D4vd has been ordered to stand trial for allegedly killing and dismembering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, which raises a key question: Could the singer be facing the death penalty if convicted as charged?
Below, we take a closer look.
D4vd’s charges
The Withered artist, born David Anthony Burke, is charged with the following: murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. He has pleaded not guilty.
Could D4vd get the death penalty?
That remains to be seen, but it’s currently still in the cards. In a press release issued on Monday (July 27) after D4vd was formally ordered to stand trial, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman’s office noted that, if convicted as charged, D4vd could face “death, or life in state prison without the possibility of parole.” Hochman’s office added that a final decision on whether to pursue the death penalty would be made later.
What have prosecutors said?
Addressing reporters outside court on Monday (July 27), Hochman elaborated a bit further on where things stand with the death penalty possibility. In short, there’s a nuanced process here, and that process is now in motion.
“One additional consideration is that Mr. Burke now is eligible for death penalty,” Hochman said. “The death penalty considerations are now being weighed. Part of that consideration will be any submission that the defense wants to submit to the district attorney’s office, it is something that we will consider on whether or not we will seek the death penalty. At this point, the death penalty determination has not been made.”
What’s next for D4vd?
A post-preliminary arraignment is slated for Aug. 31 in Los Angeles.
