MK True Crime
Episode: Inside Tyler Robinson’s “Death-Qualified” Defense Team, Diddy Awaits Fate, D4vd Mystery Deepens
Date: October 1, 2025
Host: Mark Gergas with Jonna and Ashley

Episode Overview

This episode features a lively, in-depth roundtable with host Mark Gergas and frequent contributors Jonna and Ashley, unpacking the biggest true crime legal developments of the week. The crew tackles the formation of Tyler Robinson’s high-powered “death-qualified” defense team in Utah, the complex budget and legal issues at play, the continued investigations into the mysterious death of 15-year-old Celeste tied to the artist D4vd (aka David), and the lead-up to the high-profile sentencing of Sean “Diddy” Combs, with candid insights about legal tactics, media narratives, and the realities of the justice system. The show closes with each guest’s impassioned “rant” and analysis of the week’s issues.

1. Tyler Robinson’s “Death-Qualified” Defense Team

[02:25–16:40]

Formation of the Defense

• Tyler Robinson, facing the death penalty in Utah, has assembled a legal team featuring two seasoned, “death-qualified” attorneys from California, including Michael Burt (known for the Menendez case).
• The attorneys are participating “pro hac vice,” meaning they're granted permission by the Utah courts to represent Robinson for this particular case despite being out-of-state.

Key Insights:

• Necessity of Experience:
  “This is a death penalty case, as most people are aware, you need specialized defense attorneys handling that…they have to be death qualified.” – Jonna [03:01]

• “The last death penalty case I had, I had to basically shut [my practice] down for three months and just focus on that case…you have to think about your practice because you virtually have to shut it down.” – Ashley [03:30]

• Financial Stakes:
  Both sides have significant budgets: “I think right now it's $750,000. There's $500,000 extra for the prosecution. But these cases are expensive, and they're expensive because it's the death penalty. Death is final.” – Ashley [03:30]

• Strategic Pressure:
  The prospect of an “ineffective assistance of counsel” claim (IAC) makes highly qualified and resourceful defense counsel critical from the outset. “It's kind of preemptive to a degree…” – Mark [04:26]

Death Penalty Dynamics and Jury Selection

• The hosts discuss budget imbalances and the politics around prosecution spending, referencing high-profile cases from Georgia (Brian Nichols) and Idaho (Kohberger).

• There’s a shared sense that media pressure and public outrage prompt authorities to “throw all of your resources at something that's high profile… not understanding that there's a cost to that later on.” – Mark [05:50]

• The judge in Robinson’s case, recently sworn in, delivered a pointed statement of impartiality and transparency:
  “Let me be clear. I will not put my finger on the scale of justice… handled with diligence and competence to ensure justice is never compromised.” – Judge [10:26]

• The panel reacts with some skepticism:
  “Thank you, Captain Obvious.” – Jonna [12:46]
  “Why did the judge feel the need to say, I'm going to follow the Constitution, I'm going to be impartial? One would hope…” – Ashley [12:25]

• Utah’s sober judicial culture and quirks (from alcohol laws to stickler judges) get a humorous nod.

Jury Selection & the Death Penalty

• Emphasizes the high-stakes, inherently conservative “death qualified” juries:
  “If you have [objections to the death penalty], you're not qualified to serve on a jury. So we're going to see super conservative jurors…” – Ashley [15:46]

• “They use the firing squad…which is one of the reasons I think the feds haven't filed anything yet.” – Mark [16:46]

2. D4vd (David) and the Celeste Rivas Hernandez Death Mystery

[18:09–28:56]

The Case Background

• Teenager Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s remains were found in the trunk of a Tesla associated with D4vd (“David”) after she had been missing for days.
• LAPD initially suggested foul play but details remain scarce, leading the hosts to speculate about the investigation.

Key Insights:

• “Either he knows that she was dead, or they were broken up, he's on tour… but there's going to be information, or lack thereof, that defense attorney is really going to sink their teeth into.” – Jonna [19:20]

• Questions swirl about why no one—especially David—reported Celeste missing, and whether text history will clarify their relationship and timeline.

• “We don't even know… the cause of death. Maybe it was accidental… so it might not even be a crime in that regard…” – Jonna [21:25]

• Ashley outlines how police use forensic tools:
  “They've hooked the phone up to something called Cellbrite… you can get all the texts… cell phone location data… triangulate your location… they can probably pinpoint her exact locations…” – Ashley [22:26]

• Mark and Ashley agree investigators know far more than they’re revealing, discussing LAPD’s legendary information control. “Harvey Levin… his sources have clammed up, which leads me to believe that there's more going on here than just a missing 15-year-old…” – Mark [23:57]

• Surveillance footage, Tesla telemetry, and cellular forensics are likely crucial.

Listener Question: Did LAPD Ignore a Runaway Report?

• Listener Jillian asks if LAPD knowingly left Celeste at David’s Hollywood party house a year earlier. Mark explains LAPD’s resources are stretched:
  “Hollywood is a magnet for runaways… if that rumor is true… my guess is, is they knew about her in connection with this house… when they reverse engineered this investigation, they would see that somebody came in contact with her a year ago…” [26:50]

• Discussion of burner phones and the area’s background in party-house culture.

3. Diddy’s Sentencing: Legal Realities & Courtroom Maneuvering

[31:20–40:45]

The Sentencing Standoff

• Mark discloses his role as Diddy’s long-standing lawyer, with his daughter co-leading defense in the federal case where Diddy faces possible 135-month (11+ years) sentence after partial acquittal.
• Discussion centers on prosecutors seeking maximum penalties based on accusations they failed to prove at trial.

Key Quotes & Insights:

• “They overcharged… they tried to take away his entire billion-dollar fortune. They lost all the counts that count. But … they come in and say, hey, judge, I know we overcharged. I know we lost… But we want you to use that conduct to enhance [the sentence].” – Mark [32:45]

• “The defense essentially wants him out almost on time served. And so if the state asked for a ton of time… it's going to be in the middle… they're talking about a human being's life behind bars in barbaric… situation.” – Ashley [37:17]

• “I don't think this judge has the balls to cut this guy a break.” – Jonna [38:53]

Was the Case Civil-Driven?

• Mark questions whether the criminal case follows the failed civil mediation and Adult Survivors Act lawsuit filed by Cassie: “The civil lawsuit, the failed mediation… was the blueprint for what the Southern district adopted… now there's this argument that, oh, I'm scared. Well, you weren't scared when you cashed the $20 million check.” – Mark [40:00]

• “We did see the video. Like, he kicked Cassie's ass… And for that reason, the verdict in the court of public opinion will not be as forgiving…” – Jonna [40:27]

4. Donna Adelson: Post-Trial Maneuvering and Defense Decisions

[41:14–43:45]

• Donna Adelson has requested a new trial after her conviction, a standard procedural move.

• Ashley explains such motions “almost never succeed” because trial judges are reluctant to reverse themselves.

• Mark and the panel question the quality and track record of Adelson’s legal team, noting she went through several attorneys and may have been a difficult client.

  “Either she was a rough client or she ran out of money. One of the two. But her attorney would not be my attorney if I ever got in trouble.” – Jonna [43:03]

5. DOJ/Comet Family Web, the “Jim Comey” Segment

[46:24–50:39]

• Mark highlights the deep “Comey family” ties in the Diddy prosecution:
  “The lead prosecutor… was none other than Maureen Comey, who is Jim Comey's daughter who was fired right after that trial. Her husband ended up resigning… the Jim Comey’s son in law was a lawyer head of the national security division… quite a family…” [46:24]

• The panel discusses grand jury indictments:
  “They will really indict a ham sandwich… the fact that they did not indict on two counts, that means there's nothing on those two counts.” – Ashley [48:28]

  “Jim Comey is a lying sack of shit. So I'm glad he got indicted for the two counts.” – Jonna [49:13]

6. Closing Rants (“Closing Arguments”) – [51:12–57:03]

Ashley’s Rant – The System’s Lack of Transparency

[51:12–53:13]

• The initial government information is tightly controlled:
  “You are being speculated against… and the poor man doesn't have the ability at this point to get the data to defend himself.”
  – Ashley emphasizes that the standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt” only applies at trial, and early investigative secrecy unfairly damages the defense.

Jonna’s Diddy Roast – “Diddy Don’ts”

[53:40–57:03]

• Delivers a biting “PR advice” speech to Diddy post-trial:
  “Was this the win for Diddy? Sure… Diddy's team did a great job… But Diddy is still a dirtbag. And for that reason, the verdict in the court of public opinion will not be as forgiving, since Diddy is likely to soon emerge… I have a few PR tips for the rapper, which I'm calling quite simply, diddy don'ts…”
  – Jonna [53:49]

• “You're not a martyr. You're a misogynist… You still did it, we all saw it and we can't unsee it. And that act of unmitigated violence is like a case of reputational herpes. It ain't going away.”

Mark’s Rebuttal – Systemic Sentencing Problems

[57:03–end]

• Calls for reform in federal sentencing: “If you can get penalized up to five levels up, you should get double that on the way down. 10 levels downward departure for going to trial, risking your life, risking your fortune and winning.” – Mark [57:03]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:01 | Jonna | “This is a death penalty case… you need specialized defense attorneys…” | | 09:44 | Ashley | “Luckily they didn’t waive the preliminary hearing, so we’re going to get to hear that…” | | 10:26 | Judge | “Let me be clear. I will not put my finger on the scale of justice…” | | 12:46 | Jonna | “Thank you, Captain Obvious.” | | 16:46 | Mark | “They use the firing squad… which is one of the reasons I think the feds haven't filed anything yet.” | | 23:57 | Mark | “If you don’t think they’ve canvassed that neighborhood… LAPD thinks they've got something else happening.” | | 32:45 | Mark | “They overcharged… they tried to take away his entire billion-dollar fortune. They lost all the counts that count. But now… they want you to use that conduct to enhance [the sentence].” | | 38:53 | Jonna | “I don't think this judge has the balls to cut this guy a break.” | | 53:49 | Jonna | “Sean Diddy Combs is set to be sentenced… Diddy's team did a great job. But Diddy is still a dirtbag… And that act of unmitigated violence is like a case of reputational herpes. It ain't going away.” |

Timestamps by Topic

• Tyler Robinson Defense: 02:25–16:40
• Celeste & D4vd Mystery: 18:09–28:56
• Diddy Sentencing: 31:20–40:45
• Donna Adelson New Trial: 41:14–43:45
• Comey DOJ Family Web: 46:24–50:39
• Closing Rants: 51:12–57:03

Tone and Style

• Candid, sharp legal analysis mixed with dark humor, irreverence, and a spirit of tough, in-the-trenches criminal defense.
• Panelists challenge each other and air both skepticism and empathy for the real-world implications of the justice and media system.
• The discussion is fast-paced, jargon-explaining when necessary, and blends grim realities with witty asides.

Useful Takeaways

• Death penalty cases demand extraordinary resources, expertise, and political maneuvering, often pitting defense and prosecution against systemic imbalances.
• Investigations of high-profile deaths (like Celeste’s) involve an arsenal of modern forensic techniques, but secrecy and police culture frequently thwart public understanding.
• Sentencing in federal court is a game of brinksmanship, with both sides leveraging overcharging or acquittals to influence judges’ decisions.
• Public opinion and the “court of public opinion” can linger well beyond any technical acquittal or conviction, especially for celebrities.
• Legal process is fraught with hidden hurdles for the defense — from delayed discovery to judge selection — and these obstacles fundamentally shape outcomes long before trial.

For listeners who missed the episode, this summary captures the heart and depth of analysis, key moments, and the lively back-and-forth that marks MK True Crime’s approach to high-profile legal cases.