Robert Durst, the subject of the HBO crime documentary “The Jinx” who is on trial for murder, has been diagnosed with bladder cancer that is not being treated, CNN reported on Thursday, citing Durst’s attorneys.
Durst’s legal team is now asking that his trial, which is set to resume on Monday, be postponed indefinitely due to a “myriad of life-threatening health issues,” CNN reported.
Durst’s attorney Dick DeGuerin said, “We are very concerned about his health,” adding “he’s really gone down in the last year. He’s been in and out of clinics and hospitals frequently.”
Durst, 78, reportedly appeared in court for a hearing on March 17. The network reported that he looked frail and wore a green medical mask on his face, and spoke in a high, thin voice, which was weaker compared to when he last talked in court.
The defendant’s attorneys requested a release on bail, citing his physical incompetence, CNN reported. The Los Angeles County Sheriff told the network that Durst is still in the Twin Towers correctional facility in Los Angeles.
Durst pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder after being accused of shooting his friend Susan Berman in the head at her Beverly Hills home in December 2000, according to CNN. Durst was allegedly trying to stop Berman from implicating him in the disappearance of his first wife, Kathleen McCormack.
Durst has denied that he killed Berman, the network noted.
The trial was first suspended in March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, after only a few days of witness testimony, according to CNN. The trial is supposed to resume May 17.
The Hill has reached out to the Los Angeles County Superior Court for comment.