Tweets for Wed., June 9th
Cathy Russon
@cathyrusson
·
2h
#RobertDurst - WATCH LIVE: Mella Kaufman is the first witness today. Her and her brother were raised by Susan Berman. Berman was once in a relationship with their father. Mella calls Berman, "mom".
Susan Berman's goddaughter still on the stand under direct. She talks about Susan's love for her dogs. She said she doesn't have adequate words for how Susan felt about her dogs.
Mella Kaufman says Susan Berman's dogs would go crazy when someone came to the door. Under direct exam she says the dogs 'would have just lost it" if a stranger was in Berman's house, saying there's no way she wouldn't know someone was there.
Mella testifies that Susan Berman never took the dogs for walks outside her home, there are no sidewalks on Benedict Canyon where Susan lived.
Many photos of Susan Berman shown in court.
Court has resumed following the morning break. As they went to break, Susan Berman's goddaughter left the courtroom in tears.
Lunch recess until 1:30 pm PT/4:30 pm ET. Susan Berman's goddaughter will still be on the stand under cross-examination by David Chesnoff.
Court is back in session following the lunch break. Mella Kaufman is still under cross-exam by David Chesnoff. Mella was Susan Berman's goddaughter.
Mella Kaufman testified that Susan Berman told her she was an alibi for Bob Durst
#RobertDurst turns his wheelchair around and looks at the jury while waiting for the next witness.
Durst's friend Douglas Oliver takes the stand. Durst gives him a waive on his way up.
Douglas Oliver, friend of Bob Durst, appears to not want to cooperate with prosecutor Lewin's questions. Lewin, exasperated, "Oh, ok, this is going to be pleasant." Lewin has him declared a hostile witness - meaning he can ask leading questions.
Lewin: Do you recall making a comment that you believed Kathie Durst had been sold into white slavery because of her cocaine problem? No, I do not recall that.
Lewin: Do you recall telling us that you don't think Bob Durst ever told you about Kathie being sold into white slavery but that you probably made the comment as a joke? No, I don't recall saying that.
FIGHT IN COURT! Judge Windham tells DeGuerin and Lewin: Ok, everybody...inhale....exhale...pause
Pretty much every answer, "I can't recall". Douglas Oliver is not cooperating at all.
Lewin asks Oliver if he remembers talking to prosecutor Balian and refers to him as "the nice prosecutor". DeGuerin chime in, "We'll stipulate to that!" Everyone laughs.
More arguing in court between attorneys. Judge Windham sighs VERY LOUDLY.
WOW! While judge & attorneys were at a sidebar, Robert Durst gives his buddy, Douglas Oliver, a fist pump of encouragement.
Some jurors are shaking their heads. Others give kind of a huffing sound at Oliver's responses to Lewin. Jurors frequently look at each other
DeGuerin objects - Why is this witness's credibility in question just because he didn't want to talk to Lewin? I don't want to talk to Lewin.
link:
https://twitter.com/cathyrusson
continued....