Former Binion employee pursued $100,000 reward

Thursday, April 13, 2000 | 10:42 a.m.

A central figure in the Ted Binion murder case once sought the $100,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of Ted Binion's killer, the gambling figure's attorney confirmed Wednesday.

The attorney, Richard Wright, during his four hours on the witness stand in the murder trial, disclosed former Binion employee David Mattsen's pursuit of the reward money offered by Binion's estate.

Wright said the request was made through Mattsen's lawyer, James "Bucky" Buchanan, who successfully defended Mattsen last month on federal charges of being an ex-felon in possession of firearms.

No one else has sought the reward money, Wright said.

The Sun has previously reported that Mattsen had sought the $100,000 and much more to testify against defendants Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish. But no deal with prosecutors ever occurred.

Mattsen has offered a version of Binion's death that conflicts slightly with the events pieced together by the prosecution's witnesses.

Days after his March 7 acquittal, Mattsen, who once managed Binion's ranch in Pahrump, explained in part his version to the Sun.

He told the Sun who he believes killed the 55-year-old Binion, and he acknowledged that he was at Binion's home the night before he died. Police have cellular phone records that show calls between Mattsen and Binion's accused killers in the immediate hours before and after his death.

Mattsen is charged with Murphy and Tabish in the theft of Binion's $6 million silver fortune in Pahrump on Sept. 19, 1998.

Talks between Mattsen and prosecutors aimed at reaching a deal collapsed because of his erratic behavior the week before his federal firearms trial.

Buchanan told reporters his client had gone "off the deep end" and into hiding afraid for his life.

Mattsen resurfaced in good spirits at his trial, saying he no longer felt his life was in danger.

But just prior to his trial, Chief Deputy District Attorney David Roger said he be believed Mattsen's credibility as a witness had been compromised and the prosecutor no longer wanted to deal with him.

A 12-member jury acquitted Mattsen of all of the gun charges. His trial in the Pahrump silver theft is scheduled to follow the murder case.