Platinum-selling singer D4vd pleaded not guilty Monday at his rearraignment on charges he sexually abused 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez before killing and dismembering her and concealing her remains in the front trunk of his Tesla. He also switched out his defense team, replacing high-profile lawyers Blair Berk and Marilyn Bednarski with two public defenders. After the hearing, Bednarski said “there is no conflict,” and that D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, made the decision.
She declined to say how he might qualify for a publicly funded defense considering his financial success as a recording artist. We are grateful that the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office had taken over the representation and that David has a highly capable and committed team of attorneys and investigators behind him.” After the hearing, Burke smiled and shook hands with Berk and Peter. He appeared to look around for Bednarski before deputies led him back into custody.
Burke’s new lawyer, Los Angeles County Public Defender Walid Kandeel, asked to delay Burke’s arraignment following the preliminary hearing so he could review transcripts in the case. Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo denied the request, noting that Burke still faced the same three charges filed against him when he was arrested in April. It’s not particularly complicated.
I don’t think you need to review,” Olmedo said. Kandeel then entered a not guilty plea on Burke’s behalf. Olmedo set the next hearing for Oct. 19.
No trial date has been set. Editor’s picks The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century Monday’s hearing came after Rolling Stone published an investigation into the “Romantic Homicide” singer earlier this month that detailed a pattern of concerning behavior, much of which predated his alleged abuse of the girl. Burke, 21, is fighting charges he murdered Rivas Hernandez while lying in wait, for financial gain, and to prevent her from reporting the alleged sexual abuse.
He also faces charges of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains. A five-day preliminary hearing ended in late July with Judge Olmedo ruling that prosecutors had presented enough evidence to send him to trial. About a dozen witnesses testified, most of them law enforcement officers, though prosecutors also called financial employees from Burke’s management company and his record label, Darkroom/Interscope, part of Universal Music Group.
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