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NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – Accused murderer Robert Durst’s preliminary hearing Thursday began with the prosecution, begging the judge for more time.

Orleans Parish’s Assistant District Attorney Mark Burton argued that he was not given adequate notice by the defense. He said that the defense provided him with a request for Jeanine Pirro, a former prosecutor who worked on Kathleen Durst’s cold case in 2000 (currently a legal analyst and TV personality).  He also said he received a 160-page document about quashing the arrest warrant. He spoke about other court documents but emphasized repeatedly that he was just given 24 to 48 hours to look over these materials — and he couldn’t be prepared.

Burton concluded, “We can’t go forward with this case today, I have had no time to traverse this. It would be unfair to make the [Louisiana] make their case while Mr. Durst has time to prepare.”

Durst’s attorney, Dick DeGuerin, told the judge that he sent the prosecution all the proper paperwork and filed motions correctly.

DeGuerin also said that the agents involved in the search ignored the subpoenas. Then he asked, “How much preparation time do they need?” DeGuerin told the judge he wanted to move forward with the hearing. The judge granted that request and the hearing began.

After the hearing began, Durst’s attorney called witnesses to the stand — and they were nowhere to be found. DeGuerin asked for the agents and a state trooper that were involved with the search of Durst’s hotel room in downtown New Orleans a couple weeks ago, that led to the gun and drug charges.

Then prosecutors came forward and defended the witnesses not being present, saying that they instructed the agents not to show up today, “we are not ignoring courts subpoenas or requests,” but “we needed more time to go through documents.”

To which DeGuerin responded, “It doesn’t take any time to tell the truth. Everything happened because of the California case. We want our date in court. They led us to believe they would be here.”

Burton fired back,”That is a complete mischaracterization of what I said.”

The judge sided with the defense and granted their motion for prosecutors to show cause why the agents were not present, in contempt of court. That hearing has been set for next Thursday, April 9.

Prosecutors then begged the judge “don’t make us go down this route, we just need more time, please withdraw the motion to show cause.”

Burton added, “this is all the doing of the defense. If all procedures were followed, Durst would have his witnesses, now DeGuerin says he can’t have his own witnesses here. That’s his own doing.” The judge reconfirmed that they would address the motion to show cause next Thursday. He added they had one week to get any additional motions into court.