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Friday, May 25, 2001
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal COLUMN: John L. Smith Sandy Murphy tries to assert herself from behind bars
Sandy Murphy is going on the offensive from behind bars. Not only has the woman convicted last year of participating in the murder of casino man Ted Binion started granting interviews, but her local appeal counsel, Herb Sachs, is firing away at the state's winning case. Whether those volleys have any effect on Murphy's living arrangements likely won't be known for years, but that hasn't prevented Sachs from filing a terse letter earlier this week with District Attorney Stewart Bell requesting the state grant prison lifer and Binion trial bit player David Gomez immunity in order to compel him to answer questions that could help the appeals of Murphy and co-defendant Rick Tabish. The tune has been played twice before without success. Gomez, whom the defense accused of being part of a prosecution plan to steal Tabish's personal, jailhouse notes, pleaded the Fifth Amendment when repeatedly asked for details. No evidence of impropriety was ever established. Wrote Sachs, "The failure of your office to offer Mr. Gomez immunity resulting in his invoking the 5th amendment would deprive the public from hearing his accusations, under oath, and would only sustain the public's impression that your office is guilty of a `cover-up,' and further is guilty of ignoring and violating its duties of affording the defendant a fair trial without the use of trickery and other obscene tactics in an overzealous prosecution in order to obtain a conviction no matter what means." Responds Chief Deputy District Attorney David Roger: "I've denied their allegations every time they were raised. I continue to deny these slanderous, defamatory allegations." BILLS, BILLS, BILLS: Last week, embattled criminal defense attorney Michael Amador was slapped with a civil complaint by private investigator Tom Dillard, who estimates he's owed a documented $15,000 for services rendered in the recent Margaret Rudin murder trial. Now private investigator John Strachan, a key part of Rudin's defense preparation since October, is considering a lawsuit to attempt to recover the $13,000 he estimates the company he represents, A.D.P. Services, is owed by Amador. Strachan, who is playing an active role in Rudin's appeal, says his company was responsible for amassing thousands of pages of documents from microfiche on behalf of her defense. TROUBLE CALLING: Palm Springs mobster Jimmy Caci, last seen locally in U.S. District Judge Phil Pro's courtroom as part of the tail end of a lengthy FBI investigation into the mob's presence in Southern Nevada, now is being investigated for alleged threats to the life of a former associate. Don't tell me the lifelong wiseguy actually made threats on a telephone message machine. What's the underworld coming to? ON THE BOULEVARD: A source close to convicted drug trafficker Carl "Ernie" Whittenburg reports that the controversial former local has died in prison. In April 1991, Whittenburg was indicted with 19 others on 49 counts of drug trafficking and money laundering in connection with what federal investigators at the time called the largest smuggling ring in local history. ... Local street watchers note the passing of Grover Chance LeSueur, who died Sunday in Mesa, Ariz. LeSueur's name popped up several times in the troubled life of casino man Ted Binion and also made news when he was named as one of several persons who accosted Bob Stupak at Piero's last year. LeSueur was named as a suspect in a drive-by shooting of Binion's residence at Palomino Lane in the mid-1990s. He was 24. ... Mayor Oscar Goodman has been accused of pitching the bull on occasion, but earlier this week he was seen painting a cow at the Oxo restaurant at The Regent. Goodman, an avid illustrator, combined efforts with Russian artist Sergey Cherep. ... KLAS-TV newsman George Knapp and his pal, the late R-J columnist and television wiseguy Ned Day will be among those inducted into the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame June 9 at the MGM Grand. Knapp and Day were bookends on the street. Hopefully, Knapp will wax nostalgic about his nights out with Day. John L. Smith's column appears Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. E-mail him at Smith@lasvegas.com or call him at 383-0295. John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
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