D4vd loses defense lawyers before murder trial of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernández; hires public defender |
The D4vd singer lost his high-profile private lawyers Monday in a hearing in which he pleaded not guilty to charges that he killed, sexually abused and dismembered 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernández.It’s unclear why Blair Berk and her colleagues Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter parted ways with the indie-pop singer whose legal name is David Anthony Burke. They were replaced by an attorney from the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office.
Judge accepts attorney Blair Berk’s request to withdraw
Defense attorneys said in a statement only that the judge granted their request to withdraw after determining that Burke qualified for court-appointed counsel.“We continue to support David and his defense against these serious charges,” the statement said.
Attorneys did not answer specific questions about their departure from the courtroom.Burke earned at least $10 million through his music between 2023 and 2025, according to testimony from his money handlers at a previous hearing. It is unclear how he financially qualifies for a public defender whose job is to defend clients who lack money for a lawyer.
Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel takes over the defense
Without providing details, the Public Defender’s Office said in an email that it had completed a thorough financial evaluation and determined he was eligible.Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel took over the defense. The new lawyer said in a statement that “We recognize the loss of life underlying the allegations and extend our condolences to those who are grieving. At the same time, David Burke is entitled to a defense that takes his circumstances seriously and carefully examines the evidence.”Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo denied her first request as the singer’s attorney to delay the arraignment.
Instead, Olmedo demanded a guilty plea Monday and scheduled a status conference for October. No trial date has been set.
Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo rules that there is “sufficient evidence”
Olmedo ruled after a five-day evidentiary hearing in July that there was enough evidence for Burke to stand trial on charges of murder, continued lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
Will D4vd face the death penalty
A second indictment and guilty plea, like the one Burke entered Monday, is standard practice after such a hearing and ruling.
He is eligible for the death penalty, but District Attorney Nathan Hochman said after Monday’s hearing that his office is still deciding whether to pursue it.Hochman said the new attorneys won’t make any difference in how his office handles the case, although the change may delay the process. He said that regardless of the timing, his office is “ready to prove all three charges beyond a reasonable doubt.”Authorities allege Burke stabbed Rivas Hernandez to death in April of last year after she threatened to expose sexual abuse that began when she was 13 and derailed her rising career just days before her debut album came out.“I will end your career and your life,” he told her in a text message sent the night before his death.Prosecutors said the next night Burke sent an Uber to pick her up and stabbed her when she entered her home. They presented evidence that his phone went permanently silent at that time.
Blair Berk’s famous clients
Outgoing Attorney Berk has been among the go-to attorneys for top-tier clients for years. Among them are Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Harvey Weinstein and the late Ozzy Osbourne.
Nick Reiner loses lawyer over money
Nick Reiner, accused of killing his parents, director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, recently lost an equally prominent private attorney to a public defender because his money was cut off. He is now seeking access to a trust so he can rehire attorney Alan Jackson.
About the death of Celeste Rivas
Rivas Hernandez’s dismembered and decomposing body was found in the trunk of Burke’s Tesla in the Hollywood Hills in September while he was on tour.Prosecutors argued at the July hearing that the “mountains of evidence” they presented were overwhelming. Burke’s lawyers argued that the evidence of the murder was insufficient.
D4vd’s rise to popularity
D4vd (pronounced “David”) became an online music phenomenon as a teenager with a mix of indie rock, R&B, and lo-fi pop. He had a large following on TikTok, SoundCloud, and Spotify, where his top songs, including his 2022 smash hit “Romantic Homicide,” have more than 1 billion streams.In 2024, he played the Coachella music festival and released his first full-length album, “Withered,” two days after authorities said Rivas Hernández was murdered.
