Defense asks Dershowitz to join case

Tuesday, May 23, 2000 | 11:24 a.m.

Harvard University law professor Alan Dershowitz has been asked to help appeal murder convictions in the death of wealthy gambling figure Ted Binion, a defense lawyer confirmed this morning.

"We're trying to get him involved in the appellate process," said John Momot, who represents Sandy Murphy, one of two people found guilty of killing Binion. "That's his specialty. The man is brilliant."

The Sun reported Monday that Dershowitz, who has been involved in a number of high-profile appeals across the country, was being courted by the defense.

Murphy, a 28-year-old former topless dancer, and her 35-year-old lover, Rick Tabish, were convicted by a 12-member jury Friday following a lengthy trial in the courtroom of District Judge Joseph Bonaventure.

A spokesman for Dershowitz at Harvard said the famed law professor does not want to comment on whether he'll enter the case.

Momot said members of the defense team have been sending "materials" from the seven-week trial to Dershowitz's office in Boston in an effort to persuade him to come onboard.

Dershowitz was given a retainer by the defense a year ago, Momot said.

At that time William Terry was representing Murphy.

Terry told the Sun over the weekend that he planned to decide by today whether to represent Tabish during the appeal process. Terry said he also would work on a motion for a new trial for Tabish if he took the case.

Courthouse sources, meanwhile, continue to report vast internal dissension within the defense camp.

Tabish's current lawyer, Louis Palazzo, is said to be on his way out after this week's penalty hearing for the two convicted killers.

Sources close to the case told the Sun Monday that Tabish was furious with Palazzo over his handling of the trial.

Tabish, the sources said, was upset with Palazzo for "blowing" his closing argument to the jury and not calling a number of witnesses, including Tabish, to the witness stand.

Tabish also was angry with defense investigator, William Cassidy, an aide to Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, for running "interference" within the defense.

Both Palazzo and Cassidy, who have defended their work during the trial, said they believed everything was fine between them and Tabish.

Dershowitz, who has written several popular books on defense tactics, has a reputation for taking tough cases on appeal.

Over the years he has been involved in numerous well-publicized trials. Among his clients are O.J. Simpson, Mike Tyson, Leona Helmsley and Claus von Bulow.