Singer D4vd is now relying on a public defender in the criminal case involving the alleged murder of Celeste Rivas, after his previous private legal team withdrew from the case. The change in representation has raised questions about his current financial situation, especially as recent property transactions involving his father, Dawud Burke, have also attracted attention.
D4vd was previously represented by attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter. According to reports, the lawyers have stepped away from the case, and the court has determined that the singer is indigent, meaning he is currently unable to afford his previous legal representation.
The development is notable because D4vd had reportedly earned about $11 million from his contract with Interscope. His move to a public defender therefore marks a significant change in his financial circumstances.
At the same time, records obtained by TMZ show that his father, Dawud Burke, was involved in two separate real estate transactions in Texas.
Burke sold a three-bedroom, two-bathroom property in Houston in early July for $229,000. The house covered approximately 1,819 square feet.
A few months earlier, in late April, Burke had taken out a $138,000 loan using another Houston property as collateral. That home has three bedrooms and one bathroom and measures around 1,260 square feet.
Burke is now reportedly living in Hempstead, Texas, where he owns a much larger four-bedroom, three-bathroom property. The 4,426-square-foot home is estimated to be worth around $850,000.
The timing of these transactions has drawn attention because they occurred while D4vd's financial and legal situation was changing. However, available property records do not show that Burke sold or mortgaged any property specifically to pay for his son's legal defence.
The two issues therefore remain separate for now. Burke's real estate dealings do not establish a connection to D4vd's legal expenses.
D4vd's switch from a private legal team to a court-appointed lawyer remains the clearest indication of his current financial difficulties. The court's indigency finding means the singer has been deemed unable to cover the cost of his defence.
As the criminal case continues, the singer's finances, family dealings and legal representation are likely to remain under scrutiny. However, the available information does not establish that his father's property transactions were used to fund his defence.
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