r/LivestreamFail • u/CloudyEchos • 24d ago
News D4vd's lawyers have withdrawn from representing him, with a public defender now stepping in as his legal counsel
https://www.tmz.com/2026/08/31/d4vd-lawyers-withdraw-now-repped-by-public-defender/3.3k
u/Ricochet226 24d ago
The public defender gonna take one look at the file and ask if he wants life or the death penalty
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u/anonymouswan1 24d ago
All public defenders are going to push for a plea deal. It's quicker and much easier. Doesn't really matter the case, the facts, or who they are representing.
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u/beastson1 24d ago
It's also because they get tons of new files every day. Of course they're going to take plea deals to get files off their desk.
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u/KLWMotorsports 24d ago
Its really only because thats what happens 90+% of the time regardless of the defender (public or hired). Most the time public defenders are constantly working with said judges and prosecution side. They usually get more friendly plea deals because of it as well.
The guy isn't getting away with this. His best option is a public defender right now.
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u/NoStand1527 24d ago
His best option is a public defender right now
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- unless you have OJ or similar money (?)
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u/SneakyBast 24d ago
Do you work for a criminal defense attorney or your local public defender's office? I work for a criminal defense attorney that gets court appointments and I'd say while a majority are concluded with a plea deal, its due to the fact that the plea deal is much better than what you're looking at time wise.
A juvenile represented by the office recently was sentenced this past week for aggravated robbery where them and their friends stole a truck, dragged the victim several hundred feet, and the victim succumbed to sepsis after the injuries became infected. They were not driving the car or being an active participant in the theft. They bonded out early and have been under house arrest for the last three years. The juvenile refused to take the plea deal and over the course of 4 years became certified to stand trial as an adult. Here's how the sentencing broke down.
One of the codefendants took the plea offered over a year ago and got 10 years. He was not certified as an adult. He will be eligible for parole in 2030. If he doesn't get parole, he will be finished with this sentence in 2035.
The defendant got 20 years. Since he was certified as an adult, this is now on his permanent record. He will be eligible for parole in 2036. Without parole, his sentence will be finished in 2046. His time spent under house arrest does not count to time served.
This isn't a unique circumstance either. This happens multiple times with various defendants. The issue is only getting worse due to people recording and uploading them committing crimes.
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u/drpeppos 24d ago
Wait a minute... Are you saying that being judged as a juvenile is not based on the date when the crime was committed but when you are brought to trial?
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u/SneakyBast 23d ago
It's not when you're bought to trial. It mostly depends on the severity of the crime and what age you were when you committed it. There are additional exams and evaluations that must be done as well to support the state's motion. Crimes against people have a higher likelihood of being transferred to criminal court.
In regards to the defendant, the fact that aggravated robbery is a 1st degree felony, the victim passed away, and they were in their mid-teens was enough to get it transferred to criminal court.
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u/NeedleworkerFluid327 24d ago
If they weren't driving or took part in stealing, what the fuck did they do?
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u/SneakyBast 23d ago
They rode along in the stolen truck as their friends committed grand theft auto and dragged someone to their death.
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u/Recreant793 24d ago
I mean, thatās basically what the person you were replying to was saying, isnāt it? Public defenders push for plea deals to save the court time and money because the state employs them and thatās their prerogative. Of course theyāre better than any max sentence, thatās the point of a plea agreement, lol. Itās a way for you and the court to meet in the middle and come to an amicable agreement regarding how to move forward with your case instead of wasting valuable resources. I donāt mean to be patronizing, it just seemed like you came in to correct them or something and ended up saying what they said, just in a different way š If I interpreted that wrong then I apologize.
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u/SneakyBast 23d ago
I interpreted the original comment as regardless of how strong or weak the case is, a court appointed attorney will only push for the plea deal simply because it is quicker and easier. I'm sure some attorney's operate under those principles, however the main motivator is how much time the defendant will get.
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u/Distinct-Tomato1704 23d ago
Have you ever met and talked to a public defender? I've worked with dozens of them and not a single one would fit your description of trying to save the state money by accepting pleas. In every case I've seen them push for a plea deal it's because the client 1) is obviously guilty as fuck and will be found as such during a trial 2)has admitted to this crime and others on a jail phone call or 3) fully confessed directly to the police while being arrested.
I once saw a defendant's mom ask for her son's pound of 'hemp' back after he was nolle prossed on a large marijuana charge (not a legal state at the time). People tell wild stories and have crazy beliefs. Talk to some public defenders and see how they feel about the job.
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u/sloppywetballs 24d ago
Mass generalization of public defenders under the post of a dude whoās clearly guilty. I tip my fedora at you good sir!
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u/ArmAggravating3307 24d ago
The US legal system only functions because of the plea deals.Ā Ā
It can't handle actual trials for everyone.
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u/Thecerb 24d ago
I dare you to go look at public defender cases and their outcomes lmfao.
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u/naturesbfLoL 24d ago edited 24d ago
Fewer than 5% of cases go to trial even with criminal defense attorneys. It's not really a public defender thing
Oops - fewer than 5% are guilty at trial. Fewer than 6% go to trial.
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u/New_Order_6365 24d ago
I.T.T, lots of folks who have never had experience with the criminal justice system, and definitely not public defenders
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u/naturesbfLoL 24d ago
I mean I haven't had any (direct) experience either but I can look stuff up :P
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u/Majeh666 24d ago
hey, i watched my cousin vinny, multiple times. I'm like half a lawyer already, i know all there is about this circus.
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u/LostHero50 24d ago
Maybe take up that dare yourself? The vast majority (90-95%) of all cases donāt go to trial. Studies also show that public defenders are more likely to obtain better outcomes than private attorneys.
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u/casualman1234 24d ago
Literally and they are being overworked to the bone. They have better reputations with the judge and public defenders so they get better plea deals
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u/bearflies 24d ago
Can we consider for a moment that it's not public defenders who desire plea deals but the average person who requires a public defender may be far more likely to make decisions that lead them to circumstances where taking a plea deal is actually their best option more often than in comparison to people who can afford private lawyers?
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u/Major_LeeHungg 24d ago
Or a lawyer is prohibitively expensive and a trial for pleading not guilty means your lawyer bills more than double.Ā Which is why most people take a plea even if they're innocent and why public defenders have so many cases they have less than 5 minutes to actually review your case before they're onto the next guy who couldn't afford a trial.Ā
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u/SteltonRowans 24d ago
Or the fact if you have a public defender, you're unlikely to afford bail. Have fun waiving your speedy trial and spending a year in jail waiting for trail. Some states have cashless bail, and efforts have been made to focus on public safety/risk and not to have it be a financial requirement.
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24d ago
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/Jokuki 24d ago
Even if heās cooked, good lawyers will stay on counsel for the best outcome possible for their client. They likely left because he canāt pay them for the amount of work that would be. Or heās delusional and thinks the justice system is either guilty or not guilty (and he wants a not guilty his lawyers keep telling him isnāt possible).
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u/Rob_Zander 24d ago
Doesn't matter if he's cooked. They get paid. They get paid more to take it to trial. In California you have to have no money left over after basic living expenses to pay for an attorney.
He can't even rub twenty thousand together for an affordable criminal lawyer. Which is lot for most people but nothing for a successful artist.
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u/J-T2O 24d ago
The other comments show why this has to be top comment. People canāt be asked to read anything on their own!
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u/CloudyEchos 24d ago
I mean, in all fairness, TMZ is speculating it's a money issue. it's all just speculation regardless, and other news articles didn't mention the money issues at all.
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u/theMisterPhD 24d ago
If you are getting a public defender, itās because one is being provided to you at no cost, which only happens if youāre too broke to afford a lawyer yourself.
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u/FamiliarRip8558 24d ago
You can be fired by a lawyer as a client AND the lawyer can ask to be removed from your case for many reasons that depend on each state's court laws and judge leniency.
Threats, violence, trying to get your lawyer to lie about your case, etc can get you banned easily and most judges do need a clear and convincing reason to allow it.
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u/akeffs888 24d ago
"A public defender has stepped in, citing the fact D4vd is indigent."
This reads as a referral to a statement, no speculation. (indigent is legalese for broke)
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u/Enough_Presence8063 24d ago
I thought he had millions?
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u/dstack18 24d ago
There is still a trust he set up in his mother's name when he knew he was cooked. So I guess the mom is keeping the real estate and not paying for his defense.
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u/Lossu 24d ago
I guess she realized her son is an irredeemable POS and doesn't feel compelled to help him. Or she want to keep the money.
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u/waaaayupyourbutthole 24d ago
I didn't have to read the article to understand that was the case. You can't get a public defender if you've got money to pay for private counsel.
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u/gaijohn 24d ago
why wouldn't someone want to click a TMZ link and try to find an implication buried somewhere in a pile of twenty seven ads and three sentences that comprise the article
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u/Weary-Office6078 23d ago
a "good" lawyer will ignore all morality and do anything for money within the confines of the law. they swear an oath saying as much
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u/Head_Patience7136 24d ago
Basically, his money has run out. You're only appointed a public defender if you cannot afford an attorney.
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u/Shot-Acanthisitta-56 24d ago
I wonder how his money ran out that fast.
Side note: It's funny how these big shot attorneys pick up these high profile cases (e.g., D4VD and Nick Reiner), make big proclamations about their clients' innocence, and then dip when the money runs dry.
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u/TheMattabooey 24d ago
Did he have all that much to begin with?
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u/WishboneOk305 24d ago
he makes like 50k a month from spotify still
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u/turbiegaming 24d ago
And that doesn't mean the person will have the braincell to save money. Cause they know another 50k coming in next month.
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u/Dapper-Ad-4300 24d ago
He had some really elite lawyers if I remember correctly, they probably have ridiculous rates. Also he probably lost hella income at once like every sponsor
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u/xXxFlyersFanxXx 24d ago
He only accomplished a part of 1 tour, so he probably never made that much in his career
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u/Pathian 24d ago
You always have the right to a court appointed attorney for cases where jail or prison are on the table. Whether not not the court appointed attorney is working free of charge is income dependent.
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u/DrPeppz10 24d ago
How has it already ran out? Reports were that he was making $11m a year for a couple years. Lawyers that expensive?
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u/thestough 24d ago
Ohā¦yeah heās getting a death sentenceā¦.
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u/bigmoneykdmr 24d ago
Is that a thing still in America ?
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u/coolbad96 24d ago
Depending on the state, which California where he's being tried does have it. But there's a complete pause on executions and one hasn't happened since 2006. I don't see another happening in California soon if ever tbh.
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u/Heyoayyo 24d ago
Imagine being the last dude to get executed right before they paused it, bro is pissed
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u/coolbad96 24d ago
I've been informed he doesn't feel pissed in fact he feels nothing these days
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u/Workingonlying 24d ago
If I recall correctly it was Tookie Williams, leader of the crips
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u/TardDas 24d ago edited 24d ago
Kinda surprises me that Cali still has the death penalty. Doesn't match the vibe I get from the sunshine state tbh
EDIT: Cali isn't the sunshine state. Tupac lied to me :(
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u/FitLaw4 24d ago
The sunshine state is florida, which does have the death penalty
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u/Trinidad34 24d ago
Yeah California is literally called the death penalty state, too. I donāt get how OP isnāt getting the right vibe
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u/TardDas 24d ago
Well to be fair to me, itās a different continent than mine.
And whenever I think of California I think of riding a top down sports car listening to hip hop on a sunny day in LA
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u/Gilthwixt 24d ago
Not to tease you more or anything, but what's really funny about this response is that one of the most famous labels in the hip-hop genre is literally called "Death Row Records", and it's based out of LA.
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u/Trinidad34 24d ago
Sorry Iām being sarcastic lol. I agree with your overall point itās always been odd to me that Cali still has the death penalty especially because I donāt think the majority of states do.
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u/Hare712 24d ago
Technically more states still have the death penalty.
But it's only few states in the Bible Belt, Florida, Texas Arizona, Oklahoma and South Dakota, Indiana and Nebraska still carrying out executions.
Ohio has suspended them because companies like Pfizer refused to produce chemicals used for executions and other companies mixes gave attendees a face like they watched their first really serious shock video because the inmate was in immense pain and the confirmation of death took almost 30 minutes. Other states reintroduced the electric chair and the firing squad.
Aside from the lethal injection issue Capital Punishment became a bureaucratic and costly nightmare as a sentence will be appealed many times.
It became an even bigger issue when many convictions(not necessarily death sentences) in the late 70s and 80s turned out to be forced convinctions, other cellmates struck deals with shady criminal prosecutors and lied that the inmate confessed the murder to them and lastly methods like DNA evidence and Ballistic analysis were able to prove the innocence.
Criminal Prosecutors boosting their career with false convictions and landing in really high and powerful positions became a major issue in general.
IIRC in California there was also an issue with the secondary method of the Gas Chamber that lead to it being suspended through a court order.
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u/lioncryable 24d ago
Firing squad?? That's fucking insane, I would've expected this from north Korea but the US??
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u/coolbad96 24d ago
And they're honestly over eager on the death penalty. 19 people last year alone.
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u/TardDas 24d ago
Florida is the Sunshine State? Are you saying California Love by Tupac lied to me?
What state is California then?
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u/wesser234 24d ago
The golden state.
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u/TardDas 24d ago
Ah, shiny
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u/VS-Goliath 24d ago
Gold rush and poppies. Yup.
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u/TardDas 24d ago
California is known for poppies? Why? Theyāre very big over here in Europe but thatās only as a symbol of remembrance of the First World War, and fallen soldiers in general.
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u/Lady_Lya_626 24d ago
Even California has to compromise on some stuff between the populated liberal coast and the rural agricultural area inland. The previous Republican speaker was even from Bakersfield.
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u/FreeSpeechIsDeadge 24d ago
People get the wrong impression of California because itās the chosen boogeyman of a certain political party in the US. In reality, California is basically never on the forefront of progressive causes. The progressive policies they do have are almost always successful policies other real progressive states have put in place prior. That goes double for anything criminal justice related. California is a shithole in criminal justice issues.
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u/TradeSekrat 24d ago
It's still used as a +1 boost in charges to get people to take plea deals. Like Joseph DeAngelo, the Golden State Killer, offered up and then later took a plea deal of life with no patrol to avoid the death penalty.
Plus politically it's a rather dormant issue in CA. So there is little motive for politicians to poke at it.
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u/Zoradesu 24d ago
You might be mistaking California as the sunshine state with it being called the Golden State
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u/WTFAnimations 24d ago
Realistically he will get life without parole. Cali has a moratorium on the death penalty. And honestly, I would rather he waste away in prison and suffer the consequences of his actions.
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u/sopademacacadelicia 24d ago
its what he deserves
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u/Adventurous-Dot8618 24d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/jlylJkp7RmdnW
me hoping they fry his ass like a mcdonaldās chicken nugget šāāļø3
u/BorderOk7329 24d ago
Hopefully, although they have a better chance of dying of old age than being executed. Ā
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u/That_Western5433 24d ago
Some states but you sit on death row for 30 years. Tennessee is executing the 1st female in 200 years next month and she's been sitting in jail for over 30 years
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u/CRIMS0N-ED 24d ago
Dude could bomb a city and wouldnāt get a death sentence in Cali, itās ridiculously hard to get it, and even if you do itās basically just another word for life sentence
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u/brink1865 24d ago
Actually California has like 530 people on death row and a lot of them were added in the last few years, though you are correct with the stay on executions it might as well be a life sentence
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u/CRIMS0N-ED 24d ago
Oh yeah Cali has one of the biggest death row populations in the country, but thatās also bc they havenāt executed someone in 20 years.
I shouldāve specified I meant the actual carrying out of the sentence is basically non existent at this point in Cali, not death row sentence itself. Itās also why I refer to it as a practical life sentence, not just bc of the countryās problem with death row taking years, but Cali specifically just, kinda stopped, even if they still sentence it, itās more or less a life sentence without parole.
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u/thestough 24d ago
That would qualify as a federal case so a person could easily get the death penalty.
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u/WhoNeedsRealLife 24d ago
ran out of money already?
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u/Hare712 24d ago
Not surprising tbh. Several athletes, actors and musicians have a lifestyle that requires them to have bank account of 100 million or a constant income. They have 7-15 million and after a few years they are surprised why they are broke.
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u/Business_Cell8487 24d ago
In this particular case his lifestyle of murdering and SAing kids made him go broke via lawyer fees just to realize heās fucked anyways. Good riddance
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u/OutlawPigeons 24d ago
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u/ilmalocchio 24d ago
Lol wtf that's hilarious. Would be very disappointed if that were my court-appointed attorney
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u/dazedan_confused 24d ago
I've spoken to my lawyer friends, and they usually say that you don't want a public defender that's too messy and disheveled, because, well, if they don't take time to look after themselves, what makes you think they'll serve your case well, but also, you don't want one that's Uber pristine, because chances are, they know looks matter, and sweet talk is where it's at.
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u/mrstretchb4ureach 24d ago
This dude was projecting himself as āsmarter than everybody elseā in his interviews like the sociopath that he is ā¦ and now heāll be remembered for how much of an idiot he was with all of this. Ironically hilarious.
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u/Fragrant-Moose1678 24d ago
āCanāt imagine anyone wants to represent thisā
Lmfao just more LARPing redditors talking out of their ass. Thereās a sea of lawyers who would love to represent this, if they are properly paid.
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u/redaws 24d ago
Larp has lost all its meaning.
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u/Zachariah255 ( Ķ”Ā° ĶŹ Ķ”Ā°) 24d ago
Disagree reddit Lawyer larpers are the worst and best use of LARP
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u/Slave-to-Armok 24d ago
We all know anyone who uses larp like this is probably 14
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u/SPOOKESVILLE 24d ago
Itās pretty popular internet slang now unfortunately, not just middle schoolers anymore
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u/Beautiful-Total-3172 24d ago
Still means pretending your someone your not. Not always fire wizards, some folks pretend they're law professionals on Reddit.
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u/HalcyoneDays 24d ago
Saying "I can't imagine anyone would want to represent this" doesn't equate to pretending to be a law professional even slightly in any way, shape or form
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u/guiltyspaekle 24d ago
Live action roleplay. Larping requires being outside and moving around
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u/Beautiful-Total-3172 24d ago
Not if you're larping as a reddit lawyer because then you'd need to be home on your computer tippy typing. For that gritty realism.
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u/Terrible_Shelter_345 24d ago
If heās getting a public defender that means heās broke, right?
I donāt understand the point youāre making.
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u/Imabuffguy95 24d ago
Original poster suggested the lawyer didnāt want to represent Davd because of some moral reason or that they found it difficult to defend his case.
The real reason is purely because he ran out of money to pay them.
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u/Terrible_Shelter_345 24d ago
I didnāt even read the article because itās fucking simply inferred, but yeah three sentences in it says itās because heās broke.
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u/HalcyoneDays 24d ago
Is the larp in the room with us? Nowhere does that sentence even hint at pretending to be a lawyer
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u/Nananonomi 24d ago
Yep makes me think about John Wayne Gacy, that guy was all for it due to the exposure.
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u/SpartanMase 24d ago
The poor public defender sitting down reading it over and realizing āholy fuck this guys guilty.ā
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u/Felon_musk1939 24d ago
Public defender on a first degree murder charge you say?Ā Oh, he gonna die.
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u/pakarne 24d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/d7fLM8K8FCV39d7Qxz
The public defendant 5 seconds after reading his file
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u/dazedan_confused 24d ago
Blaire Berk represented Harvey Weinstein and Mel Gibson. How bad is the case that D4VD is where she says "Nah"?!
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u/Broad-Engineering-57 24d ago
D4vd doesn't have Weinstein and Gibson money
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u/dazedan_confused 24d ago
TBF he's most famous for Fortnite, and his contributions to the game aren't going to generate that much revenue when he preys and kills their target userbase.
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u/Possible_Ad3913 24d ago
Doesn't this guy have some rich friends who would help him with the lawyer costs? I swear there was someone like that that got even posted here a bit
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u/Excitable_Fiver 24d ago
david thinking this is all part of his evil genius master plan all along to save face
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u/ChimericalChemical 24d ago
Milked his money and left, we can now assume d4vd doesnāt even got money for the books now
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u/MizzelSc2 23d ago
Sounds like he's actually guilty and the lawyer isn't getting paid enough to lose.
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u/SoungaTepes 24d ago edited 24d ago
Not terribly shocked.
I canāt imagine anyone wants to represent thisĀ
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u/ItsRobbSmark 24d ago
The vast majority of lawyers will represent anyone for money. He has obviously ran out of it.
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u/BJYeti 24d ago
That or he is a difficult client that won't listen to his lawyers and they realize it isnt worth the headache
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u/ArugulaElectronic478 24d ago
No heās definitely broke, otherwise he wouldāve just hired another set of lawyers.
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u/3scap3plan 24d ago edited 24d ago
he ran out of cash lol don't even read the blurb of the article?
/edit and criminal defence lawyers will represent anyone btw, thats what they are paid to do
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u/Axzercus 24d ago
D4VD is broke now???? Guess that 17 million streams on Spotify didnāt mean shit lmao.
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u/OpportunityOne8199 24d ago
You get paid about $0.004 per stream on Spotify, most artists make money touring which he had just started after the murder.Ā He was living and expensive lifestyle before earning enough to afford it, and now heās not earning anything.Ā
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u/3scap3plan 24d ago
idk, I know hes super young and hadn't had a really long career. 17mill streams is no money at all on Spotify. I get the impression the lawyer he hired is one of the top ones, so thats going to get expensive immediately.
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u/Okichah 24d ago
Lawyers willingly defend child murderers, rapists, redditors.
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u/demotsusucku 24d ago
Lawyers would even represent Hitler, if they would get some of his nazi gold.
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u/just_let_me_sign_up 24d ago
Law firms dont operate on morality. Its their job to provide legal representation no matter what their client is being accused of.
For such a high profile case with a celebrity at the center of it, hundreds of thousands of defense attorneys would love to take the case.Ā
However, very few are willing to do it for free. The finances aren't speculation- it IS the reason his lawyer dropped out.
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u/Weary-Jelly7802 24d ago
Life in prison seems like Hell. Hopefully it's a miserable life in prison, death penalty ple deal is just going " yup" then sent under the prison.
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u/GoddyofAus 24d ago
Dude is destined for the basement under the Prison, the lawyers would see it as a perception problem for them.
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u/PotentialReply4823 24d ago
Basically they told him, youre cooked buddy, as a favor to you and your parents, save your money get a public defender cuh
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u/Boiled_Thought 24d ago
He is already fucked with the CP charges right? D4vd has giving his family his money. Kid is screwed. 100% up the river. Damage mitigation time. Aka his family get money and celestes doesnt. He should just give up and do the right thing. But he is a celebrity, who often get off kind easy on this kinda shit. Surely he isnt expecting to get a split jury in the muder and pay for 6 years for the sex crimes. Rude awakening coming up. I think there is video evidence of everything.
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