LV seen as fair site for Binion trial

Tuesday, Dec. 7, 1999 | 11:05 a.m.

The prosecution and the defense said Monday they believed Ted Binion's accused killers could get a LV fair trial in Las Vegas despite the massive media attention the murder case has received.

Speaking on "POV Vegas," a news information show produced by the Sun for the Las Vegas 1 cable news channel, District Attorney Stewart Bell and John Momot, who is defending Binion's girlfriend, Sandy Murphy, both said they were confident an unbiased jury could be selected.

The 27-year-old Murphy and her reported lover, Montana contractor Rick Tabish, are scheduled to stand trial in the gambling figure's slaying on March 13 in the courtroom of District Judge Joseph Bonaventure.

Bell compared the Binion proceedings to the well-publicized murder case involving the death of 7-year-old Sherrice Iverson at a Primm hotel-casino. He said the intense media coverage did not stop then-District Judge Myron Leavitt from seating a "fair and impartial jury" within three days.

Momot, however, acknowledged that the intense media scrutiny has put the defense at a disadvantage. He charged that many of the stories about Murphy, whom he called a "nice young lady, were "defamatory."

The veteran defense attorney also said he was concerned that witnesses seeking their "10 minutes of fame" might try to embellish their testimony.

And he expressed concern about the "unique situation" involving the participation of private detective Tom Dillard in the homicide investigation.

Dillard, who has been investigating Binion's Sept. 17, 1998, death for his $50 million estate, has been turning over all of his information to prosecutors and Metro Police homicide detectives.

Momot said Dillard has an "open check book" to conduct his probe and is not held to the same standards as police.

But Bell defended the relationship between Dillard and the prosecution team, saying all have acted professionally.

Bell, who once called the Binion investigation a "complex jigsaw puzzle," said he was confident prosecutors have put together a solid circumstantial case.

"It's our belief that the pieces do fit together," he said.

Prosecutors believe Murphy and Tabish pumped drugs into the 55-year-old Binion, a known heroin user, and suffocated him at his 2408 Palomino Lane home. His body was found by police next to an empty bottle of the prescription sedative Xanax.

Momot, meanwhile, attributed Murphy's sometimes errant behavior in court to "nervousness" on her part. Bonaventure chastised Murphy at a recent hearing for whispering to Momot while the judge was scolding her for violating the terms of her house arrest.

"She's a gentle person," Momot said. "She's been very cooperative and helpful with the defense."