Testimony continued this week in the federal criminal trial in United States v. Grant, the case involving recording artist Durk Banks and co-defendants Deandre Dontrell Wilson and David Brian Lindsey. The Talk Lounge reviewed the official court transcript from Volume XI, dated Thursday, September 3, 2026.
The proceedings are taking place in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division, before the Honorable Michael W. Fitzgerald. All three defendants are presumed innocent, and no verdict has been reached.
A Cooperating Witness Faces Cross-Examination
A central figure this week was a cooperating witness the transcript identifies as Mr. Grant, who remained on the stand under oath across multiple sessions. “Mr. Grant is on the stand, still under oath,” Judge Fitzgerald told jurors as one session resumed, before inviting counsel to proceed.
Defense attorneys pressed the witness's credibility. “This cooperating witness has spoken on the telephones. He has said things that are not truthful,” one defense attorney argued during an exchange recorded in the transcript, framing a line of questioning aimed at the witness's reliability.
Argument Over ‘Consciousness Of Guilt’
Much of the day involved legal argument outside the jury's hearing over what evidence could be presented. At one bench conference, Judge Fitzgerald weighed whether certain actions were relevant, noting the dispute concerned “whether the actions that occurred on the 24th should be construed as consciousness of guilt.”
The judge indicated he would allow the testimony rather than force a government agent to be recalled, explaining his reasoning to the attorneys before the jury returned. These evidentiary rulings shape what the jury is ultimately permitted to consider.
An Upcoming Witness Is Previewed
Counsel also previewed testimony from an anticipated witness. “Shekema Springfield is a captain in the United States Army,” defense attorney Mr. Findling told the court, describing her as a person who would “address some of the things that were specifically spoken about by Mr. Grant” and speak to travel between Chicago and Atlanta referenced in earlier testimony.
“A juror who violates these restrictions jeopardizes the fairness of these proceedings, and a mistrial could result that would require the entire trial process to start over,” Judge Fitzgerald cautioned jurors, per the transcript.
Why This Matters
The judge's repeated admonitions to the jury underscore how closely guarded the proceedings are. Jurors were reminded not to seek outside information and to report any exposure to it, a standard but pointed instruction in a high-profile case that has drawn heavy public attention.
Because the trial is ongoing, the significance of any single day of testimony can shift as the case develops. The Talk Lounge is reporting from the official trial transcript and will continue to follow the proceedings. Nothing in this account should be read as a finding of guilt; the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven otherwise.
This report is based on the official reporter's transcript of the jury trial, Volume XI, filed in the Central District of California.
