UPDATE 11/8/16The LA Times reported the next pretrial hearing in the Durst case is scheduled for February 15, 2017. The LA County Sheriff's inmate locator website indicates Durst is currently being housed in the "Twin Towers" facility. Interestingly, the Sheriff's website does not indicate the next court date.
UPDATE 7:30pm: Corrected spelling of DDA John Lewin
UPDATE 10am: Corrected the spelling of Kathleen McCormack Durst
November 7, 2016
Robert Durst - A Brief Synopsis
Eccentric real estate millionaire Robert Durst, connected to the murder of Morris Black and the 1982 disappearance of his first wife, Kathleen, is due in court today on charges relating to the murder of his long time friend and supporter, Susan Berman.
Berman, a mobster's daughter, was found dead in her Benedict Canyon home on Christmas Eve 2000. She was shot in the back of the head and found at least a day after her murder.
Durst was arrested in March 2015 and charged with first degree murder in connection with Berman's death. Previously, Durst was arrested for the murder of a neighbor, Morris Black on October 9, 2001. in Galveston, Texas. Durst claimed he murdered Black in self defense. Durst was acquitted of the Black's murder. He eventually pled guilty to body dumping and evidence tampering. Kathleen McCormack Durst is still missing and presumed dead. In April 2016, Kathleen's family petitioned a NY court to have her declared legally dead.
Andrew Jarecki's HBO documentary, The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, uncovered physical evidence that prosecutors believe links Durst to Berman's murder. At the end of the documentary, Robert Durst is caught on audio tape stating he "... killed them all."
Durst's arraignment, case #SA089983 will be at the Airport Courthouse, Department W81 at 1:30 pm. Deputy District Attorney John Lewin is prosecuting the case. Expect a big media turnout for Durst's first appearance in California. Since I am taking care of Mr. Sprocket, I will have to be there in spirit.
Mr. Sprocket Update
Mr. Sprocket has had an amazing recovery immediately after his open heart surgery. His full recovery may take three to four months before he can return to his demanding job. It will be six weeks before he is allowed to lift more than five pounds or drive. You can read the previous post on his surgery, here.
Thursday Post-op
I spoke to his surgeon around 6:45 pm. He was in surgery for six hours and had a double bypass. The surgeons had hoped they could do a triple, but the arteries in that area were so blocked they didn't have an unblocked area where the graft could be attached.
The surgery center at Harbor UCLA is relatively new. In April 2014, the hospital opened up 16 modern operating theatres and a 50 bed emergency unit. Harbor UCLA states it is "...one of the busiest operative Level I Trauma Centers in the Western US." When Mr. Sprocket went from his room in the main hospital to pre-op for surgery, we could tell the surgery center was pretty new.
After surgery, at 8:15 pm, I got to see him in the Cardiac Thorasic Unit, [CTU] a six-bed special unit that just handles post-op, open heart/lung surgery patients. Mr. Sprocket was intubated but he could hear my voice, understand me, nodded his head and squeezed my hand when he spoke.
Friday- Saturday
Mr. Sprocket's breathing tube was removed the next morning. That afternoon, less than 24 hours after surgery, he took his first walk. He walked the entire length of the hospital floor and then some before he returned to the CTU. He continued to improve and do well.
On Saturday, he took several walks. The nurses recommended to him that he slow down and pace himself. In the afternoon walk he did at least four laps around the entire length of the 3rd floor. That afternoon he got his surgical drains removed. There were two drains. One was inserted through his abdomen into his chest. The other one went in about 15 to 18 inches and looped around his left lung. The long drain around his ribs was causing him pain when he breathed and he was relieved to get it out. His doctors thought he was doing so well, they might send him home Monday or as early as Sunday afternoon.
Sunday
We finally left the hospital Sunday around 5 pm. Mr. Sprocket is very happy to be home, recuperating on the sofa.
T&T Robert Durst Case Links
Robert Durst Wikipedia
Robert Durst Google® Images
Susan Berman Wikipedia
Andrew Jarecki Wikipedia
03/15/15 ABC - Why Durst Killed Black In His Own Words
03/16/15 VF - The Fugitive Heir
04/2015 KFI - Eccentric Millionaire Robert Durst Arrested in New Orleans
11/0315 ABC - Former Prosecutor Looks into Disappearance of Kathleen
04/01/16 People - Family of Kathleen Durst Petition Court
07/14/16 NYT - Kathleen Durst's Family Back in Court
06/09/15 Variety - Jinx Directors Jarecki, Smerling, Open Up
11/04/16 ABC - Robert Durst Back in Court to Face Murder Charges
Robert Durst - LA Times
Robert Durst - NY Times
HBO - The Jinx
The Charley Project: Kathleen McCormack Durst Disappearance
Harbor UCLA New Surgical Center
T&T: Mr. Sprocket: Undergoing Open Heart Surgery
Screenshot of LASD website, detainee Robert Durst information, 11/8/16.
UPDATE 7:30pm: Corrected spelling of DDA John Lewin
UPDATE 10am: Corrected the spelling of Kathleen McCormack Durst
November 7, 2016
Robert Durst - A Brief Synopsis
Eccentric real estate millionaire Robert Durst, connected to the murder of Morris Black and the 1982 disappearance of his first wife, Kathleen, is due in court today on charges relating to the murder of his long time friend and supporter, Susan Berman.
Susan Berman, Wikipedia
Berman, a mobster's daughter, was found dead in her Benedict Canyon home on Christmas Eve 2000. She was shot in the back of the head and found at least a day after her murder.
Durst was arrested in March 2015 and charged with first degree murder in connection with Berman's death. Previously, Durst was arrested for the murder of a neighbor, Morris Black on October 9, 2001. in Galveston, Texas. Durst claimed he murdered Black in self defense. Durst was acquitted of the Black's murder. He eventually pled guilty to body dumping and evidence tampering. Kathleen McCormack Durst is still missing and presumed dead. In April 2016, Kathleen's family petitioned a NY court to have her declared legally dead.
Andrew Jarecki's HBO documentary, The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, uncovered physical evidence that prosecutors believe links Durst to Berman's murder. At the end of the documentary, Robert Durst is caught on audio tape stating he "... killed them all."
Durst's arraignment, case #SA089983 will be at the Airport Courthouse, Department W81 at 1:30 pm. Deputy District Attorney John Lewin is prosecuting the case. Expect a big media turnout for Durst's first appearance in California. Since I am taking care of Mr. Sprocket, I will have to be there in spirit.
Mr. Sprocket Update
Mr. Sprocket has had an amazing recovery immediately after his open heart surgery. His full recovery may take three to four months before he can return to his demanding job. It will be six weeks before he is allowed to lift more than five pounds or drive. You can read the previous post on his surgery, here.
Thursday Post-op
I spoke to his surgeon around 6:45 pm. He was in surgery for six hours and had a double bypass. The surgeons had hoped they could do a triple, but the arteries in that area were so blocked they didn't have an unblocked area where the graft could be attached.
The surgery center at Harbor UCLA is relatively new. In April 2014, the hospital opened up 16 modern operating theatres and a 50 bed emergency unit. Harbor UCLA states it is "...one of the busiest operative Level I Trauma Centers in the Western US." When Mr. Sprocket went from his room in the main hospital to pre-op for surgery, we could tell the surgery center was pretty new.
After surgery, at 8:15 pm, I got to see him in the Cardiac Thorasic Unit, [CTU] a six-bed special unit that just handles post-op, open heart/lung surgery patients. Mr. Sprocket was intubated but he could hear my voice, understand me, nodded his head and squeezed my hand when he spoke.
Friday- Saturday
Mr. Sprocket's breathing tube was removed the next morning. That afternoon, less than 24 hours after surgery, he took his first walk. He walked the entire length of the hospital floor and then some before he returned to the CTU. He continued to improve and do well.
On Saturday, he took several walks. The nurses recommended to him that he slow down and pace himself. In the afternoon walk he did at least four laps around the entire length of the 3rd floor. That afternoon he got his surgical drains removed. There were two drains. One was inserted through his abdomen into his chest. The other one went in about 15 to 18 inches and looped around his left lung. The long drain around his ribs was causing him pain when he breathed and he was relieved to get it out. His doctors thought he was doing so well, they might send him home Monday or as early as Sunday afternoon.
Sunday
We finally left the hospital Sunday around 5 pm. Mr. Sprocket is very happy to be home, recuperating on the sofa.
Mr. Sprocket, Monday, 11/7, 5:00 am
T&T Robert Durst Case Links
Robert Durst Wikipedia
Robert Durst Google® Images
Susan Berman Wikipedia
Andrew Jarecki Wikipedia
03/15/15 ABC - Why Durst Killed Black In His Own Words
03/16/15 VF - The Fugitive Heir
04/2015 KFI - Eccentric Millionaire Robert Durst Arrested in New Orleans
11/0315 ABC - Former Prosecutor Looks into Disappearance of Kathleen
04/01/16 People - Family of Kathleen Durst Petition Court
07/14/16 NYT - Kathleen Durst's Family Back in Court
06/09/15 Variety - Jinx Directors Jarecki, Smerling, Open Up
11/04/16 ABC - Robert Durst Back in Court to Face Murder Charges
Robert Durst - LA Times
Robert Durst - NY Times
HBO - The Jinx
The Charley Project: Kathleen McCormack Durst Disappearance
Harbor UCLA New Surgical Center
T&T: Mr. Sprocket: Undergoing Open Heart Surgery
