Sister insists her motivation pure

Kim Smith

Tuesday, March 20, 2001 | 11 a.m.

Dona Cantrell Robinson, the sister of murder suspect Margaret Rudin, insisted this morning she is testifying against her sister for all the right reasons.

Although she admitted receiving $2,000 for appearing on the tabloid television show, "Hard Copy," Robinson said if she was interested only in money she would have aligned herself with either her sister or her brother-in-law's trustees at the outset of the case. She did neither.

"My motivation was pure," Robinson said. "I had a view about murder, and I knew what I knew. I saw what I saw, and I heard what I heard."

Today was the third time Robinson, 49, took the witness stand. She began her testimony last week and re-took the stand Monday afternoon after District Judge Joseph Bonaventure denied a motion by the defense for a mistrial.

A highlight Monday came when defense attorney Michael Amador suggested Robinson had an affair with one of the lead detectives in the case.

Robinson said she absolutely did not have an intimate relationship with Metro detective James Vaccarro. She did testify, however, that Vaccarro and his partner, Philip Ramos, gave her information about the case prior to providing a sworn, tape-recorded statement.

Rudin asked for a mistrial Thursday. She complained that Amador had not had enough time or money to prepare for trial.

Amador told Bonaventure he wasn't prepared to go forward because he had devoted too much time to certain aspects of the case and not enough time to others. The former prosecutor also said he felt his opening statements were below acceptable standards.

The judge denied the motion after researching the issue Friday and during the weekend. In a 30-minute prepared statement, Bonaventure said he had found no laws that say an attorney can be found ineffective in a case that has not reached a conclusion.

Bonaventure, quoting from a U.S. Supreme Court case, also noted that "a defendant is entitled to a fair trial, but not a perfect one."

"Ms. Rudin has not been denied her rights under the Constitution, her attorney has used his best efforts, (and) has focused on the areas he felt were important and discarded those that in his judgment were not," Bonaventure said.

The judge agreed to provide more funding to investigators who are working with Rudin. He also agreed to give the defense team a few days off later this week to prepare for upcoming witnesses.

Rudin, 56, is accused of shooting her husband, Ronald Rudin, 64, to death on Dec. 18, 1994, allegedly so she could get a share of his fortune. Prosecutors Gary Guymon and Chris Owens believe Rudin and an uncharged accomplice then decapitated the real estate developer, stuffed him in a trunk and set the trunk ablaze near Lake Mohave south of Las Vegas.

Ronald Rudin's remains were found by fishermen in January 1995.

Amador during his opening statement told jurors he intends to prove Rudin's trustees, who were also beneficiaries, had better means, motive and opportunity to arrange Ronald Rudin's death.

The mistrial issue emerged after Robinson provided damaging information against her sister Wednesday.

Robinson told jurors she was with Margaret Rudin when Rudin purchased $1,500 worth of listening devices so she could bug Ronald Rudin's office. She also testified Rudin seemed more concerned with her husband's estate than his well-being after he disappeared.

The former Las Vegas resident also told jurors she saw a trunk, much like the one in which police suspect Ronald Rudin was incinerated, at her sister's antique store the day before he disappeared.

In addition, Robinson said she saw Ronald Rudin's bedroom carpeting at another sister's house after her brother-in-law disappeared. It appeared to contain dinner plate-sized wine or blood stain, she said.

Robinson acknowledged under cross-examination Monday that she spoke with Vaccarro and Ramos about the case several times, even once meeting Vaccarro for coffee.

However, Robinson shook her head in denial and smiled when Amador asked her if it was true that she and Vaccarro had had an affair. She said that was "absolutely not" true.

Amador then asked if Robinson thought it odd that Vaccarro had shared so much information about the case with her when she, as a witness, should be supplying the information.

"I don't know how investigations are conducted," said an unruffled Robinson.