LOS ANGELES — Robert Durst’s murder trial wrapped up its evidence phase Wednesday after his defense rested and prosecutors said they no longer planned to call “Jinx” filmmaker Robert Jarecki to the stand.
Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney John Lewin said shortly before the lunch break that he had no further witnesses and his side only needed to move the balance of its exhibits into evidence.
“I just want to savor this moment,” Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mark Windham responded, eliciting some laughter from jurors.
The lengthy trial that has lasted roughly 3 1/2 months spread out over two years is now heading into closing arguments set to start Sept. 8.
Durst, 78, has pleaded not guilty to murdering his best friend Susan Berman inside her Benedict Canyon bungalow in December 2000.
The murder count carries as a special allegation that Berman was a witness in another case, namely the 1982 disappearance of Durst’s first wife, Kathie Durst.
Prosecutors claim Durst shot Berman execution-style to keep her from talking about how she allegedly helped him cover his tracks after he killed Kathie amid a bitter breakup.
Durst has not been charged with any crimes related to Kathie’s disappearance.
The subject of HBO’s true-crime documentary series “The Jinx,” Durst first started his expected four-month trial in March 2020, but it was quickly placed on hiatus due to the COVID-19 crisis after only a handful of witnesses testified. It resumed in May.
The millionaire Manhattan real estate scion testified Wednesday that he didn’t “bury” Kathie and has no idea who murdered Berman, even though he claims he found her in a pool of blood and wrote the so-called “cadaver” note that alerted police to her body.
“Bob, did you love Kathie?” his lawyer Dick DeGuerin asked shortly before resting for the defense.
“Yes, very much,” Durst responded, saying he never loved anyone more in his life.
“Did you kill her?” DeGuerin asked.
“No,” Durst responded.
“Did you kill Susan?” DeGuerin asked, echoing the first question he asked when Durst started his more than three weeks of testimony Aug. 9.
“No,” Durst responded.
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