D4vd Drops High-Profile Lawyers for Public Defender Despite $10 Million Earnings in Murder Case
D4vd has replaced his prominent private defense team with a Los Angeles County public defender and pleaded not guilty as his case involving the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez moves closer to trial.
Singer David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, made a major change to his defense team Monday, August 31, when his private attorneys were allowed to withdraw from his high-profile murder case and a Los Angeles County public defender took over his representation.
The decision came during a Los Angeles court hearing that had been expected to focus on the next stage of the case after a judge ruled in July that prosecutors had presented enough evidence for Burke to stand trial.
The sudden change in lawyers immediately raised questions because Burke had previously been represented by prominent private attorneys, including Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter. The reason for the change has not been publicly explained.
More significantly, the switch comes despite testimony in an earlier hearing indicating that Burke earned at least $10 million from his music career between 2023 and 2025. The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office nevertheless said it had conducted a financial evaluation and determined that he qualified for appointed counsel.
D4vd’s private lawyers withdraw from the case
During Monday’s hearing, Burke’s former attorney Blair Berk told Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo that Burke wanted the public defender’s office to represent him.
The judge asked Burke directly whether that was his decision, and he confirmed that it was.
Berk, Bednarski and Peter subsequently left the case. In a joint statement, the former defense team said they continued to support Burke and his defense against the serious charges.
The attorneys also said they were grateful that the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office had taken over the representation and described the new defense team as capable and committed.
The lawyers did not publicly provide a reason for their departure.
That leaves one of the biggest unanswered questions surrounding Monday’s development: why did Burke move away from a prominent private defense team and choose appointed counsel at this stage of a murder prosecution?
Why is D4vd getting a public defender despite his reported earnings?
The financial question is one of the most notable parts of the development.
Burke became a major music success through songs including “Romantic Homicide” and built large audiences on TikTok, SoundCloud and Spotify. He later signed a major recording deal and released his debut full-length album, “Withered.”
At a previous hearing, people involved in managing Burke’s finances testified that he had earned at least $10 million through his music between 2023 and 2025.
That figure has naturally prompted questions about how Burke could qualify for a publicly funded lawyer.
However, the Public Defender’s Office said it completed a financial evaluation and determined that Burke was eligible for its services. The office did not publicly disclose the details of that assessment.
The important distinction is that reported past earnings do not automatically establish a person’s current ability to pay for a lengthy and extremely expensive criminal defense. The public record does not explain Burke’s current assets, liabilities, available funds or other financial circumstances in full.
As a result, the exact financial reason behind the change in representation remains unclear.
Who is representing D4vd now?
Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel took over Burke’s defense following the withdrawal of his previous private attorneys.
Kandeel asked Judge Olmedo for additional time to become familiar with the case and requested a delay in the proceedings.
The judge denied the request for an immediate continuance and required Burke to enter his plea.
Burke pleaded not guilty.
The court scheduled the next proceeding for October 19, 2026. A final trial date has not been set.
What charges does D4vd face?
Burke is facing extremely serious charges connected to the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
The charges include first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts involving a child under 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
The murder charge includes special circumstances that could make Burke eligible for the death penalty if convicted.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has said prosecutors are still deciding whether to seek the death penalty.
Burke has pleaded not guilty and remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
What prosecutors allege happened to Celeste Rivas Hernandez
Prosecutors allege that Burke and Rivas Hernandez had a sexual relationship that began when she was a teenager.
According to evidence presented during the preliminary hearing, prosecutors allege that Burke feared Rivas Hernandez would expose their relationship and damage his rapidly growing music career.
The prosecution has pointed to messages exchanged between Burke and Hernandez shortly before her death as evidence of the alleged conflict between them.
Prosecutors also allege that Burke arranged for a rideshare vehicle to take Hernandez to his Hollywood Hills residence on April 23, 2025.
Investigators have presented Uber records indicating that she arrived at the residence at approximately 10:10 p.m.
Prosecutors say Burke’s phone and vehicle later left the property and traveled north toward Santa Barbara County.
The defense has challenged aspects of the prosecution’s timeline and evidence, including arguing that there is no direct evidence showing Hernandez exited the rideshare vehicle.
When was Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s body found?
Hernandez’s remains were discovered months after prosecutors believe she was killed.
On September 8, 2025, investigators found her decomposed and dismembered remains inside bags in the front trunk of a Tesla that had been registered to Burke.
The vehicle was located at a Hollywood tow yard.
The medical examiner determined that Hernandez died from multiple penetrating wounds and that her death occurred weeks before her remains were discovered.
The discovery became the central development in a case that had remained largely under investigation before Burke was arrested.
What evidence did prosecutors present?
During the five-day preliminary hearing in July, prosecutors presented testimony and physical and digital evidence that they argued connected Burke to Hernandez’s death.
The prosecution called approximately a dozen witnesses and presented evidence including text messages, forensic findings, financial and purchasing records and other investigative material.
Prosecutors also presented evidence involving tools that they alleged could have been used to dismember Hernandez.
Investigators have said evidence connected to Burke’s garage was significant to the prosecution’s case.
Prosecutors argued that the overall evidence was strong enough for the case to proceed to trial.
The judge ultimately agreed that sufficient evidence existed for Burke to stand trial.
What does D4vd’s defense say?
Burke’s defense has consistently maintained that he did not murder Hernandez.
His previous attorneys argued that the prosecution’s evidence did not establish that Burke was responsible for the killing.
The defense also highlighted weaknesses in the prosecution’s case during the preliminary hearing.
Among the issues raised was the fact that investigators did not recover the specific tools that prosecutors alleged may have been used to dismember Hernandez.
The defense also emphasized that there was no eyewitness who directly saw the alleged killing.
During cross-examination, defense attorneys questioned the medical evidence and sought to establish uncertainty surrounding some aspects of the circumstances of Hernandez’s death.
The defense position remains that the prosecution must prove the murder allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
Why the lawyer switch matters before trial
The timing of the change is significant.
Burke is no longer at the early investigative stage of the case. A judge has already ruled that the prosecution presented enough evidence for the charges to proceed to trial.
That means his new legal team is taking over a complex case involving extensive evidence, previous hearings, forensic material, digital communications and serious felony charges that could result in life imprisonment or potentially the death penalty if he is convicted and the death penalty is pursued.
The new attorneys therefore have to become familiar with a substantial existing record before the case reaches trial.
Judge Olmedo indicated that the new defense team would have time to prepare, even though the judge rejected the initial request to postpone Monday’s arraignment.
D4vd’s former attorneys were high-profile lawyers
The outgoing defense team included attorneys with experience representing high-profile clients.
Blair Berk, in particular, has represented prominent entertainment figures during her career, while the defense team had also represented other high-profile clients.
Their departure therefore represents a major change in the legal strategy and resources surrounding Burke’s defense.
However, neither Burke nor his former lawyers has publicly said that the switch represents a change in his position on the charges.
His not-guilty plea remains unchanged.
D4vd’s rise from online music phenomenon to murder defendant
The legal case is particularly high-profile because of Burke’s rapid rise in music.
Known as D4vd, Burke became an online music phenomenon as a teenager, building a substantial audience through platforms including TikTok, SoundCloud and Spotify.
His breakthrough song “Romantic Homicide” became a major streaming success and ultimately surpassed one billion plays.
He performed at Coachella in 2024 and later released his debut album, “Withered.”
The album was released shortly after the date prosecutors say Hernandez was killed.
Prosecutors have argued that the timing of the alleged killing and the threat of Hernandez exposing their relationship are relevant to their theory of motive.
The defense disputes the prosecution’s allegations.
What happens next in the D4vd case?
Burke’s next scheduled court proceeding is October 19, 2026.
That proceeding will give his new legal team additional time to review the case following the change in representation.
A specific trial date has not yet been announced.
The prosecution is continuing to prepare its case, while the defense will now work under the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman has said that the change in defense lawyers will not alter how prosecutors intend to pursue the charges and that his office is prepared to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
Whether prosecutors ultimately seek the death penalty remains unresolved.
For now, Burke remains in custody, has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting the next stage of a case that has attracted national attention because of the allegations, the victim’s age, the circumstances surrounding the discovery of her remains and the rapid rise and subsequent legal crisis surrounding the singer.
The biggest new development is not a new charge or a new ruling on guilt. It is the sudden change in who will defend D4vd as the case moves from preliminary proceedings toward a murder trial.
