Jury weighing fate of Robert Durst after long murder trial

LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles assemblage began deliberating Tuesday successful the lengthy execution proceedings of New York existent property heir Robert Durst aft a authoritative described him arsenic a “narcissistic psychopath" who needs to beryllium held accountable.

Deputy District Attorney John Lewin told jurors successful Los Angeles County Superior Court that Durst, a multimillionaire, had lived a privileged beingness successful which helium played by his ain rules and lone cared astir himself. Lewin said helium didn't termination for pleasance but to resoluteness problems erstwhile backed into a corner.

“Bob Durst is not crazy. He’s not immoderate seed occupation serial slayer who goes astir sidesplitting for the thrill of it," Lewin said. “Don’t fto this narcissistic psychopath get distant with what he’s done.”

Durst, 78, who was hunched successful a wheelchair successful a airy bluish sportscoat, has pleaded not blameworthy to a first-degree execution complaint successful the point-blank shooting of Susan Berman, his confidante.

Jurors deliberated astir 3 hours earlier recessing for the day. They began proceeding grounds successful March 2020 earlier taking a 14-month interruption during the pandemic. The lawsuit resumed successful May.

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Prosecutors accidental Durst killed Berman successful December 2000 astatine her location arsenic she planned to talk with constabulary astir a phony alibi she provided for him erstwhile his woman vanished successful New York successful 1982.

Lewin said Berman was killed due to the fact that she was a witness. Prosecutors presented grounds of Kathie Durst's presumed sidesplitting to supply his motive and besides introduced grounds from a Galveston, Texas, proceedings wherever helium was acquitted of execution successful the shooting decease of a neighbor.

Durst had gone into hiding successful Texas successful precocious 2000 to debar what helium believed were imminent charges successful New York erstwhile authorities reopened the probe into his wife's disappearance. He testified that Morris Black pulled a weapon connected him successful Durst's flat and was changeable successful the caput during a conflict for the weapon.

The defence challenged the spot of the grounds presented by prosecutors, arguing determination was nary grounds of Kathie Durst's decease and mostly a deficiency of forensic and nonstop grounds successful the case.

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They said prosecutors failed to beryllium that Berman impersonated Kathie Durst to telephone successful sick astatine the aesculapian schoolhouse she attended the time aft her hubby past saw her. The telephone made it look she was inactive live aft Robert Durst had seen her.

"Everything’s been this mentation but with nary nutrient to the bone, nary evidence,” defence lawyer David Chesnoff said. “You cognize that what I’m telling you is real.”

Kathie Durst has ne'er been recovered and nary 1 has been charged successful her disappearance.

Durst faces a beingness condemnation if he's convicted.

The defence claimed that prosecutors bushed up a “sick, old,” defenseless antheral during 9 days of brutal cross-examination successful which Durst admitted lying nether oath and made galore damning admissions.

Among different things, Durst testified helium didn’t termination Kathie Durst oregon Berman, but said helium would prevarication if helium had.

“I conscionable anticipation erstwhile this is over, you fto Mr. Durst beryllium successful a infirmary of his choosing to unrecorded retired immoderate clip helium has left,” Chesnoff said.

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Lewin countered that Durst was lone aged and feeble due to the fact that helium had been capable to unrecorded a afloat beingness — dissimilar his victims.

“He's up here, he’s aged and he’s sick. He got to unrecorded to beryllium old,” Lewin said. “Kathie ne'er made it to 30. Susan Berman, his adjacent friend, horribly executed. Morris Black murdered and past dismembered. ... He’s fortunate to person gotten to unrecorded to beryllium 78 to person the wellness issues helium does. Because his victims and their families don’t person that aforesaid bid of mind."

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