By Ricardo Roura
Singer D4vd hired a prestigious team of West Hollywood lawyers to represent him after being formally charged this Monday with murder for the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernández.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against D4vd, whose upright name is David Anthony Burkeafter Celeste’s decomposing body was found in September in the trunk of a Tesla car registered to the singer.
After months of investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) arrested Burke on Thursday, April 16, at a Hollywood Hills residence.
Keep reading: Family of Celeste Rivas demands justice after alleged murder by singer D4vd in Los Angeles
Prosecutor Nathan Hochman announced the charges against Burke on Monday, April 20: one count of murder, one count of continuous sexual abuse of a minor under 14 years of age and one count of unlawful mutilation of human remains.
The charges against the singer include aggravating circumstances: stalking, murder of the witness during an investigation and commission of a crime for profit, as well as the use of a deadly and dangerous weapon to commit the crime.
Keep reading: Los Angeles Prosecutor reveals alleged motive for the murder of Celeste Rivas
To represent your defense, David Burke hired the services of the Berk Brettler LLP law firmwith the following lawyers:
Blair Berk
Partner at the Berk Brettler LLP law firm, based in West Hollywood. Blair is one of the most recognized and respected criminal lawyers in Hollywood.
She was hired by Harvey Weinstein in 2017. and represented Lindsay Lohan following her 2007 DUI charge. He has also represented Mel Gibson, Britney Spears and Kanye West.
Keep reading: D4vd is accused of murder in the Celeste Rivas case
Regina Peter
Regina Peter specializes in criminal defense. Previously he was a member of the Manning & Kass law firm.
Marilyn Bednarski
He has tried cases before state and federal courtsincluding more than 100 jury trials. According to his biography, he has been very effective in negotiating dismissals and reductions of charges, and has obtained short sentences in all types of cases
“Let us be clear: the evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernández nor was he the cause of her death“D4vd lawyers said after the announcement of the charges against the artist.
Keep reading: D4vd singer arrested on suspicion of murder of 14-year-old Hispanic woman in Los Angeles
“No grand jury has returned an indictment nor has any criminal complaint been filed. David has only been detained on suspicion. We will vigorously defend David’s innocence“Berk, Bednarski and Peter said in a joint statement.
If convicted on all charges, David Anthony Burke faces a maximum penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty. The Los Angeles prosecutor’s office is evaluating whether to subsequently request the death penalty.
Keep reading:
· Singer D4vd would be the target of investigation in the case of Celeste Rivas, in Los Angeles
· Celeste Rivas’s body was not frozen or mutilated, says the Los Angeles police
· Court order forces the Los Angeles coroner not to reveal data about Celeste Rivas
