Columnist Jeff German: Judge rips Murphy but grants freedom

Sunday, Oct. 24, 1999 | 10:21 a.m.

Jeff German is the Sun's senior investigative reporter. His column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Reach him at german@lasvegassun.com or 259-4067.

NO MORE lunches for Sandy Murphy at her favorite eatery, the upscale Aristocrat.

It's part of the accused killer's attitude adjustment courtesy of District Judge Joseph Bonaventure.

On Friday Bonaventure gave the 27-year-old Murphy, who's charged with killing well-known gambling figure Ted Binion, her freedom back while she prepares for her March 13 trial.

But not before lecturing her in front of a live television audience about the merits of following the rules and acting like a lady.

"You think you're something special -- you're above the rules," Bonaventure scolded the onetime topless dancer. "Well, you're not, Ms. Murphy."

Bonaventure ordered Murphy to spend one more week behind bars to stew a little before being released back into the Clark County Detention Center's house arrest program. She had been booked into jail last Thursday for violating the terms of her electronically monitored supervision.

During Friday's hearing, Metro Corrections Officer Donna Bryant testified that Murphy treated her with indignity, almost as if Bryant were there to serve the defendant while making sure she complies with her house arrest conditions.

Murphy had gone AWOL last week for eight hours while meeting with a series of criminal defense lawyers. In the middle of the jaunt away from her Henderson apartment, Murphy managed to have lunch at the Aristocrat with her civil attorney, Bill Knudson, who's getting used to providing her with an alibi.

It turns out that dining at the Aristocrat, a gourmet restaurant Murphy learned to love while living with Binion, is not part of her house arrest program.

"What you've got here is a woman who just doesn't get it, or else doesn't care," Deputy District Attorney David Wall told Bonaventure in opposing Murphy's release.

Wall charged that Murphy's attitude was not that of someone thankful she's not sitting in jail facing murder charges, but rather one of arrogance.

And the judge seemed to buy into Wall's argument, several times pointing out the "cavalier" way in which she has conducted herself.

But despite his obvious displeasure, Bonaventure still managed to show her compassion.

Following pleas for leniency from Murphy, her new lawyer, John Momot, and her old attorney, Bill Terry, the judge gave Murphy one last chance to clean up her act.

"I'm very thankful for the way it turned out," Momot said after the hearing. "I think he instilled the fear of God in her."

Whether Bonaventure actually did that remains to be seen.

But in one of the harshest tongue-lashings anyone could deliver in court, the veteran jurist made it clear to Murphy that if she screws up one more time, if she even blinks wrong in the presence of her supervising corrections officer, she'll be back in the slammer for much longer than a week.

Bonaventure said Friday what many courthouse observers have been saying for some time -- Murphy seems to have no idea of how much trouble she's in.

The judge reminded Murphy that she's facing life in prison if convicted of killing Binion, her former boyfriend.

So is her co-defendant and reported lover, Rick Tabish, who sat stone-faced in court as Bonaventure impressed upon Murphy the seriousness of her situation. Tabish has been behind bars on no bail since he and Murphy were arrested June 24 and charged with Binion's murder.

Murphy, in a rare opportunity to speak out in court, apologized for being rude to Bryant last week.

But one got the feeling Bonaventure didn't believe she was serious.

Bonaventure told Murphy he's only been on the case a couple of weeks, but already he can see what makes her tick.

"I just have a feeling about you," he said.

It's a feeling others have, as well.

Some are predicting that if Murphy continues this self-destructive course, she may never get another opportunity to taste freedom, much less the favorite dishes of the Aristocrat.