Bradford Cohen Explains Why He’d Pass On D4vd’s Murder Case

The attorney who helped represent some of Hip Hop’s biggest names is drawing a line at D4vd’s pending murder case. During a new VladTV interview, criminal defense attorney Bradford Cohen said he does not expect to join the singer’s legal team, even as he cautioned against assuming the allegations tell the entire story.

“I believe everybody deserves a defense,” Cohen told DJ Vlad. “I don’t believe everybody deserves a Brad Cohen defense.”

Cohen stopped short of making any judgment about D4vd’s guilt, stressing that he has not reviewed the evidence closely enough to reach conclusions about the prosecution’s case.

“The allegations are what the allegations are. I don’t know what the evidence is yet,” he explained. “I’ve come across cases where people were like, ‘Hey, this is a horrible case and here are the allegations.’ Then, all of a sudden, I get involved in the case and it’s like, the allegations don’t match what I actually know.”

This case has generated intense attention since D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, was charged in the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Prosecutors allege Burke killed Rivas Hernandez in 2025 before her remains were discovered months later inside a Tesla registered to him. He has pleaded not guilty. Cohen said he does not take allegations at face value, but that skepticism does not mean he is interested in taking every case that lands in the headlines.

The question of who will defend D4vd has become particularly relevant in recent weeks. The Los Angeles Times reported that his private attorneys withdrew from the case on August 31, leaving the Los Angeles County public defender’s office to take over his representation. DJ Vlad made his own preference clear during his conversation with Cohen, personally asking the attorney not to become D4vd’s next lawyer. The request drew laughs from both men.

“I don’t predict myself taking on the D4vd case,” Cohen replied.

Cohen has represented several high-profile artists, including Kodak Black, and has discussed his work involving Lil Wayne, Drake, and other celebrity clients during his latest VladTV interview series. He also previously worked on YNW Melly’s murder case before leaving that defense team after several months.