D4vd switches to public defender ahead of murder trial
Singer d4vd parted ways with his private defense team Monday and told a Los Angeles judge he wants a public defender in the murder case tied to 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Judge Charlaine Olmedo entered not guilty pleas and set the next hearing for Oct. 19.
Key Takeaways
- d4vd (David Burke) confirmed in court that he wants a public defender after parting with his private legal team.
- Public defender Walid Fouad Kandeel took over; Judge Olmedo denied a same-day continuance request.
- The judge entered not guilty pleas and ordered parties back on Oct. 19.
- A July 27 ruling already ordered the 21-year-old to stand trial in the killing of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
- If convicted as charged, prosecutors say he could face life in prison.
The switch unfolded during what NBC News described as a normally routine pre-trial hearing, stunning the courtroom. After meeting L.A. County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo in chambers, defense attorney Blair Berk told the court her client wanted the public defender. Asked if that was his wish, Burke replied, “Yes.”
According to NBC News, new counsel Walid Fouad Kandeel had been seated in the gallery until Berk disclosed the change. ABC7 Los Angeles reported the court granted the lawyers’ withdrawal and that the public defender stepped in ahead of the singer’s second arraignment.
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Why did d4vd switch to a public defender?
Court coverage does not detail a full public explanation for the split. NBC News reported that d4vd and his legal team parted ways and that he opted for public defenders. Berk announced the request after the chambers conference, and Burke confirmed it on the record.
As court adjourned, Burke smiled and shook hands with his now-former attorneys Berk and Regina Peter, NBC News reported. The abrupt change matters because a new defense team must absorb a complex murder case already past the preliminary-hearing stage.
What charges does d4vd face in the Celeste Rivas Hernandez case?
ABC7 reported that d4vd again faced arraignment on murder and other charges connected to the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered body was found in the trunk of his Tesla. He is charged with murder with special circumstances, sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
Prosecutors allege he killed the teen because she was afraid he would go public with their sexual relationship and ruin his budding music career, ABC7 reported. On July 27, Judge Olmedo ordered him to stand trial after evidence and days of testimony at a preliminary hearing.
Police found Hernandez’s remains on Sept. 8 of last year in a Tesla impounded at Hollywood Tow after reports of a foul odor, NBC News reported. Burke was arrested on April 16 at a house on Marmont Avenue in the Hollywood Hills.
When is d4vd due back in court, and what happens next?
Kandeel asked to continue Monday’s arraignment so he could study the case. Judge Olmedo denied that request, entered not guilty pleas on Burke’s behalf, and promised more preparation time if needed, according to NBC News.
Olmedo ordered all parties to return on Oct. 19. ABC7 noted District Attorney Nathan Hochman was expected to speak on the case’s progress as it moves closer to trial, and that a conviction as charged could mean life in prison.
Former prosecutor Joshua Ritter told ABC7 the defense’s toughest challenge may be the lack of another clearly linked suspect, while much of the case appears circumstantial despite physical evidence such as alleged chainsaw purchases and the body found in the Tesla.