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Robert Durst Has Been Charged With Murder And Could Face The Death Penalty
Robert Durst, who was arrested this weekend in New Orleans, has been formally charged with the 2000 murder of his friend Susan Berman.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said that Durst is being charged with one count of first degree murder, according to USA Today. In California, that law carries "special circumstances of murder of a witness and lying in wait," which makes Durst eligible for the death penalty if he gets convicted. Lacey said that prosecutors will decide later whether they will seek the death penalty in this case. Right now Durst is being held without bail in New Orleans.
Even though Durst was caught on tape saying "What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course," while filming for the riveting HBO docuseries The Jinx, his lawyer Dick DeGuerin maintains that his client is innocent.
"We came here to waive arraignment and go back to California and get it on," DeGuerin said. "Bob Durst didn't kill Susan Berman. He's ready to end all the rumor and all the speculation and have a trial."
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Berman, the daughter of a Las Vegas mobster, was found shot execution-style in her home in 2000 at age 55, but no one was ever charged in her murder. The Jinx renewed interest in the case and dug up some interesting new details that could incriminate Durst. The LAPD says the HBO show had nothing to do with them taking another look at the cold case.
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This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
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Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
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