Karen Ann Coburn

Robert Durst did not murder his long-time friend Susan Berman on December 23, 2000, and he  doesn’t know who did. A generous man with Asperger’s syndrome, psychological damage from a traumatic childhood, and a history of poor decision making, Durst discovered Berman’s body when entering her home for a planned holiday visit. And because he had been hounded by the press and an overzealous New York prosecutor in the years following the disappearance of his first wife, Kathie, he ran. Later, out of love and respect for his friend Berman, he sent an anonymous note to the Beverly Hills...

The initial pool of about 50 prospective jurors reports to Judge Mark E. Windham’s courtroom for voir dire a short two weeks before opening statements in the trial of Robert Durst. Eighteen are seated in the jury box, the rest in the gallery. They are a mix of male and female, predominantly professionals or retired professionals. Defense Attorney Chip Lewis, who hails from Texas, says “I do this a lot. And collectively, this is the most educated group of jurors I’ve seen.”  Many assume voir dire translates to “to see, to say,” when in fact, Judge Windham explains,  the phrase...