Robert Durst, on trial for the first-degree murder of Susan Berman, was denied bail on 23-March on the grounds that he was a flight risk, aside from the drug-and-gun charges against him.
The multi-million dollar real estate heir's attorney, Dick DeGuerin, said he had no hope for bail and the judge's decision was not surprising. The accused fled his US$300,000 bail on his 2001 Morris Black murder case, giving credence to the judge's decision.
He served time for the Black murder case and was released on March 1, 2006 after pleading guilty.
On March 14, he was arrested on a Los Angeles judge's warrant for the year 2000 California murder of Berman, Durst's close friend believed to have knowledge about his wife's 1982 disappearance, after new circumstantial evidence was allegedly found in the six-part HBO documentary "The Jinx, the Lives and Deaths of Robert Durst." The accused has since said that he was "tricked" by the makers of the documentary.
DeGuerin has also since said that the arrest and search warrants are baseless, and that the evidence, which included a .38 caliber pistol (Smith and Wesson), fake IDs, at least US$42,000 and 5 ounces of marijuana, found in the Durst March 14 arrest in the hotel room are inadmissible since because detectives may not have had a search warrant at the time. Durst was also allegedly interrogated for three hours without his attorney present.
Furthermore, investigators are now checking on leads indicating Durst may be involved in the disappearance of Middleburry College freshman Lynne Schulze, who was supposedly seen shopping in his business back in 1971.
Durst was born April 12, 1943. He is estranged from his father, NYC real estate mogul Seymour Durst, and his brother, Douglas, who said "We hope he will finally be held accountable for all he has done." He added that he and his family are relieved and grateful for Durst's arrest.
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