Robert Durst uses the Autism Defense
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ASPartOfMe
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Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Age: 66
Gender: Male
Posts: 34,462
Location: Long Island, New York
Quote:
Robert Durst told jurors at his murder trial Monday that he’s “autistic and not normal.”
The Manhattan real estate millionaire charged with killing his best friend Susan Berman in December 2000 brought up his alleged disability under intense questioning by a prosecutor over his actions in the days that followed the disappearance of his first wife Kathie Durst in 1982.
Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney John Lewin suggested it was suspicious Durst didn’t check with Kathie’s family before he placed his first call to police.
The prosecutor alleged that was because Durst knew he’d already killed, dismembered and disposed of the 29-year-old medical student, so there was nothing to learn from her family.
“Wouldn’t the first thing you would do is you would call Kathie’s family, her mom, her sisters, her brother, and find out, ‘Hey listen, has anybody seen Kathie?’ Isn’t that what a normal person does?” Lewin asked during his cross-examination of the skyscraper scion.
“I’m not a normal person. I am told that I am somewhere on the autistic spectrum. I don’t know what a normal person does,” Durst testified.
Lewin asked the court to strike the mention of autism, but the judge let it stand, saying Lewin opened the door with his question.
“Was that an intentional move on your part to try to make the argument to this jury that somehow you’re going to blame a condition that millions of people suffer with to explain your behavior? Is that what you’re doing?” Lewin asked.
The Manhattan real estate millionaire charged with killing his best friend Susan Berman in December 2000 brought up his alleged disability under intense questioning by a prosecutor over his actions in the days that followed the disappearance of his first wife Kathie Durst in 1982.
Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney John Lewin suggested it was suspicious Durst didn’t check with Kathie’s family before he placed his first call to police.
The prosecutor alleged that was because Durst knew he’d already killed, dismembered and disposed of the 29-year-old medical student, so there was nothing to learn from her family.
“Wouldn’t the first thing you would do is you would call Kathie’s family, her mom, her sisters, her brother, and find out, ‘Hey listen, has anybody seen Kathie?’ Isn’t that what a normal person does?” Lewin asked during his cross-examination of the skyscraper scion.
“I’m not a normal person. I am told that I am somewhere on the autistic spectrum. I don’t know what a normal person does,” Durst testified.
Lewin asked the court to strike the mention of autism, but the judge let it stand, saying Lewin opened the door with his question.
“Was that an intentional move on your part to try to make the argument to this jury that somehow you’re going to blame a condition that millions of people suffer with to explain your behavior? Is that what you’re doing?” Lewin asked.
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Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
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