District Attorney satisfied with sentence

Jace Radke and Kim Smith

Wednesday, May 24, 2000 | 10:13 a.m.

With at least 20 years of prison time ahead of Rick Tabish and Sandy Murphy, their family members slipped quietly out a side door of the courthouse after hearing the penalty imposed against the two by the jury.

Binion family members walked out the front of District Court, 200 S. 3rd St., and said they didn't disagree with the jury's decision to give the the two people convicted of killing Ted Binion life in prison with a possibility of parole after 20 years.

"I don't disapprove of the sentence, because they still have to face the judge on the other counts they were convicted of," Binion's nephew Bobby Fechser said. "Twenty years in prison is a long time."

Binion's brother Jack Binion was also in District Judge Joseph Bonaventure's courtroom as the penalty was read by the foreman, but did not comment as he left the courthouse.

"There's really nothing to say," Jack Binion said. "I don't have anything to say."

Tabish's wife, Mary Jo Tabish, nodded her head and let out a huge breath as she learned that her husband would be eligible for parole after 20 years in prison.

Fechser said he felt bad for Mary Jo Tabish, but not for her husband or Murphy.

"I have three kids at home, and I feel sorry for his (Tabish's) wife and children," Fechser said. "It's too bad he can't be free for the next 10 or 14 years to raise his kids and then go to prison for life without parole. I don't think he can handle 20 years in prison.

"I have nothing to say about her (Murphy). She was at the center of the entire scheme, and was the greed and lust that killed my uncle."

Clark County District Attorney Stewart Bell said he was satisfied with the sentence.

"They needed to be held accountable for what they did and when they come up for parole in 20 years we'll be there to argue against it," Bell said. "I think justice was served and quite frankly, I think the community owes a debt of gratitude to those 12 people who served on the jury."

Bell said he hopes to see letters to the editor thanking the jurors for helping to "preserve the judicial system."