Robert Durst's Murder Trial Won't Resume Until April 2021

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The murder trial of New York real estate heir Robert Durst won’t resume until April 12, 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, following the multimillionaire’s rejection on Friday to let a judge make a decision on his case sooner.

The case was scheduled to restart this month after several postponements due to the pandemic, but defense lawyers had objected over health concerns for themselves, jurors and Durst, who is 77 years old.

Durst, the real-estate heir and subject of the HBO docuseries “The Jinx” that aired recorded audio of him seeming to confess to killings, has pleaded not guilty for the 2000 murder of Susan Berman. His trial first began on March 4 but was soon postponed to April 6 due to the pandemic. By late March, a spokesperson for the Superior Court of California said that the proceedings would be delayed once again to May 26. The date had been postponed for a third time to June 23, and then again to July.

Also Read: Robert Durst Trial Delayed for 3rd Time, Rescheduled for June 23

The judge had heard opening statements and two days of testimony before the case was suspended in March. The pandemic had also forced courthouses to close for all but essential matters.

Given all the delays, Durst’s legal team had requested a mistrial, according to the Los Angeles Times, and had stated in a motion that the length of time between the court appearances would not allow the real-estate heir to have a fair trial.

Also Read: Robert Durst Admits To Writing Tip-Off Note in 2000 Murder of Former Friend

Durst was previously acquitted of murder in Texas after he said he killed and dismembered his neighbor, Morris Black, in self-defense in September 2001. He is also suspected of killing his first wife, Kathleen McCormack, who disappeared in New York in 1982 — however, Durst was never charged.

Durst was the subject of the 2015 HBO television series “The Jinx,” in which Durst was recorded saying “There it is, you’re caught… killed them all, of course.”

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

7 TV Shows That Have Cracked Real Mysteries, From 'The Jinx' to 'Unsolved Mysteries' (Photos)

The debut of Netflix's "Unsolved Mysteries" reboot earlier this month has set off a clamoring for cold cases to be reopened and brought to justice. In that spirit, we've compiled a list of TV shows that have actually solved crimes, exonerated people, and found answers to the unknown, from "The Jinx" miniseries that lead to the arrest of Robert Durst, to "Extinct or Alive," which found a living animal thought to have died out over 100 years ago.
Robert Durst in HBO's "The Jinx"
"Unsolved Mysteries"

Back before the Netflix reboot, this classic series was on network television. Creator Terry Meurer told TheWrap that during its original 23-year run, the series helped to solve over 260 cold cases. She has high hopes that this new incarnation of the series will have the same luck.
Netflix
"Cold Justice"

This crime series from Dick Wolf and Magical Elves works with local law enforcement to solve cold cases. The resulted thus far: 45 arrests and 18 convictions, according to Oxygen.
Oxygen
"The Jinx"

This miniseries written by "All Good Things" director Andrew Jarecki led to Robert Durst's long-awaited arrest for the murder of Susan Berman just one day before the finale of "The Jinx" aired on TV. Durst had admired Jarecki's work on "All Good Things" and had offered to be interviewed for the miniseries.
HBO
"Extinct or Alive"

This one has more to do with animals than humans, but we have to give Animal Planet credit for discovering live members of a species that was believed to have been extinct. Last year, series host and biologist Forrest Galante found a female Fernandina Tortoise -- presumed extinct since 1906 -- on a remote volcanic island in the Galapagos.
Photo credit Mark Romanov and John Harrington
"Expedition Unknown"

Host Josh Gates took part in finding one of 12 treasure boxes that were buried in different American cities nearly 40 years ago by Bryon Preiss, whose 1982 book "The Secret" gave elaborate clues to the boxes whereabouts. In one episode, Gates meets a family who located the Boston box.
Discovery
"America's Most Wanted"

This long-running Fox series was successful in finding many fugitives wanted by the FBI, including Ricky Allen Bright, Steven Ray Stout, Robert Lee Jones and more, according to CBS News.
Fox
"Curb Your Enthusiasm"

This Larry David HBO series unknowingly captured the key to freeing Juan Catalan, a man who was on death row for a murder he did not commit. "Curb" had been filming at Dodger Stadium on the day of the murder, providing evidence that Catalan was watching the game with his 6-year-old daughter and could not have been at the crime scene. Catalan and David both later appeared in the 2017 Netflix documentary "Long Shot."
Netflix

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These shows have lead to both arrests and exonerations

The debut of Netflix's "Unsolved Mysteries" reboot earlier this month has set off a clamoring for cold cases to be reopened and brought to justice. In that spirit, we've compiled a list of TV shows that have actually solved crimes, exonerated people, and found answers to the unknown, from "The Jinx" miniseries that lead to the arrest of Robert Durst, to "Extinct or Alive," which found a living animal thought to have died out over 100 years ago.

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