provocative.” As the court has yet to make a ruling on the matter, Lil Durk continues to await trial at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, with proceedings scheduled for 2026.
As this case unfolds, the legal proceedings underscore the complexities of balancing justice with the safety concerns arising from threats and high-profile defendants, highlighting an ongoing battle between the prosecution and defense that reflects the serious nature of the charges involved.