High court won’t block sale of Binion house

Friday, Sept. 13, 2002 | 9:43 a.m.

The Nevada Supreme Court Wednesday refused to block the sale of Ted Binion's home to a Las Vegas real estate agent.

The high court, however, instructed Binion's estate to place the proceeds of the sale in an interest-bearing account until the legal claim on the house by Sandy Murphy, one of the gambling figure's convicted killers, is resolved.

Bruce Judd, a lawyer for Binion's estate, said he expects the 2408 Palomino Lane house will be sold to Las Vegas real estate agent Mary Bartsas within 30 days. The estate has accepted a $900,000 offer from Bartsas.

Last week District Judge Michael Cherry gave the estate permission to sell the home, but the Supreme Court stayed the order at the request of Murphy's lawyers.

After reading briefs from both sides this week, the court issued a two-page order Wednesday declining to intervene in the matter.

The court currently is considering whether to overturn the murder convictions of Murphy and her co-defendant, Rick Tabish, in Binion's Sept. 17, 1998, death.

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