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| Tuesday, August 29, 2000
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal COLUMN: John L. Smith Hopefully no rematch of Stupaks vs. three grown men
The late newspaper poet Jimmy Cannon had it right when he asked the burning question, "Who struck John?"
It was a joke told by members of the sporting crowd, who might have witnessed a beating but had no intention of cooperating with the authorities.
Now that you know the punch line, the question is, "Who struck Bob Stupak Friday night at Piero's?"
Perhaps you're thinking, "Just pick any name from the white pages and you'll find a suspect." That's true enough. The casino man has made his share of enemies. But Metro police have a better idea of who was behind the brief battering of Stupak and daughter, Summer, while they attempted to eat dinner at Freddie Glusman's upscale restaurant. According to a police report, Stupak's alleged assailants were Benny Behnen, Chance LeSueur, and an intriguing older fellow named R.D., who has been identified as R.D. Mathews. In his early 80s, Mathews obviously can still cut his own meat.
Sources say the dust-up is related to the $250,000 in $5,000 Binion's Horseshoe casino chips Stupak possessed and eventually redeemed over the protests of the gambling joint's new owner, Becky Binion Behnen, Benny's mother. The Behnen family has made no secret of its belief that Stupak received those chips from Becky's brother, Ted Binion, after the troubled casino man was ousted from the Horseshoe. A Gaming Control Board investigation cleared Stupak of any collusion, and the Horseshoe was forced to pay up.
Not that it seems to be resolved in everyone's mind.
It's not the first time Stupak has had a run-in with Behnen. Stupak filed a police report in 1998 in which he alleged Behnen took a swing at him when he attempted to cash one $5,000 chip. No charges were filed.
LeSueur attracted police attention when he was linked to a 1996 drive-by shooting outside Ted Binion's Palomino Lane home, the same house in which he was found dead Sept. 17, 1998. Although initially charged with attempted murder, LeSueur eventually pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
Before charges are filed, the police will have to sort a few facts. Another problem is the fact that, although the restaurant was full, few patrons appeared willing to give witness statements. Piero's is home to the modern-day version of the sporting crowd. Perhaps the cops will take time to question the members of the Fertitta family who were there that night.
For his part, owner Glusman says he witnessed nothing -- but he's sure his good customer, Benny Behnen, is wrongly suspected.
"I didn't see anything," Glusman barks. "I was in the other room. Benny didn't have anything to do with it. He wasn't even in the goddamn room. He was sitting with Becky in the other room."
Summer Stupak's police statement tells a different story, one which features Glusman as a witness to the entire episode. It reads in part, "The owner of Piero's did nothing to intervene or stop this assault."
What's even worse is the allegation that LeSueur and Behnen battered young Stupak and pushed her to the table after she attempted to intervene on her father's behalf. Perhaps the police will ask why big, strong guys would want to touch or threaten the overmatched Stupaks in such a public place.
One witness to the altercation says it lasted only moments. Police and paramedics were called to the scene, but no arrests or medical transports were made.
It couldn't have been much of a fight. After his motorcycle accident, Stupak is as fragile as a porcelain doll. And Summer Stupak was certainly no match for three grown men.
Glusman calls the incident a nonevent, and tries to laugh it off by saying it reminds him of the old Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, Glusman assures customers he has decided not to institute a cover charge for future toe-to-toe floor shows, but he says he hasn't ruled out promoting boxing cards with his pal, Don King, under the title "Main Events."
First he needs a good matchmaker. This wasn't a fair fight.
I don't know exactly who struck Bob, but if he isn't careful the next time might hurt a whole lot worse.
John L. Smith's column appears Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Reach him at 383-0295 or Smith@lasvegas.com.
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