Last month, TV viewers were captivated by HBO's true crime documentary series, The Jinx, and its enigmatic subject, real estate heir and three-time alleged murderer, Robert Durst. Among them was Attorney Steven Brill, who has now lent his legal insight on the series' shocking, final "confession" to Huffington Post.
In the final moments of The Jinx, Robert Durst exits an interview in which series director Andrew Jarecki confronts him with handwriting evidence that implicates Durst in the 2000 Los Angeles murder of his friend Susan Berman. Durst excuses himself and heads into bathroom and—forgetting that he's still mic'd from the interview—mutters to himself that he's "caught" and that he "killed them all, of course."
While it made for riveting television, Attorney Brill is hesitant declare that Durst's legal fate is sealed by the recording. In his Huffington Post piece, "Durst's Apparent Confession to Murder: To Be or Not to Be," Attorney Brill does acknowledge that California prosecutors will have grounds to make the bathroom recordings admissible during Durst's upcoming trial, largely due to the fact that they did not happen while Durst was in custody or while he was coerced. The recordings also do not violate his 5th Amendment rights to remain silent.
However, Durst's defense may also have grounds to completely suppress the recordings, as well. Most glaringly, Durst's confession is not a clear and direct statement, but rather a series of disjointed thoughts. It could easily be argued that he wasn't speaking for himself in this moment of stress, but rather fearfully imagining what others thought of him.
Even more substantial grounds for suppression could be found in California Evidence Code §352. This statute allows the court to bar the admission of evidence that could cause "undue prejudice," confusion, or a misleading of the jury. Attorney Brill believes that this code could provide powerful means for Durst's defense to exclude the bathroom recordings.
Durst's Fate Yet to be Seen
A judge will eventually rule on whether or not The Jinx recordings can or cannot be used in the case against Durst. Attorney Brill believes, however, that both sides of the court will fight ferociously over the admissibility of those tapes and predicts, ultimately, that Durst's fate could depend on whether or not a jury hears them.
If you or a loved one have been accused of a crime, then the time to seek trusted legal counsel is now. The experienced legal team at Sullivan & Brill, LLP has been securing reductions and dismissals for their clients on both state and federal charges for nearly 15 years. They have built their reputation on the kind of effective and aggressive defense strategies they are ready to bring to your case today.
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