Singer D4vd’s authorized crew withdraw from homicide case – Nationwide
Singer D4vd misplaced his high-profile non-public attorneys Monday at a listening to the place he entered a brand new not responsible plea to expenses that he killed, sexually abused and dismembered 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
It’s not clear why Blair Berk and her colleagues Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter parted methods with the indie-pop singer whose authorized title is David Anthony Burke. They had been changed by a lawyer from the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Workplace.
The defence attorneys mentioned in a press release solely that the decide granted their request to withdraw after discovering that Burke certified for a court-appointed lawyer.
“We proceed to help David and his defence towards these critical expenses,” the assertion mentioned. The attorneys wouldn’t reply particular questions on their departure outdoors the courtroom.
Burke earned no less than US$10 million via his music from 2023 via 2025, in keeping with testimony from his cash handlers at a earlier listening to. It’s not clear how he financially qualifies for a public defender whose job is to defend purchasers who lack the cash for a lawyer.
With out offering particulars, the Public Defender’s Workplace mentioned in an e-mail that it had accomplished an intensive monetary analysis and located he was eligible.
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Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel took over the defence. Choose Charlaine F. Olmedo denied his first request because the singer’s lawyer to delay the arraignment. Olmedo demanded a plea Monday as an alternative, and scheduled a standing convention for October. No trial date has been set.
Olmedo dominated after a five-day evidentiary listening to in July that there was sufficient proof for Burke to face trial on expenses of homicide, steady lewd and lascivious acts with a baby below 14 and illegal mutilation of human stays.
A second arraignment and plea, like Burke gave Monday, is commonplace apply after such a listening to and discovering. He’s eligible for the demise penalty, however District Legal professional Nathan Hochman mentioned after Monday’s listening to that his workplace continues to be deciding whether or not to pursue it.
Hochman mentioned the brand new attorneys will make no distinction in how his workplace pursues the case, although the change could delay the method. He mentioned whatever the timing, his workplace is “able to show all three expenses past an inexpensive doubt.”
Outgoing lawyer Berk has for years been among the many go-to attorneys for A-list purchasers. They’ve included Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Harvey Weinstein and the late Ozzy Osbourne.
New lawyer Kandeel mentioned in a press release that “We acknowledge the lack of life underlying the allegations and prolong our sympathies to those that are grieving. On the similar time, David Burke is entitled to a defence that takes his circumstances critically and thoroughly examines the proof.”
Nick Reiner, charged with killing his dad and mom, the director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, lately misplaced a equally outstanding non-public lawyer in favour of a public defender as a result of his supply of cash was lower off. He’s now in search of entry to a belief so he can rehire the lawyer, Alan Jackson.
Authorities allege Burke stabbed Rivas Hernandez to demise in April of final 12 months after she threatened to reveal sexual abuse that started when she was 13 and crater his rising profession simply days earlier than his debut album dropped.
“i’ll finish ur profession and ur life,” she informed him in a textual content message despatched the evening earlier than her demise.
Prosecutors mentioned the next evening Burke despatched an Uber for her and stabbed her when she entered his home. They introduced proof that her cellphone went completely silent at that second.
Rivas Hernandez’s dismembered and decomposing physique was discovered within the trunk of Burke’s Tesla within the Hollywood Hills in September whereas he was on tour.
Prosecutors argued on the July listening to that the “mountains of proof” they introduced had been overwhelming. Burke’s attorneys argued that the proof of homicide was inadequate.
D4vd (pronounced “David”) grew to become a web based musical phenomenon as a teen with a mix of indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop. He had big followings on TikTok, SoundCloud and Spotify, the place his prime songs, together with his 2022 breakthrough Romantic Murder, have greater than a billion performs.
In 2024, he performed the Coachella music pageant and launched his first full-length album, Withered, two days after authorities say Rivas Hernandez was killed.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
