Real estate heir Durst indicted on Louisiana firearm charges
NEW ORLEANS - Millionaire real estate heir Robert Durst was indicted Wednesday on the two weapons charges that have kept him in New Orleans, even though his lawyers say he wants to go to Los Angeles as soon as possible to face a murder charge there.
A grand jury charged Durst with possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of both a firearm and an illegal drug -- 5 ounces of marijuana -- said Assistant District Attorney Chris Bowman.
Durst's attorneys could not be immediately reached for comment.
His arrest related to those charges has kept Durst from being extradited to Los Angeles, where he's charged in the December 2000 death of longtime friend Susan Berman. He has waived extradition in that case.
Until his indictment Wednesday, Durst not been formally charged in connection with the .38-caliber revolver authorities say was found in his hotel room.
According to court testimony, an FBI agent recognized Durst in a New Orleans hotel March 14 and escorted him to his hotel room. Durst was arrested early March 15 on the Los Angeles warrant and arrested separately on the weapons charges the next day.
A hearing in the New Orleans case had been scheduled for Thursday before a magistrate. Durst's attorneys maintain that the arrest on weapons charges was illegal, partly because FBI agents searched Durst's hotel room without a warrant and before his arrest in the murder case.
The indictment puts the weapons case before a Criminal District Court judge, rather than the magistrate.
Durst turns 72 Sunday.