Finally -- A verdict is read

[GalvestonDuck]

The jury has found Robert Durst not guilty by reason of self-defense of the murder of Morris Black.

[Guest]

OMG - money can buy freedom. I figured this was the way it was going to turn out. Who was Durst's lawyer anyway?

Patricia

[TexasStooge]

I'm just glad that the trial is over.

[GalvestonDuck]

OMG - money can buy freedom. I figured this was the way it was going to turn out. Who was Durst's lawyer anyway?

Patricia

Dick DeGuerin, from New York.

[Guest]

I thought is was one of the powerful DeGuerin brothers. They can add another win to their notch.

[Lindaloo]

Unbelievable!! Money talks, bull**** walks!!

Isn't this the same one who beheaded the guy? If so, how in the world could that be deemed self-defense?!!

[Guest]

He chopped his neigbhor up in pieces and threw him in Galveston bay - the head was never found.

His lawyer's played the self-defense game and presented his neighbor as a mean old person - the jury bought it hook line and sinker.

[Lindaloo]

I am speechless!!

[Skywatch_NC]

May as well have had the "Peanut Gallery" Robert Shapiro, Carl Douglas, Barry Sheck, F. Lee Bailey, Johnny Cochran "get off scott-free" panel defending him!

[GalvestonDuck]

Money talks, bull**** walks!!

Or "bull*** talks, money walks" in this case.

[stormchazer]

Self-defense??? Never thought I would see it!

[opera ghost]

I'm totally flabbergasted....

Wow.

[GalvestonDuck]

Self-defense??? Never thought I would see it!

Apparently a few witnesses testified that Morris Black was a bitter, angry, loud, belligerent old guy. One social worker here at UTMB testified that he scared her. Durst's defense was that Black attacked him first and he had to struggle for the gun in order to protect his own life and then the gun went off (thus, self-defense). However, the prosecution's witnesses said that blood splatter on the walls of the apartment show that Black was on the ground when he was shot and he was shot by someone standing over him. Another witness for the prosecution said that she heard two pops that sounded like gunfire, which could indicate that the gun was not discharged accidentally. How often does a gun go off twice on accident? Durst said he cut up the body because he knew with his history of mental behavior, no one would believe that it was an accident. So he cut up Black's body and threw it into the bay in an effort to hide what happened.

But the main thing the jury was instructed to focus on was how Black died and the circumstances surrounding only that. Not how his body was disposed of. Not the disappearance of Durst's first wife. Not how he skipped bail and ran to New Orleans where he was arrested for shoplifting (and had a bag of drugs with him). Apparently, the jury was swayed by the defense keeping the whole train of thought on what happened in that apartment when the gun went off.

Black's family will go after Durst in a wrongful death trial. And Durst still has to face a bond trial for skipping away to New Orleans when he should have been here. I'm surprised there's no trial for improper disposal of a body.

[Pburgh]

I thought Durst was finally arrested here in Pennsylvania for shoplifting. He had about $500 in his wallet and $37,000 in cash in his car along with 5 pounds of marijuana. He was arrested for stealing a chicken salad sandwich, a newspaper and 1 bandaid.

At least with this murder they found most of the body. In the case of his first wife, she was never found.

Amazing what money can buy and very sad too.

[GalvestonDuck]

You're right. Where'd I get New Orleans?

[sunnyday]

I never heard of this case, but it sound yucky.....How in the world did he get off after all he did?

[PTrackerLA]

This is the first I hear of this case too, but I can't believe this man got off the hook. So basically you can kill and chop up your neighbor in self defense and throw it in they bay and be not guilty, that's really sad...