Fox personality Jeanine Pirro goes to court over Robert Durst book

Photo: Ida Mae Astute/ABC Via Getty Images Former prosecutor and judge Jeanine Pirro appears on GOOD MORNING...

A New York journalist who worked on a book about accused murderer Robert Durst with television personality Jeanine Pirro has taken Pirro to court on the eve of the book's release.

Lisa DePaulo, whose 34-year writing career spans several publications, met Pirro in 1999, when the New York Times Magazine asked DePaulo to do a profile of Pirro, then District Attorney of Westchester County. The story ran on Mother's Day, May 9, 1999.

In late 2000, word came out that Pirro's office had reopened an investigation into the 1982 disappearance of Kathleen Durst, wife of the eccentric heir to the Durst real estate empire in Manhattan.

On Dec. 24, 2000, Durst's long-time friend, Susan Berman, was found shot to death in her Beverly Hills home. At the time of Kathleen Durst's disappearance, Berman had served as Robert's spokeswoman, according to court records.

New York Magazine, where DePaulo worked at the time of Berman's death and where Berman had once worked, asked DePaulo to write a story about the fatal shooting, which she did, using Pirro as a source, the complaint states.

PHOTOS: Key events in the life of Robert Durst (story continues below ...)

PHOTOS: Key events in the life of Robert Durst Robert Durst, a member of a wealthy New York real estate family was arrested in New Orleans on a murder warrant in his friend Susan Berman's 2000 death. See the critical moments in Durst's numerous legal cases. less PHOTOS: Key events in the life of Robert Durst Robert Durst, a member of a wealthy New York real estate family was arrested in New Orleans on a murder warrant in his friend Susan Berman's 2000 death. See the ... more Photo: HBO Photo: HBO Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Fox personality Jeanine Pirro goes to court over Robert Durst book 1 / 20 Back to Gallery





On Sept. 30, 2001, the dismembered body of Durst's neighbor Morris Black was found in Galveston Bay, where it had been dumped in trash bags. DePaulo was assigned to cover the story for Talk Magazine, and ended up traveling to Galveston on the same flight as Pirro, court records state.

Acquitted of Black's murder, Durst was the subject of an HBO documentary that aired in February and March of this year. During the series, DePaulo and Pirro spoke regularly, and DePaulo interviewed Pirro for Bloomberg News.

According to the complaint, DePaulo began receiving calls gauging her interest in writing a book about the Durst case. Pirro also approached her to propose co-writing such a book, court records state.

DePaulo knew that collaborating with Pirro presented an opportunity to get a book out quickly with a co-author she respected and admired, the complaint states.

At Pirro's invitation, DePaulo moved into Pirro's suburban New York home to expedite the writing process. Although she didn't know it at the time, Pirro had submitted a proposal to her publisher containing "false and outlandish" promises about what the book would contain.

For example, Pirro said the book would expose a "massive coverup" involving Durst family members, who she accused of helping Robert evade arrest for Kathleen's murder, the complaint states. She also claimed that Galveston jurors were "paid off by Durst" for acquitting Robert, which is unsupported by evidence, according to the complaint.

After moving into Pirro house, it became clear to DePaulo that the manuscript was a low priority for Pirro, who was often unavailable and "quickly began using plaintiff as unpaid house help," the complaint states.

The suit also claims that Pirro "was obsessed with using the book to settle scores with a slew of figures from her past whom she viewed as enemies." That list included former State District Judge Susan Criss, who presided over Durst's Galveston trial and in 2002 imposed a gag order preventing Pirro and others from commenting about the case.

According to the complaint, Pirro planned to describe these supposed enemies as adulterers or heavy drinkers.

Pirro could not immediately be reached Monday for comment. Her book, He Killed Them All: Robert Durst and My Quest for Justice, Simon and Schuster, $12.99, is scheduled for release Nov. 3.

Robert Durst remains jailed in Louisiana on federal weapons charges, which must be resolved prior to his extradition to California on a murder charge in connection with Berman's death.