Tabish lawyer seeks ban on TV cameras

Thursday, Oct. 7, 1999 | 10:58 a.m.

An attorney for Rick Tabish, one of Ted Binion's accused killers, has asked District Judge Joseph Bonaventure to ban television cameras from all future proceedings, including the March 13 trial.

Attorney Louis Palazzo filed a five-page motion late Wednesday seeking the ban in a case that has attracted widespread national attention.

"At the outset, it is important to note that the defendant is not moving to ban the press, place a gag order on participants or limit the press' attendance in the courtroom in any way," Palazzo wrote.

"However, it is apparent from what has already occurred at the preliminary hearing in this matter that cameras in the courtroom do, indeed, distort what actually occurs in the courtroom."

Palazzo said television cameras threaten to deny his client a fair trial.

Most of the court proceedings in the Binion case, including the 13-day preliminary hearing in August, have been televised live by Las Vegas 1, a local cable news channel.

Justice of the Peace Jennifer Togliatti had denied a defense request to prohibit cameras from the preliminary hearing.

Tabish and his reported lover, Binion's girlfriend, Sandy Murphy, are charged with pumping Binion with drugs Sept. 17, 1998, and then suffocating him.

Earlier this week, lawyers for both defendants filed motions seeking to lessen bail conditions for their clients.

Palazzo requested that bail be set for his client, who has been in jail on no bond since his June 24 arrest with Murphy.

And Murphy's attorney, Bill Terry, asked Bonaventure to reduce Murphy's bail from $300,000 to $100,000 and release her from house arrest.

Terry also filed a motion asking that Murphy be tried separately from Tabish.

Prosecutors have until Monday to respond in court to the defense requests.