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

[katydid23]

No, it wasn't done---just caught the last hour...now done until Monday morning.

Recross coming soon---maybe Tuesday? It ought to be interesting.

 

[taylorss]

I’m a day behind … has direct ended? I think not based on you all’s comments here … hope not! I need to be caught up before cross starts

 

[taylorss]

For some reason Law & Crime has suddenly stopped putting the videos of his trial up on their youtube channel. Well at least I can't find them, so no opportunity to replay. Perhaps they're going to sell the footage to a documentary maker.

I thought I noticed a distinct change in his face and speech when he was talking about delivering Kathie to the station. Definitely more signs of nerves, compared to his previous delivery of evidence, it was like his eyes were frozen on one spot, not attentive to his surroundings, a switch was flipped into automatic mode and he wouldn't pause. It was all ridiculously devoid of any mention of Kathie, like he'd rehearsed this long spiel about parking the car, the other people all waiting inside their cars, they knew the train was coming because those people suddenly got out of their cars, nothing about his interactions with Kathie, or about her at all, no mention of why he was out of the car (he said 'then I got back in the car'), then he says the train was gone and there was nothing on the platform. Pure fiction, imo.

Interesting to see the change in his demeanor.

All moo

Your description of his story about being at the train station with Kathie is perfect! There was something so off about it that I couldn’t really place but you nailed it - absolute lack of any mention of her during this supposed last few minutes they ever spent together

 

[taylorss]

This whole new yarn Durst has spun here about the dog going to the vet … huh???

Background - he claimed for the first time AFAIK that their dog had a hip infection & an appt to see a vet surgeon in S Salem first thing Mon morning - IIRC he said at 8 or 8:30. They were going to take the dog in for an inpatient stay of a few days then drive to drop Kathie in the Bronx at ‘her school or the hospital’ then Durst would drive on home. I can see this offers an excuse for why he couldn’t (supposedly) accompany Kathie to the city on Sunday night or let her take the car instead of the train.

BUT….. Kathie was supposed to start a new rotation that morning, a pediatric placement that would’ve been her top priority since it was her area of interest … she wouldn’t have been reporting to Einstein. The Bronx “hospital” Durst mentioned could’ve been the site of her rotation, altho IIRC it was at an outpatient clinic …. but wherever the rotation was, that would’ve been where Kathie needed to report. So Durst’s ambiguity about where he was to drop her makes no sense, along with his statement that he had no idea what rotation she was starting - she’d have had to have told him as they planned the drop-off.

BUT we heard earlier testimony that Kathie would’ve needed to be there first thing in the morning, somewhere between 7 to 9 am. And since S Salem was an hour+ from the city, with an 8/8:30 vet appt it doesn’t sound like she’d have been on time to this essential rotation in her interest area - why would she have agreed to this rushing around, lateness-inducing plan the morning she started her crucial placement??

AND then Durst went on to describe the rest of the week. IIRC no mention of ever picking up the dog from the vet …. did the dog get on the train with Kathie too or what, Bob?

AND Durst described going into the city that day to attend a closing with Douglas … well Douglas testified IIRC that Bob didn’t show up for that meeting, & that was when he first got the sense that something was wrong. Presumably Bob is lying as usual, but what a bizarre call to lie about something already contradicted on the record & also easy to check on.

 

[Tortoise]

I’m a day behind … has direct ended? I think not based on you all’s comments here … hope not! I need to be caught up before cross starts

They've just got to the point where he spends the night in a motel (paying cash) because (allegedly) as he was driving he got a migraine and he needed to stop and take his medication and lie down, before next morning driving to Susan Berman's house, and getting lost on the way. DeGuerin asked to stop at that point and Judge said there's still two minutes available. I don't know if he was being facetious, expecting them to get on record for the first time ever Bob's version of what happened next, the whole point of this trial, in two minutes!

 

[Tortoise]

This whole new yarn Durst has spun here about the dog going to the vet … huh???

Background - he claimed for the first time AFAIK that their dog had a hip infection & an appt to see a vet surgeon in S Salem first thing Mon morning - IIRC he said at 8 or 8:30. They were going to take the dog in for an inpatient stay of a few days then drive to drop Kathie in the Bronx at ‘her school or the hospital’ then Durst would drive on home. I can see this offers an excuse for why he couldn’t (supposedly) accompany Kathie to the city on Sunday night or let her take the car instead of the train.

BUT….. Kathie was supposed to start a new rotation that morning, a pediatric placement that would’ve been her top priority since it was her area of interest … she wouldn’t have been reporting to Einstein. The Bronx “hospital” Durst mentioned could’ve been the site of her rotation, altho IIRC it was at an outpatient clinic …. but wherever the rotation was, that would’ve been where Kathie needed to report. So Durst’s ambiguity about where he was to drop her makes no sense, along with his statement that he had no idea what rotation she was starting - she’d have had to have told him as they planned the drop-off.

BUT we heard earlier testimony that Kathie would’ve needed to be there first thing in the morning, somewhere between 7 to 9 am. And since S Salem was an hour+ from the city, with an 8/8:30 vet appt it doesn’t sound like she’d have been on time to this essential rotation in her interest area - why would she have agreed to this rushing around, lateness-inducing plan the morning she started her crucial placement??

AND then Durst went on to describe the rest of the week. IIRC no mention of ever picking up the dog from the vet …. did the dog get on the train with Kathie too or what, Bob?

AND Durst described going into the city that day to attend a closing with Douglas … well Douglas testified IIRC that Bob didn’t show up for that meeting, & that was when he first got the sense that something was wrong. Presumably Bob is lying as usual, but what a bizarre call to lie about something already contradicted on the record & also easy to check on.

Thank you. I was also going to mention about the dog going to the vets and not remembering this detail before. As far as I recall (which might be wrong) I thought there was something I've seen before about him killing the dog. He does go on in later testimony to say he picked up the dog from the vets on Thursday.

He also talks about walking the dog to the police station to report Kathie missing on the Friday, up the stairs to the detective's floor and everything, which I thought was amazing given that he hadn't been using his hip the previous week. I got the distinct impression he was building up to a story about what happened with the dog at the police station, since he spent so much time laying the foundations, but nothing came of it. Perhaps DeGuerin didn't ask the right questions to prompt him. It seems like a devious rewriting of history in any case, perhaps to counter some other claim that's going to come out on cross.

I certainly don't recall another mention of the dog in his testimony after that point but I haven't caught every word. I do intend to go back over this direct when time permits, and pull out discrepancies. He is so scheming but I think it's going to come back to bite him.

 

[taylorss]

Thank you. I was also going to mention about the dog going to the vets and not remembering this detail before. As far as I recall (which might be wrong) I thought there was something I've seen before about him killing the dog. He does go on in later testimony to say he picked up the dog from the vets on Thursday.

He also talks about walking the dog to the police station to report Kathie missing on the Friday, up the stairs to the detective's floor and everything, which I thought was amazing given that he hadn't been using his hip the previous week. I got the distinct impression he was building up to a story about what happened with the dog at the police station, since he spent so much time laying the foundations, but nothing came of it. Perhaps DeGuerin didn't ask the right questions to prompt him. It seems like a devious rewriting of history in any case, perhaps to counter some other claim that's going to come out on cross.

I certainly don't recall another mention of the dog in his testimony after that point but I haven't caught every word. I do intend to go back over this direct when time permits, and pull out discrepancies. He is so scheming but I think it's going to come back to bite him.

Ah thanks for the info about him re-addressing getting the dog - I thought I must’ve missed part or one of the vids of his testimony, cuz what I heard went straight from ‘at first my father didn’t want me to report Kathie’s disappearance cuz of bad PR,’ then that vid ended & the next one I could find started with offering a reward … so somehow I missed the part where he went on to report it, met with his family’s atty & decided on the reward etc - I don’t want to miss any stops on this BS train, so I need to go back & figure out how to find that….

 

[taylorss]

En re Durst & dogs, this is part of the mystery that still surrounds him -

Is he simply a selfish angry pig who killed his wife in a rage & then went on to kill a few others when necessary to cover his tracks? This is how Durst presents it.

But then there are other stories floating around that suggest more - that he’s actually a straight-up serial killer who practiced on dogs throughout his life & has killed multiple others with no connection to the initial crime against Kathie.

Durst has said in the past that there were three dogs, all named Igor, all of whom died naturally or were hit by cars - altho he’s mixed up & changed details of these alleged deaths. He’s also said the only part of his portrayal in All Good Things etc that bothered him was the idea that he’d killed a dog - he loves dogs & would never hurt one, he claims.

Meanwhile there are at least three young women who disappeared w/o a trace from locations near Durst over the years - one of whom was last seen shopping in his health food store in Vermont, etc. And the number of Igors he had is in dispute - usually he’s said to have had seven dogs by this name, not three.

Its easy to see why he’d lie til his dying day about the dogs! A jury might look the other way on Morris Black, but there’s no way he’d ever get off IMO if it was established (as has been said for decades) that he killed & dismembered one pet dog after another. That shows enough depraved indifference to life, love & loyalty IMO that it would be a fatal blow to any attempt to present himself as a victim of circumstance.

All his going on & on about his dogs & how well they lived, how he cared for them etc strikes me as an attempt to work this exact angle with the jury - to present the opposite of what’s in the above paragraph, that he is in fact capable of love & loyalty. Doubt it.

 

[Tortoise]

En re Durst & dogs, this is part of the mystery that still surrounds him -

Is he simply a selfish angry pig who killed his wife in a rage & then went on to kill a few others when necessary to cover his tracks? This is how Durst presents it.

But then there are other stories floating around that suggest more - that he’s actually a straight-up serial killer who practiced on dogs throughout his life & has killed multiple others with no connection to the initial crime against Kathie.

Durst has said in the past that there were three dogs, all named Igor, all of whom died naturally or were hit by cars - altho he’s mixed up & changed details of these alleged deaths. He’s also said the only part of his portrayal in All Good Things etc that bothered him was the idea that he’d killed a dog - he loves dogs & would never hurt one, he claims.

Meanwhile there are at least three young women who disappeared w/o a trace from locations near Durst over the years - one of whom was last seen shopping in his health food store in Vermont, etc. And the number of Igors he had is in dispute - usually he’s said to have had seven dogs by this name, not three.

Its easy to see why he’d lie til his dying day about the dogs! A jury might look the other way on Morris Black, but there’s no way he’d ever get off IMO if it was established (as has been said for decades) that he killed & dismembered one pet dog after another. That shows enough depraved indifference to life, love & loyalty IMO that it would be a fatal blow to any attempt to present himself as a victim of circumstance.

All his going on & on about his dogs & how well they lived, how he cared for them etc strikes me as an attempt to work this exact angle with the jury - to present the opposite of what’s in the above paragraph, that he is in fact capable of love & loyalty. Doubt it.

Thanks for that info.

The only time in all his testimony I think I've seen a flicker of emotion, and I might be mistaken about even that, was yesterday when he mentioned a "highschool sweetheart". I will find the spot because I want to see it again, it was a moment that really struck me.

 

[Tortoise]

Thanks for that info.

The only time in all his testimony I think I've seen a flicker of emotion, and I might be mistaken about even that, was yesterday when he mentioned a "highschool sweetheart". I will find the spot because I want to see it again, it was a moment that really struck me.

Nah, I was mistaken. No emotion in the old reptile.

He used her name when he was living as the mute woman. Dorothy Ciner.

Timestamp is 54m:30s

 

[taylorss]

Aha… I’m still catching up so haven’t heard this part yet - but I do remember his past description of Dorothy Ciner as a Sunday school classmate he had a childhood crush on but no actual relationship or even interaction … now she’s graduated to his high school sweetheart, the lucky woman

 

[Chelly]

I think Kathleen's demise happened shortly after she returned to Salem cottage from Gilberte's house. Bob testified there was a scuffle for Kathleen's car keys where they both grabbed for her coat. The keys fell to the floor, he grabbed them and went out and disabled the battery of her Mercedes. When he returned to the house, Bob said Kathleen was just getting out of the shower. I know this trial isn't about Kathleen's disappearance, but can't help thinking about his testimony. I've followed Durst since the 80's and continue to be amazed how he's gotten away with his crimes.

 

[Niner]

Thank you all for your discussions on his testimony - the tweets don't do them justice!

I can't watch the trial - I blew out my speakers...

 

[Niner]

Monday, August 16th:
*Trial continues (Day 43) (@ 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 rested their case on Tuesday (8/3/21). Defense has 2, possibly 3 witnesses (one is the defendant) & thinks 2 weeks for their case & will begin their case on 8/3/21 afternoon. Judge Windham denies the defense motion for mistrial based on their client's health & inability to testify on 8/2/21. Judge denies defense motion for judgment of acquittal.
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 1-41 (5/18/21 thru 8/11/21) reference post #515 here:
CA - Susan Berman, 55, fatally shot, Los Angeles, 23 Dec 2000 *Arrest*
8/12/21 Thursday, Trial Day 42: Defense witnesses: Robert Durst. Trial continues on Monday, 8/16/21.

 

[Chelly]

Robert Durst Murder Trial WATCH LIVE STREAM

Court is in session.
Bob is testifying.

 

[Niner]

Monday, August 16th:

Cathy Russon
@cathyrusson
·
25m
WATCH LIVE on @LawCrimeNetwork
: #RobertDurst is back on the stand. He is now testifying to arriving at Susan Berman's home and is expected to say he found her already dead.



Bob says he arrived to Susan's house on Benedict Canyon drive. He said there was no place to park on the street. He said he pulled his Ford Explorer into Susan's driveway,

Durst says there was a piece of paper attached to Susan's front door. Durst says the note was: "Bobby, I am doing my walk. Be back in an hour. Susan."

Durst said he wasn't sure what time Susan had left that notes so he rang her doorbell and knocked a few times on the front door. He could see into "pretty much the whole house" through the window.

Durst said through the window he could see through the kitchen and could see the back door open.

Durst said he had a key to Susan's house. After knocking and ringing the bell for 5 mins, he unlocked the door and let himself in. Right away he saw the dogs.

Durst said he walked through the kitchen and looked in the backyard, he couldn't see Susan. DeGuerin asked what happened to her dogs he had seen, "They must have stayed in." Durst said the dogs barked at him. He did not like her dogs.

Here's a photo of Susan Berman's home I took in Feb. 2020. It looks different than in 2000, however that's the front door and the window Bob says he looked into



Durst says he walked in the backyard and back to the driveway/front door. He went back inside and found Susan on her bedroom floor. "She was just lying there."



Durst said he thought maybe Susan had fainted or something, fallen down and hit her head. He also thought maybe someone could have hit her in the head. He said he didn't think about her being shot.

Durst says he saw her head in 'liquid'. He decided it was blood. He lifted her arms and her head fell back. When asked he said he didn't think Susan's body was stiff.

Durst said he decided he should call 911. He tried her phone and it was dead. He went outside. He said there were half a dozen people walking past Susan's house.

Durst voice gives out and he can barely speak. Short break for him to drink some water. (Star Wars bottle)



Durst said he waited for the people to walk by Susan's house and he walked out the front door shutting it behind him. He got in his car and drove south on Benedict Canyon



Durst said he stopped at a payphone and called 911. When a lady answered, he didn't want to give his name and decided his voice was very recognizable. So instead of calling 911 he would send the police a letter.




link: https://twitter.com/cathyrusson

 

[BUF]

I turned this on to see his testimony about this. His voice went up several octaves today and so weak you can hardly hear him.

Most importantly to me was how devoid he was of any emotion of finding his best friend lying there…then he can’t seem to remember writing the cadaver note, where he got the supplies for it, and mailing it.

 

[Chelly]

I turned this on to see his testimony about this. His voice went up several octaves today and so weak you can hardly hear him.

Most importantly to me was how devoid he was of any emotion of finding his best friend lying there…then he can’t seem to remember writing the cadaver note, where he got the supplies for it, and mailing it.

Tuned in for a few minutes this morning too. Noticed the change in voice pitch and failure of memory too. Bob's sharp memory serves him well when he wants it to. Actually, last week he impressed me and provided a few chuckles

 

[Chelly]

Court back in session after lunch recess. Bob Durst still on direct testimony. In time line, Bob is back in Galveston. and it is the day Morris Black dies. Bob is staying at the St. Luis Resort (unknown to Morris), and jogs over to his apartment on K St. to confront Morris Black.

 

[CHEL]

This trial is a circus.