D4vd Appointed Public Defender After Private Lawyers Withdraw in Murder Case

D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, now has a Los Angeles County public defender representing him after his private lawyers withdrew from the case. (Image via: Getty)

D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, now has a different legal team handling the murder case against him. At an August 31, 2026 hearing, his private attorneys were allowed to step away from representing him, and the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office was appointed in their place. Burke confirmed the change in court and pleaded not guilty again. The move comes after months of high-profile proceedings surrounding the death of 14-year-old Celeste Abigail Rivas Hernandez. The singer remains in custody without bail while the case moves forward. A judge had already found enough evidence for the charges to proceed after a roughly five-day preliminary hearing in July. His next hearing is scheduled for October 2026. The shift in representation also marks a major change from the earlier stage of the case, when Burke was represented by private attorneys including Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter.

Why D4vd’s private lawyers are no longer handling the case

The change in counsel happened during the August 31 arraignment or re-arraignment. The court determined that Burke qualified for appointed representation and brought in the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office. New counsel includes Walid (Fouad) Kandeel. Burke’s former lawyers said they still support him and indicated that there was no conflict behind the decision. They also said the choice to change representation was Burke’s own. That keeps the focus on the legal change itself rather than suggesting that the former team had suddenly turned against their client. The timing is also notable because the case has already gone through a major evidentiary stage. During the July preliminary hearing, prosecutors presented testimony and evidence covering digital records, forensic findings, purchases and other parts of their case. Judge Charlaine Olmedo found probable cause on all counts and ordered Burke to stand trial.

What charges is D4vd facing?

Burke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder with special circumstances, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. Prosecutors allege that he was involved in a sexual relationship with Celeste that began when she was 13, while he was 18. The homicide case centers on prosecutors’ claim that Celeste was killed in April 2025 after threatening to expose the relationship and damage Burke’s career. Her remains were later discovered in the front trunk, or “frunk,” of his Tesla in September 2025. Prosecutors have presented a case built around texts, photographs, location records, Uber data, purchase records, DNA findings and other forensic material. Burke’s defense has rejected the prosecution’s narrative and maintained his innocence.

What happens next in the D4vd case?

No trial date had been firmly set as of the August 31 hearing. The immediate next step is another court appearance in October, with reports placing that date around October 9 or October 19. The case now moves ahead with the public defender’s office leading Burke’s defense. His legal position has not changed: he has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody without bail while the allegations continue through the court process.

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