The legal team for singer D4vd have withdrawn from his murder case on Monday as he seeks the services of a public defender. File Photo by Cyril Zingaro/EPA
Aug. 31 (UPI) — The legal team for singer D4vd withdrew from his murder case Monday as he sought the services of a public defender.
The switch came during the arraignment of D4vd, whose birth name is David Burke. He and his former attorneys Blair Berk and Regina Peters informed the court and Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo that he will be using a public defender moving forward.
Walid Fouad Kandeel, Burke’s new attorney, was in the gallery before being called forward by the judge to introduce himself to the court. He asked for a continuation of Monday’s arraignment so he could better familiarize himself with the case but was denied.
Kandeel said in a statement that his client is “entitled to a defense that takes his circumstances seriously and carefully examines the evidence.”
Burke was accused of killing a 14-year-old girl after her remains were found in the trunk of his abandoned car in September. The prosecution alleged that Burke stabbed the girl at his home in Hollywood.
Burke previously pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, the mutilation of human remains and child sexual abuse, and on Monday his plea was formally read and re-entered.
“We continue to support David and his defense against these serious charges,” Burke’s former legal team said in a statement. “We are grateful that the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office has taken over the representation and that David has a highly capable and committed team of attorneys and investigators behind him.”
Nathan Hochman, the Los Angeles County prosecutor leading the case against Burke, said the change in legal teams may delay the case.
