# I thought we'd have a Killer Durst thread by now **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 12, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839 "2003-11-12T16:50:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/1 "2003-11-12T16:50:49Z")
So Durst is free? I didn’t keep up with the particulars of the case, but I had assumed it was an open and shut case. What the fuck happened? ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/2 "2003-11-12T16:58:42Z")
??? Fred Durst? Frontman for Limp Bizkit? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/3 "2003-11-12T17:02:11Z")
Rough summary from what I saw: the jurors stated that the prosecution did not clearly prove that Durst committed murder, rather than the gun going off during a struggle as he claimed. [Link](http://www.comcast.net/News/DOMESTIC//XML/1110_AP_Online_Regional ___National__ US_/aa3f8b69-50d4-4226-a00d-66f10a5d8f47.html) > [@](#): > > Both the defense and prosecution adopted a risky, all-or-nothing strategy in asking jurors not to consider any lesser charge than murder in the trial of eccentric millionaire Robert Durst. > […] > The jury was allowed to consider only murder, not lesser charges such as manslaughter. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/4 "2003-11-12T17:34:33Z")
Saw this in the [Globe](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPPrint/LAC/20031112/TEXAS12/TPInternational/) this morning. WTF? Like **World Eater** , I pretty much dozed through coverage of the case, since the outcome seemed pretty much certain, what with the other unsolved murders and the defendent’s in-flight-from-the-law status at the outset. Wow. > [@](#): > > Mr. Durst said he had been a habitual user of one drug or another for 40 years before cleaning himself up in jail. Nevertheless, he had little recollection of the death or dismemberment of Mr. Black, which his lawyers characterized as a terrible misunderstanding. One day, I hope to have deep enough pockets to sell a jury on the idea that cutting your neighbors up and dumping the bits in the bay is something on the order of a ‘misunderstanding.’ Aiy-yah. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/5 "2003-11-12T17:47:55Z")
Someone explained to me that hacking up the body has nothing to do with being guilty of murder or not. ---
**Author:** ![sugaree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@sugaree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugaree)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/6 "2003-11-12T18:13:32Z")
Yes, it’s sheer coincidence. Anyone know if Westchester has any plans to bring him on charges for Kathleen Durst’s disapearance? Her body was never found, IIRC, but a couple who moved into their old home reported that floors were torn up. Sadly, they did a lot of repairs, possibly getting rid of DNA evidence they had no idea was there in the process. It’s times like this I hope for a fair but strict God passing judgement on us in the afterlife. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/7 "2003-11-12T18:27:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sugaree \* > \*\*It’s times like this I hope for a fair but strict God passing judgement on us in the afterlife. \*\* It’s times like this I hope you guys are right about his existence. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/8 "2003-11-13T00:09:47Z")
Damn. I had no idea he had even been charged with murder. Where the hell have I been? Oh, that’s right. I don’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/9 "2003-11-13T01:56:25Z")
I loved the _NY Post_ today: the front page had a photo of Durst and the headline “ **RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!** ” ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/10 "2003-11-13T03:08:29Z")
I was outraged until I saw that the prosecutors had opted for only ‘murder’ as an option. Since the defendant had conveniently done away with any evidence as to exactly how the man died, it would be impossible to prove that it was deliberate murder vs. an accident(possible but unlikely IMHO) or self defense (to me unlikely). the defense attorney did an incredible job by hammering away w/the concept of ‘don’t think about what he did after the man died’, and the prosecutor failed to hammer home the (what I would have thought as obvious) counterpoint "we cannot know it **because** of actions taken by the defendant. he, who is making the claim of self defense **also** insured that there would be no way to prove it as well. " but it was a gamble by the prosecution, too big of one, obviously. ---
**Author:** ![Nvme77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Nvme77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nvme77)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/11 "2003-11-13T06:04:55Z")
Vanity Fair had a great article about the case as well as mentioning the possibility of him being involved in his missing wife’s death and the death of good friend Susan (something or other I forgot.) The article described how he liked to see how cheaply he could live. He slept on a thin mattress, bare floor in an area similar to the area under the stairs. I feel bad not remembering the name of the Susan lady. She was from Las Vegas and I did a book report on her in the seventh grade. She lived her in Vegas as a child with her dad, a mob boss. Money lets you get away with murder, right, OJ? ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/12 "2003-11-13T06:47:30Z")
I read the header as “Killer Dust”. As there doesn’t appear to be anything related to nanotechnology gone wrong, I’m probably just going to move along here. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/13 "2003-11-13T08:53:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nvme77 \* > I feel bad not remembering the name of the Susan lady. She was from Las Vegas and I did a book report on her in the seventh grade. She lived her in Vegas as a child with her dad, a mob boss. Susan Berman. [Robert Durst case background](http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/classics/robert_durst/1.html) ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/14 "2003-11-13T09:19:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > \*\*Someone explained to me that hacking up the body has nothing to do with being guilty of murder or not. \*\* I was going to make a isck joke but… I think the jury bought the bullshit of “It was an accident, then I panicked and thought no one would believe me, so I destroyed the evidence”. IMO, the DA not including lesser offences was nothing short idiocy. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/15 "2003-11-13T12:56:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spooje \* > \*\*I was going to make a isck joke but… > > I think the jury bought the bullshit of “It was an accident, then I panicked and thought no one would believe me, so I destroyed the evidence”. > > IMO, the DA not including lesser offences was nothing short idiocy. \*\* Yeah I have to admit, I’m surprised this man is free. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/16 "2003-11-13T19:40:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spooje \* > \*\*I > IMO, the DA not including lesser offences was nothing short idiocy. \*\* Everybody join in now! “How much is that DA in the window?” * * * Catch and Release: A synopsis of the criminal justice system. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/17 "2003-11-14T02:46:44Z")
I heard one of the jurors interviewed. I can’t believe they not only let people as stupid as this be jurors, but that for some reason, lawyers seem to WANT people this stupid to be on juries (easier to mislead and confuse with rhetoric I guess). I’m not basing this opinion on the fact that she voted him gulty, because maybe the prosecutors DID fail to make their case. I base it on the fact that she sounded like she could barely string together a coherent sentance, and seemed to be incredibly pleased with herself when she found that she almost could manage it. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/18 "2003-11-14T02:58:23Z")
I suppose chopping up a corpse and dumping it in a bay isn’t a crime at all. Tampering with evidence? Failing to report a crime? (the fictitious assault by Black) Littering? Help me out here. ---
**Author:** ![Greathouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greathouse/32/2992_2.png) [@Greathouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greathouse)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/19 "2003-11-14T03:16:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cheesesteak \* > \*\*I suppose chopping up a corpse and dumping it in a bay isn’t a crime at all. > > Tampering with evidence? Failing to report a crime? (the fictitious assault by Black) Littering? Help me out here. \*\* I heard on the radio yesterday that he can still be charged with mutilation of a corpse and jumping bail, but he will probablly get time served for those offenses since he did 2 years already. –Daniel ---
**Author:** ![CadburyAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@CadburyAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CadburyAngel)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839/20 "2003-11-14T06:48:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ferret Herder \* > \*\*Rough summary from what I saw: the jurors stated that the prosecution did not clearly prove that Durst committed murder, rather than the gun going off during a struggle as he claimed. > \*\* So, they both reached for the gun? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-wed-have-a-killer-durst-thread-by-now/212839.md?page=2)