Suspect in Wynn extortion allegedly threatened family

Kim Smith

Monday, July 1, 2002 | 10:54 a.m.

A Clark County prosecutor said a man who claims he is Steve Wynn's long-lost half-brother not only tried to extort Wynn, but also his own brother.

In a motion filed last week in District Court, Chief Deputy District Attorney Abbi Silver alleges that Donald Eugene Phillips, 47, threatened to kill his brother James and other family members if they didn't send him money while he was locked up in a Texas prison.

Phillips is scheduled to go to trial next week for allegedly trying to extort $50 million from Wynn, the well-known casino developer. If convicted and deemed a habitual criminal, Phillips could receive a life sentence.

In a series of letters and voice messages contained within the court's file, Phillips claims Wynn is his half-brother and owes him half of an estate he claims their father left them in 1963. He threatens to expose their relationship if Wynn doesn't pay him immediately.

Wynn denies being related to Phillips or even knowing him.

Phillips uses similar language in the letters to his brother and Wynn. Silver intends to ask District Judge John McGroarty Tuesday to allow the letters Phillips wrote to his brother as evidence at the upcoming trial.

McGroarty ruled on Friday that 15 of 19 letters Phillips wrote to Wynn will be shown to jurors.

Silver alleges that in one letter to his brother Phillips wrote, "I'm gonna be one crazy mad son of a bitch the next time you see me if you don't start acting like the blood that you are."

The letters to James show "intent, common scheme or plan and the absence of mistake or accident on the part of the defendant," Silver wrote.

Deputy Public Defender Elizabeth Quillin, in her response to the judge, said the letters are inadmissable because they would prejudice the jury against her client and her client had no means to carry out the death threats anyway because he was in prison.

Also on Friday, McGroarty ruled that Silver will be allowed to tell jurors about Phillips' past robbery and weapons convictions.