Judge revokes house arrest for Murphy

Robert Macy

Wednesday, March 22, 2000 | 3:32 a.m.

A judge revoked Sandra Murphy's house arrest, but left open the possibility that she could be free from jail prior to Monday's start of the Ted Binion murder trial.

At the same time Judge Joseph Bonaventure placed a gag order on principals in the case and said he would impose the tightest security on the jury in the history of the county.

Bonaventure admonished Murphy on Wednesday for failing to follow the rules of the house arrest program, which has kept her out of jail most of the time since July.

But he said he would allow her attorney to present a motion Friday which would call for an increase in her $300,000 cash bail and additional security provisions.

Murphy was taken into custody Thursday after house arrest officials said she went furniture shopping instead of meeting with her attorney.

Murphy and reputed lover Rick Tabish are scheduled to go to trial Monday in the Sept. 17, 1998 slaying of Binion, a member of a famous casino clan.

Murphy's attorney, John Momot, argued for her release, saying her return to custody on the shopping issue was like "using a sledgehammer to kill a fly."

"The lady's not going any place, and she's going to trial," Momot said.

Murphy and Tabish were arrested in June in the Binion slaying. She was released on house arrest three weeks later when wealthy Irishman William Fuller paid her $300,000 cash bail.

She was taken back into custody Oct. 21 for violation of the house arrest provisions. An angry Bonaventure told her at the time he was upset with her cavalier attitude and placed her in jail for a week.

He warned her at the time that she had two strikes against her and that she should adhere to house arrest regulations or face the consequences.

David Wall, Clark County deputy district attorney, argued that Murphy should remain in custody.

"She just didn't get it," Hall said as Murphy, clad in jail clothes and wearing waist chains and handcuffs, watched the proceedings. "She doesn't comprehend she's facing multiple life sentences."

Wall urged that Murphy be held without bail.

Bonaventure said Murphy had not committed a crime but had proved she was "unsupervisable." Still, he said he would consider a motion Friday that would free her from jail.

Bonaventure, saying attorneys had become "a pipeline to the media," imposed a gag order on them and witnesses because of worldwide publicity about the case. He blamed both sides for fueling the frenzy.

The defense team has hired two public relations consultants, Tom Letezia and Mark Fierro. Prosecutor David Roger has called the move unprecedented.

Bonaventure said his gag order "does not include a restriction on freedom of the press and is not to be construed as such."

However, any attorneys or witnesses talking to the media would face court sanctions.

Bonaventure also said he was approving a "hybrid sequestration" in response to a defense motion to sequester the jury.

Bonaventure said the 12 jurors and six alternates will be free to go home at night, but will park in a special lot and will be escorted to court by bailiffs. Jurors cannot be photographed and will be identified by number rather than name, the judge said.

"It will be the most security ever afforded a Clark County jury," Bonaventure said.