GUILTY CA - Susan Berman, 55, fatally shot, Los Angeles, 23 Dec 2000

[Niner]

Thursday, July 15th:
*Trial continues (Day 29) (@ 9am PT) – CA – Susan Berman (55) (Dec. 24, 2000, Beverly Hills) – *Robert Alan Durst (57 @ time of crime/72/now 78) arrested (3/14/15) extradited (11/1/16 from Indiana prison to Calif.) & charged with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. $4M Bond.
Was serving a 7 year federal prison term for illegal possession of a revolver at the time of his New Orleans’ arrest.
Trial began on 2/11/20 with pretrial motions & jury selection started on 2/19/20. Trial started on 3/4/20. Jury: 8 women & 4 men. 11 alternates. (1 alternate excused on 5/18/21) Now 10 alternates. (1 juror (#3) excused for medical reasons on 7/8/21). Now 9 alternates. (Trial expected to last 5 months). Trial stopped 3/16/20 due COVID-19 & will restart on 7/27/20 & retrial was to restart on 4/12/21 continued to 5/17/21 continued to 5/18/21. No court on Fridays.
State will wrap by end of July if not sooner. Defense has 2, possibly 3 witnesses (one is the defendant) & thinks 2 weeks for their case. End of August is estimate.
Jury Selection from 2/19/20 thru 3/3/20 (Days 1-8) & Trial Days 1-6 (3/4/20 thru 3/12/20) & Court info from 3/16/20 thru 5/12/21 & Trial Days 1-27 (5/18/21 thru 7/13/21) reference post #417 here:
CA - Susan Berman, 55, fatally shot, Los Angeles, 23 Dec 2000 *Arrest*
7/14/21 Wednesday, Trial Day 28: Jeanne Clarke’s video recorded testimony continues from yesterday. In person witness Susan Giordano is a close friend of Durst's. Trial continues on 7/15/21.

 

[Niner]

Cathy Russon
@cathyrusson
·
1h
#RobertDurst - WATCH LIVE on @LawCrimeNetwork
. Waiting on everyone to arrive. Durst is in the courtroom. He stands up and pulls some notes out of his pocket. He's still standing after a few minutes.

Durst is still standing, looking around for presumably his attorneys who are not in the courtroom yet. Probably wants to give those notes to one of them.

Prosecutor John Lewin has arrived.

Reminder that Susan Giordano will be back on the stand this morning (even thought she didn't want to return, we think she will). She is good friends with Bob Durst.



Durst just waved at Susan Giordano as she returned to the stand. We can't turn our camera on until the judge takes the bench. Still no Chesnoff or DeGuerin.

Durst has been standing this entire time. The jury is now coming in.

Bob just now sitting back down in his wheelchair. Judge is on the bench.



Many objections by Chesnoff already this morning, overruled by judge. He shakes his head with each overruling. Now there's a sidebar. Durst is writing more notes.

Durst slid his notes over to where DeGuerin sits - during this sidebar.

During this sidebar Robert Durst gave the witness, Susan Giordano, a fist pump in encouragement and she gave one back to him. He did this same thing when Doug Oliver was on the stand.

In jailhouse call between Durst and Giordano he asks about $50K he gave her the year before and asks if it's all gone. She says yes.
Durst: Okay, so how much should I tell them I want to send you
Giordano: I want to get Tommy a second car, so maybe, $30K?



Just so I'm consistent with my reporting - there's a pad on the back of Bob's wheelchair that is undoubtedly in case he has an "accident".



Durst asked Giordano to pack suitcases for him. She said she packed this empty red suitcase with clothes, however Lewin shows her these envelopes with cash, $115K, found inside the suitcase. She says she doesn't know anything about it.



This was March 12, 2015, right before the final episode of The Jinx aired. Authorities say Durst was on the run. Giordano sent the suitcase to Bob with clothes. There was also $115K that she says she knows nothing about.



During this break Giordano and Durst both wave to each other as she leaves the courtroom. Durst is standing up, does a complete 360 while standing, checking everything out.


link: https://twitter.com/cathyrusson

 

[Niner]

Cathy Russon
Thursday, July 15 continued

@cathyrusson
·
13h
#RobertDurst - During the last sidebar, Durst was up again, hands on hips, looking around. His defense has said multiple times he's too ill and wants a continuation. He's not helping their case

Now ANOTHER sidebar. Defense attorney Chesnoff says to the judge, "Your honor, can I ask a favor? Can you be the one to correct me?" Meaning, an objection should be addressed by the judge and not prosecutor Lewin.



Susan Giordano is still under direct examination by prosecutor John Lewin. She began her testimony yesterday and has been on the stand all morning.

In a 04/18/15 interview with Lewin, he asked her if she told investigators she thought it was odd Bob needed to say he was with someone (when Susan Berman was killed). She said, Yeah.



In the 4/18/15 interview:
Lewin: Do you remember saying to Bob, something to the effect of "Hey, listen, Bob. I can't say yo9u were with me. I was with Christ--I was at Christmas with 30 people. They're gonna know you weren't there"
Giordano: Right.



Lewin: You're aware that Bob told Jarecki that whoever wrote the cadaver note must be the killer?
Giordana: Yes
Lewin: And you're aware that Bob now admits he wrote the letter?
Giordana: Yes
Lewin: So what does that mean?
Giordana: uh...I don't..I'm not sure



7/31/17 jailhouse call:
Durst: ...I do believe that, when this finally gets to trial...the D.A. will not be able to use any of this, because she sounds like such a nit-wit....

Durst is talking about Emily Altman.



10/18/18 jailhouse call:
Durst: It seems to me it (trial) should lean my way because they gotta get 12 people to say, "I'm very, very sure that he killed Susan Berman.....all we gotta do is get a couple of people who way, "Well, it's not really clear...."



Jailhouse call 5/20/17:
Durst: ...the DA has been going through lists of everybody I've been calling from jail and contacting them....."

Giordano: "WE don't answer phones, unless it's you."



Now lunch break until 1:30 pm PT/4:30 pm ET.

BREAKING: A juror sent a note to the judge saying that during a sidebar, witness Susan Giordana tried talking TO THE JURY!



Judge Windham tells prosecutor John Lewin - She's your witness, please advise her she cannot engage with the jury.

Court is back in session following the lunch break. Durst's friend Susan Giordano is still under direct examination.



Lewin was showing more of the jailhouse calls (transcription) between Durst and Giordano, but they are have tech issues with one of the monitors so a break has been called.


link: https://twitter.com/cathyrusson


continued....

 

[Niner]

July 15 continued.

Cathy Russon
@cathyrusson

This is new (to me). Last year during jury selection - Jan 2020 - Durst called his wife Debrah Charatan and wanted to change his will. At that time she would get everything, but if she died before him, it would go to the Altmans - Stewart, Emily & Howard. (CONT)



(CONT) But Durst told Charatan he wanted to change his will that if she died before him, $1 million would go to Jeanne Clarke (prev. testified),. $5million to this witness, Susan Giordano and the rest to Ben (unsure who Ben is).



#RobertDurst is VERY AGITATED right now. He's yelling out to his attorneys that they should be objecting.
"You should be objecting!"
Chesnoff stands up, "Objection"
Judge: "Overruled"
Chesnoff: "Thank you"

Durst says something to his attorneys I couldn't really understand except, "I don't....", then he wheeled himself back, looked like he was leaving, but then wheeled back to the table.

It sounds like he said, "I don't know what you're doing right now!" to his attorneys but I can't be 100% sure.

Court is adjourned until Monday 9am PT/12pm ET. Susan Giordani is finished but subject to recall.


link: https://twitter.com/cathyrusson

 

[Tortoise]

Wonder if he would sack his lawyers mid-trial...

Thanks for all the updates @Niner !

 

[taylorss]

This witness Giordano has been riveting! She’s like Doug Oliver but without the sophistication & quick reaction time …. has tons of info IMO that she doesn’t want to reveal - can just stop herself from blurting it out but can’t keep from clucking & mumbling at the effort involved IMO

When she first took the stand it was unclear what she had … by the time she slunk off, Lewin had revealed her to be basically Durst’s accessory in his decades-long attempt to flee justice.

(She’s accompanied by her own atty, paid for by Durst, who got the prosecution to stipulate that they won’t pursue charges against her.)

 

[Niner]

Monday, July 19th:
*Trial continues (Day 30) (@ 9am PT) – CA – Susan Berman (55) (Dec. 24, 2000, Beverly Hills) – *Robert Alan Durst (57 @ time of crime/72/now 78) arrested (3/14/15) extradited (11/1/16 from Indiana prison to Calif.) & charged with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. $4M Bond.
Was serving a 7 year federal prison term for illegal possession of a revolver at the time of his New Orleans’ arrest.
Trial began on 2/11/20 with pretrial motions & jury selection started on 2/19/20. Trial started on 3/4/20. Jury: 8 women & 4 men. 11 alternates. (1 alternate excused on 5/18/21) Now 10 alternates. (1 juror (#3) excused for medical reasons on 7/8/21). Now 9 alternates. (Trial expected to last 5 months). Trial stopped 3/16/20 due COVID-19 & will restart on 7/27/20 & retrial was to restart on 4/12/21 continued to 5/17/21 continued to 5/18/21. No court on Fridays.
State will wrap by end of July if not sooner. Defense has 2, possibly 3 witnesses (one is the defendant) & thinks 2 weeks for their case. End of August is estimate.
Jury Selection from 2/19/20 thru 3/3/20 (Days 1-8) & Trial Days 1-6 (3/4/20 thru 3/12/20) & Court info from 3/16/20 thru 5/12/21 & Trial Days 1-28 (5/18/21 thru 7/14/21) reference post #421 here:
CA - Susan Berman, 55, fatally shot, Los Angeles, 23 Dec 2000 *Arrest*
7/15/21 Thursday, Trial Day 29: State witness: Susan Giordano, friend of Durst’s back on stand. Giordano excused, but subject to recall. Trial continues on Monday, 7/19/21.

 

[Chelly]

Court TV - Live Stream - Web - Court TV

 

[Niner]

Cathy Russon
@cathyrusson
·
54m
WATCH LIVE: #RobertDurst on trial for the murder of longtime friend Susan Berman. Durst just fist bumped attorney David Chesnoff as he entered.

CCTV video showing Durst shoplifting a chicken salad sandwich after going on the run following Morris Black's murder.

#RobertDurst shoplifted Band-Aids, chicken salad sandwich & a newspaper while having $500 cash in his pocket and $37K cash in his car in the parking lot. Also in the car were two guns & marijuana. He was arrested and charged w/the murder of Morris Black.




link: https://twitter.com/cathyrusson

 

[Niner]

Cathy Russon
@cathyrusson
·
13h
BREAKING: Both sides have agreed to a stipulation re "The Jinx" makers - Andrew Jarecki and Marc Smerling. Prosecution will NOT call them to testify. But Lewin says when #RobertDurst testifies he may call Jarecki in rebuttal case depending on what Durst says.



We are going to be shown the FULL MOVIE "All Good Things" where Ryan Gosling played the part of Robert Durst.

They will see the movie on Tuesday

link: https://twitter.com/cathyrusson


So NO idea "what" happened yesterday as this is all she has....

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, July 20th:
*Trial continues (Day 31) (@ 9am PT) – CA – Susan Berman (55) (Dec. 24, 2000, Beverly Hills) – *Robert Alan Durst (57 @ time of crime/72/now 78) arrested (3/14/15) extradited (11/1/16 from Indiana prison to Calif.) & charged with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. $4M Bond.
Was serving a 7 year federal prison term for illegal possession of a revolver at the time of his New Orleans’ arrest.
Trial began on 2/11/20 with pretrial motions & jury selection started on 2/19/20. Trial started on 3/4/20. Jury: 8 women & 4 men. 11 alternates. (1 alternate excused on 5/18/21) Now 10 alternates. (1 juror (#3) excused for medical reasons on 7/8/21). Now 9 alternates. (Trial expected to last 5 months). Trial stopped 3/16/20 due COVID-19 & will restart on 7/27/20 & retrial was to restart on 4/12/21 continued to 5/17/21 continued to 5/18/21. No court on Fridays.
State will wrap by end of July if not sooner. Defense has 2, possibly 3 witnesses (one is the defendant) & thinks 2 weeks for their case. End of August is estimate.
Jury Selection from 2/19/20 thru 3/3/20 (Days 1-8) & Trial Days 1-6 (3/4/20 thru 3/12/20) & Court info from 3/16/20 thru 5/12/21 & Trial Days 1-29 (5/18/21 thru 7/15/21) reference post #427 here:
CA - Susan Berman, 55, fatally shot, Los Angeles, 23 Dec 2000 *Arrest*
7/19/21 Monday, Trial Day 30: Prosecutors showed a CCTV video which showed Durst shoplifting a chicken salad sandwich after going on the run following Morris Black's murder. Durst shoplifted Band-Aids, chicken salad sandwich & a newspaper while having $500 cash in his pocket & $37K cash in his car in the parking lot. Also in the car were two guns & marijuana. He was arrested & charged with the murder of Morris Black. Both sides have agreed to a stipulation re "The Jinx" makers - Andrew Jarecki & Marc Smerling. Prosecution will NOT call them to testify. But Lewin says when Durst testifies he may call Jarecki in rebuttal case depending on what Durst says. Jury will be shown the FULL MOVIE "All Good Things" where Ryan Gosling played the part of Robert Durst. They will see the movie on Tuesday. Trial continues on Monday, 7/20/21.

 

[Niner]

For Tuesday, 7/20:

Cathy Russon
@cathyrusson
·
13h
WATCH LIVE: #RobertDurst trial will be starting soon. Waiting for everyone to arrive.

NEW: Prosecution in #RobertDurst plans to rest by end of next week.

#RobertDurst - @YouTube
doesn't like us to show the movie ALL GOOD THINGS even though it's a court exhibit in the courtroom right now! You can watch the trial on @LawCrimeNetwork
The jury is watching the movie ALL GOOD THINGS in its entirety. It's loosely based on Durst. @RyanGosling
plays David Marks (Durst) @kirstendunst
plays Katie Marks (Kathie).



link: https://twitter.com/cathyrusson

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, July 21st:
*Trial continues (Day 32) (@ 9am PT) – CA – Susan Berman (55) (Dec. 24, 2000, Beverly Hills) – *Robert Alan Durst (57 @ time of crime/72/now 78) arrested (3/14/15) extradited (11/1/16 from Indiana prison to Calif.) & charged with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. $4M Bond.
Was serving a 7 year federal prison term for illegal possession of a revolver at the time of his New Orleans’ arrest.
Trial began on 2/11/20 with pretrial motions & jury selection started on 2/19/20. Trial started on 3/4/20. Jury: 8 women & 4 men. 11 alternates. (1 alternate excused on 5/18/21) Now 10 alternates. (1 juror (#3) excused for medical reasons on 7/8/21). Now 9 alternates. (Trial expected to last 5 months). Trial stopped 3/16/20 due COVID-19 & will restart on 7/27/20 & retrial was to restart on 4/12/21 continued to 5/17/21 continued to 5/18/21. No court on Fridays.
State will wrap by end of July if not sooner. Defense has 2, possibly 3 witnesses (one is the defendant) & thinks 2 weeks for their case. End of August is estimate.
Jury Selection from 2/19/20 thru 3/3/20 (Days 1-8) & Trial Days 1-6 (3/4/20 thru 3/12/20) & Court info from 3/16/20 thru 5/12/21 & Trial Days 1-30 (5/18/21 thru 7/19/21) reference post #431 here:
CA - Susan Berman, 55, fatally shot, Los Angeles, 23 Dec 2000 *Arrest*
7/20/21 Tuesday, Trial Day 31: The jury watched “All Good Things” in its entirety. Trial continues on 7/21/21. The prosecutor plans to rest by the end of next week.

 

[Niner]

Cathy Russon
@cathyrusson
·
1h
#RobertDurst - And away he goes! Durst gives a wave to his team as he's wheeled out. The defense is waiving his presence during video testimony so he can meet with his attorney DeGuerin. I'm sure this is the beginning of prepping him on his testimony.


https://twitter.com/i/status/1417882803610341378


link: https://twitter.com/cathyrusson

 

[Niner]

Well - Cathy didn't tweet anything else for yesterday - so who knows "what" happened yesterday - besides Durst being wheeled away....

Thursday, July 22nd:
*Trial continues (Day 33) (@ 9am PT) – CA – Susan Berman (55) (Dec. 24, 2000, Beverly Hills) – *Robert Alan Durst (57 @ time of crime/72/now 78) arrested (3/14/15) extradited (11/1/16 from Indiana prison to Calif.) & charged with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. $4M Bond.
Was serving a 7 year federal prison term for illegal possession of a revolver at the time of his New Orleans’ arrest.
Trial began on 2/11/20 with pretrial motions & jury selection started on 2/19/20. Trial started on 3/4/20. Jury: 8 women & 4 men. 11 alternates. (1 alternate excused on 5/18/21) Now 10 alternates. (1 juror (#3) excused for medical reasons on 7/8/21). Now 9 alternates. (Trial expected to last 5 months). Trial stopped 3/16/20 due COVID-19 & will restart on 7/27/20 & retrial was to restart on 4/12/21 continued to 5/17/21 continued to 5/18/21. No court on Fridays.
State will wrap by end of July if not sooner. Defense has 2, possibly 3 witnesses (one is the defendant) & thinks 2 weeks for their case. End of August is estimate.
Jury Selection from 2/19/20 thru 3/3/20 (Days 1-8) & Trial Days 1-6 (3/4/20 thru 3/12/20) & Court info from 3/16/20 thru 5/12/21 & Trial Days 1-32 (5/18/21 thru 7/20/21) reference post #433 here:
CA - Susan Berman, 55, fatally shot, Los Angeles, 23 Dec 2000 *Arrest*
7/21/21 Wednesday, Trial Day 33: Tom Bevel, Crime scene reconstructionist. Julie Smith, Susan's friend - video testimony was played. Trial continues on 7/22/21.

 

[Niner]

Don't know "what" is going on - no tweets from Cathy this morning.... yet... guess I'll have to look for them in the morning.

 

[Niner]

Still nothing on the tweets about the trial on Thursday - maybe they didn't have it?

Maybe a local can find something - I'm not getting an updates over here about that specific date.

TIA!

 

[Niner]

Looks like there was NO trial on 7/22.

Previous hearings:
July 21, 2021 09:00 AM Inglewood Courthouse 001 JURY TRIAL IN PROGRESS

July 21, 2021 02:00 PM Inglewood Courthouse 001 JUDICIAL ACTION


Upcoming Scheduled Events
Date Time Location Dept/Room Number
July 26, 2021 09:00 AM Inglewood Courthouse 001 JURY TRIAL IN PROGRESS


link: Criminal Case Summary - Online Services - LA Court

 

[Niner]

Robert Durst's Attorneys File Emergency Motion For Mistrial Citing Declining Health

July 22, 2021

Attorneys for New York real estate scion Robert Durst, currently on trial for murder, have filed an emergency motion for a mistrial, alleging that he has life-threatening health issues that are continuing to worsen.

In court papers filed Wednesday, the defense said tha the 78-year-old, who has bladder and esophageal cancer, has “serious health issues which are currently afflicting him, and that he is physically incompetent to proceed with trial, including with testifying in his own defense.”

Durst’s attorneys claim Durst “is in an impossible situation in that he cannot physically testify in his own defense at trial, and if he attempted to, he risks suffering further damage to his health or death.”

They claimed in the filing that since Durst “cannot physically ensure testifying,” in court, “he risks a conviction by a jury who did not get to hear his side of the story. This would result in irreparable harm which warrants a mistrial.”

The filing also includes a letter from the doctor, who said Durst has a “litany of chronic medical conditions, several are of such severity that his death in the next six months would not be surprising.”
[.....]
The defense team requested a Monday morning hearing on the filing when testimony in the case is set to resume.

Two previous requests due to Durst’s health, one for a mistrial and another for an infinite delay, have been denied within recent months.

 

[Tortoise]

They're desperate for him not to get on the stand! Judge has already said by sending him to court each morning the jail is satisfied that he is physically well enough to attend his trial. How many times does he need to repeat himself. I think it increasingly looks like there has been a breakdown in strategy between him and his legal team, or there is no viable defense, he's done for and he'll be roasted alive, so he's saying he won't get on the stand and they want to blame it on his physical ailments. It looks like the bag of tricks came up empty this time.