The People V. Durst Trial (Sa089983): Pool Camera and Decorum and Media Order

www.lacourt.org @LASuperiorCourt

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 12, 2021

THE PEOPLE V. DURST TRIAL (SA089983): POOL CAMERA AND DECORUM AND MEDIA ORDER

The trial of People v. Robert Durst (SA089983) is scheduled to resume on May 17, 2021 in Department 1 at the Inglewood Courthouse, One Regent St., Inglewood, with Judge Mark E. Windham presiding.

Judge Windham is allowing gavel-to-gavel filming and live streaming of the trial. The television pool will be Law & Crime. To receive a link to a clean live stream of the proceedings, please email Stephen Lawrence ([email protected]) and Jordan Chacon ([email protected]) from Law & Crime.

The amended Decorum and Media Order, which is attached, outlines details related to photography, video, audio and electronic devices; courtroom seating; security; COVID-19 protocols; and trial proceedings.

Juror orientation will begin at 10 a.m. on Monday and is expected to last one or two days. No cameras or audio recording will be allowed for the orientation.

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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

CASE NUMBER DEPARTMENT NUMBER

People SA089983 SW 1

Plaintiff vs. AMENDED ORDER Robert Durst Defendant

DECORUM AND MEDIA ORDER

The purpose of this order is to protect the parties’ constitutional rights to a fair and impartial jury trial; to protect the jurors’ privacy; to allow the public and the media to exercise their First Amendment rights; to ensure courtroom proceedings are conducted with respect and decorum for the proper administration of justice; and to ensure the safe, orderly use of court facilities. The Court may rescind or modify this order at any time based on specific circumstances or in the Court’s discretion.

Security

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is responsible for security in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. Failure to adhere to the rules in this order or to abide by the orders of the Sheriff’s Department may result in sanctions, including expulsion from the courtroom and/or courthouse, and any other lawful response.

Los Angeles Superior Court COVID-19 Protocols and Orders of the Presiding Judge

All persons must abide by the requirements of COVID-19 General Orders issued by the Presiding Judge.

Courthouse Access: In the interest of safeguarding the well-being of court users and enforcing social distancing, access to the Court’s LASC proceedings is governed by General Order 2020- GEN-025-00 issued on November 23, 2020. Under the Order, news media representatives and news reporters are allowed into the courthouse. Please display your media credential at the entrance to facilitate access under the Order.

Face Coverings: In accordance with Amended General Order 2021-GEN-009-02 issued on February 25, 2021, all persons are required to wear face coverings over their nose and mouth while in a courthouse. Persons whose disabilities preclude them from wearing face coverings compliant with the California Department of Public Health Guidance Concerning the Use of Face Coverings issued on June 18, 2020, are urged to seek an accommodation under Rule 1.100 of the California Rules of Court in advance of their court appearance or appointment.

No person may enter the courthouse while experiencing possible COVID-19 symptoms. All persons must maintain a six-foot distance from others while inside the courthouse. Persons subject to quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure or travel from other states before full vaccination may not enter the courthouse.

Department 1 Rules of Decorum

Once a court session begins, distractions will not be tolerated. Conversation during breaks must be discreet and noise must be kept to a minimum.

No beverages, food or newspapers are allowed in the courtroom. Except for authorized camera/recording equipment, all items carried into the courtroom must be removed at the end of each session, during breaks etc.

Audience members must refrain from outbursts, including reacting audibly or physically to questions, testimony, arguments, or comments made by the judge, attorneys, or witnesses. Audience members may not wear clothing or other accessories aimed at eliciting any emotional response from the jury.

Photography, Video, Audio & Electronic Devices in the Courtroom

The Court will allow pool video recording of the trial, beginning with opening statements, through the taking of the verdict.

The media may place microphones on the bench, the witness stand and the court reporter’s table. The designated media pool is permitted to live-feed or live-stream the proceedings from the courtroom.

Due to limited courtroom capacity to observe social distancing protocols, still cameras are not allowed in the courtroom during the trial (subject to change). Except as indicated above, no video or audio recording, still photography or any electronic recording is allowed in the courtroom at any time. This includes audio recording for note-taking purposes.

Cell phones must be turned off and kept out of sight. Cell phone use in the courtroom is not allowed at any time. Laptops will be allowed for note-taking purposes with all sound capabilities turned off. Media representatives may use their laptops to live-tweet, email, and post to social media while court is in session provided these activities do not cause a distraction and all sound capabilities are turned off. Typing noise must be kept to a minimum.

Trial Proceedings and Jurors

During the trial, the media may not approach, contact, attempt to interview, photograph, sketch, or in any way identify any prospective juror, sitting juror or alternate juror in this matter. The media shall make no attempt to contact, interview or question prospective, impaneled, or excused jurors until the entire jury is excused at the end of the trial.

Potential and impaneled jurors will be identified only by their juror numbers or courtroom assigned numbers during the pendency of the trial. Juror questionnaires will be available at the conclusion of the trial.

The media and the public must safeguard the jury’s impartiality by ensuring that discussions or media interviews about the trial or trial testimony are not conducted in the presence of any juror or potential juror.

Courtroom Seating

Due to limited courtroom seating in Department 1, the Court has allocated seating for those days when it is at a premium according to the Court’s protocol and discretion. No standing will be permitted, except as needed to operate the pool camera.

One media seat is designated for the pool camera operator; the court will allocate additional seats should they become available.

At least one seat will be allotted to the public daily. For those members of the public who wish to attend in-person, permission is required from the Court to enter the courthouse and to occupy the public seats. Directions to request a seat on a daily basis are located at this link: http://www.lacourt.org/newsmedia/ui/courtroomseatingrequest.aspx. Public seats will be provided on a first come, first served basis, or by lottery if necessary. If more than one request is submitted, a lottery will be held at the conclusion of the trial day for the next court day’s seating designation. The deadline to submit a request for a public seat will be 4 p.m. on the day preceding the requested date for seating. Seating requests for Monday must be submitted by 4 p.m. on the preceding Thursday. The lottery will be held on the public plaza outside the Inglewood Courthouse to accommodate social distancing and the person whose name is drawn will be notified immediately after the drawing by email. The trial audio will be accessible through the Court’s Remote Audio Attendance Program. Details are available through the Superior Court Communications Office or the Court’s website at this link: http://www.lacourt.org/newsmedia/ui/courtroomseatingrequest.aspx.

The media pool and the members of the public assigned to the (1) media seat and the public seats must check in with the Communications Office staff outside Department 1 no later than 9 a.m. prior to the start of trial each day.

The public and media personnel must take their seats at least five minutes before the start of any session. Failure to abide by this time restriction may result in loss of assigned or lottery seating that day as determined by the Court’s Communications staff.

Outside the Courtroom

Video and still photography, audio recording and broadcasting are prohibited in any public area of the courthouse (see the attached General Order re Use of Cameras in the Courthouse).

Social distancing is required, and will be enforced, in courthouse hallways and immediately outside Department 1. No disruptions in the hallway will be tolerated and the noise level in the hallway must be kept to a minimum. Other courtrooms also will be in session. No passageways or doors may be blocked. All persons must maintain a six- foot distance from others while inside the courthouse and grounds.

Interviews with attorneys and witnesses who have completed their testimony should be conducted outside of the courthouse so as not to disturb courtrooms or interfere with Court business.

Exhibits

Copies of exhibits that have been admitted into evidence may be requested through the Communications Office staff at the conclusion of trial. Please do not contact court staff with these requests.

Violations of This Order

Anyone violating this order will be subject to the discipline of the Court, including, but not limited to, the Court’s contempt authority, immediate removal from the courtroom, prohibition from returning to the courtroom and revocation of the courtroom seat assignment. Photographs, or video or audio recordings made in violation of this order will be subject to equipment confiscation and erasure of the prohibited content. Violators of this order may be excluded from the courtroom for the duration of the trial.