On CNN, Murphy calls verdict a compromise

Eric Leake

Thursday, Dec. 2, 2004 | 11:05 a.m.

Newly exonerated Sandy Murphy said in a television interview Wednesday evening that she believed her verdict was a compromise.

"I believe that there was some dissension among the jurors," Murphy said. "I believe that it was a compromise verdict."

Murphy and co-defendant Rick Tabish were acquitted Nov. 23 after a retrial for the alleged murder in 1998 of Murphy's boyfriend, casino heir Ted Binion. Binion's death, originally labeled a drug overdose, was later prosecuted as a murder and Murphy and Tabish were found guilty. That guilty verdict was later overturned, which led to the retrial.

Murphy said she believed jurors were ready to reach a verdict and compromised on the murder charges by finding her and Tabish guilty of trying to steal Binion's silver, a verdict she hopes to beat on appeal.

"I wasn't there when they put the silver in the vault, I wasn't there when they removed it, and I wasn't sure of the exact location of where the silver was," Murphy said. "I don't believe that anyone who is sane thinks they can go out in the desert, excavate however many tons of silver ... and think they can get away with it."

Murphy is out on bail awaiting sentencing and appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" Wednesday night with her attorney, Michael Cristalli. She spoke about the verdict, the trials, and her relationship with Tabish.

She said she never loved Tabish, with whom she had an affair, but that he was there when her relationship with Binion had problems.

"He was Ted's friend and confidant. He became my friend and we developed a relationship," Murphy said.

"Through that process I had some issues with some indiscretions."

She said she and Tabish do not keep in touch and are no longer friends, she said, though she wishes Tabish well.

King asked Murphy about the three years she has already served in prison.

"It was horrible. I think the hardest part, other than losing your liberty, is being away from the ones you love," said Murphy, who is 32. "I missed out on a lot of really good years."

Murphy and Cristalli said they expect that she will not serve any more time in prison and may have a civil case to fight for her stake in Binion's will.

Murphy said that hard feelings over the will, in particular the sentimental value of the Binion home left to her, were part of the Binion family's motivation against her.

"I don't know that they were anxious to get me," she said. "They were willing to do whatever they could to make sure that I was disinherited."

Murphy said she is now "Working, enjoying my family, and taking a little time for myself to try and get reacclimated to the world."