Sex and Lies in Sin City: The Ted Binion Scandal Page #6

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the defendant Sandra Murphy

for felony larceny

in the attempted theft of the silver?

Guilty.

How say you in the charge against

the defendant Sandra Murphy

for murder in the first degree?

-Guilty.

-Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

You promised me this wouldn't happen.

Well, it's happening.

Look, we can appeal.

Shut up. Shut up!

You lied to me!

All right, thank you!

No, no, no. It was justice, not luck!

-Becky.

-Yes, go ahead.

What do you think Ted would say

of the verdict?

He would say that the b*tch got

what she deserved,

and that she was the meanest, most evil,

most devious person that he ever met.

-Excuse me.

-Go ahead.

What about the allegations that

Ted Binion actually abused Ms. Murphy?

The only abuse she ever got

was $100 bills being thrown right at her.

Right?

Cheers, y'all. Drinks on the house!

It's a good day!

It's a day of justice at the Horseshoe!

So what does that mean, 20 years to life?

It means eligibility for parole will

come in about 12 years.

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.

Sandy, Sandy.

This fight isn't over.

It was a sloppy trial.

We have a half dozen grounds for appeal.

Rick asked me to give you this letter.

I'm standing here today in front of Southern

Nevada Women's Correctional Facility.

Convicted murderer Sandra Murphy is being

transferred today to begin serving her...

I think that's her, Bruce.

Go ahead. Start rolling.

-You got it, Bruce?

-Got it.

Just hold her tight right there.

Ms. Murphy, how does it feel

to be walking in today,

knowing you may never walk out?

Ms. Murphy. Ms. Murphy.

Just hold her tight there.

Ms. Murphy.

Sandy, a few words. Sandy. Sandy.

I'm here in front of the prison

where after four years Sandy Murphy

is set to be released tomorrow,

after the Nevada supreme Court

overturned her conviction

for the 1998 murder of Ted Binion.

In setting aside the conviction,

the court cited the prosecution's

two theories of death,

forced overdose and suffocation,

and said that each theory necessarily

created a reasonable doubt about the other.

Were you surprised by

the Supreme Court's decision?

Wasn't everybody?

I don't know why they want

to waste taxpayer money on a new trial.

I mean, isn't it something like 90% of retrials

end up with the same verdict?

And what do you say

to murphy's legions of defenders

who are saying you bought

the case against her and Tabish?

Well, I would say

that my daddy always said,

"Never get in a pissing contest

with a skunk. "

The skunk in this case would be legendary

San Francisco attorney Tony Serra,

who will join the defense team

in the new trial.

Mr. Serra, what strengths do you

bring to the defense?

I'm more than a lawyer. I'm a healer.

I open cages.

I give freedom, which is healing.

How's the suit fit?

-It's good to see you.

-And you.

It's in the past, darling. It's in the past.

Sandy?

Hey.

It's so good to see you.

It's not like I was far away.

I know.

The world's worst friend, that's me.

Not like lan.

I can't believe

he kept your apartment for you.

Yeah, well, unlike you,

he believed me that I didn't do it.

Sandy.

I'm so sorry.

It must have been terrible.

-You seem so different.

-I know.

And I have no idea how to get myself back.

And if they put me back in...

Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?

Here we go again.

I told you sooner or later

things would turn our way.

You call four years in prison "our way"?

Yeah, I know why you didn't write me back.

I think it was smart to stay quiet

and wait till things cooled off.

You know, I heard they tried

to get you to turn against me,

be a witness for the state.

I know you didn't do that.

All right, boys and girls, it's showtime!

You are about to hear a case

that is so shaky,

the Supreme Court could not

let the conviction stand.

You will find yourself dumbfounded

as to why you are here

when you are presented

with conjecture rather than evidence

and allegations rather than proof.

I don't know how they got away with it

the first time.

But we're not letting them get away with it

this time.

Yeah. Yeah.

-Welcome back to Las Vegas, Mr. Lipjanic.

-Howdy.

Now, you testified four years ago

that Rick Tabish asked you

to help him kill Ted Binion.

It would be a convenience

if this man just keeled over from something.

But what are you going to do?

-Really?

-Yeah.

I could parachute in the backyard,

take him out like a sniper.

I could just walk you right in there

and just introduce you, say,

"Here's my buddy Frank, Ted."

You just smile and shoot.

-I've done crazier things.

-Yes, you have.

-"Hey, Ted, nice to meet you."

-Yeah.

-Good to see you, buddy.

-Nice to see you, buddy.

Are you suggesting

that Mr. Tabish was merely joking?

Yeah, a little hypothetical fun.

That's not how you characterized

what happened four years ago.

That's because I was told

that if I was going to get some of

that reward money from the Binions,

I'd have to "play ball."

Talk about a railroad operation.

Your Honor, I move to have Mr. Lipjanic

declared a hostile witness.

So noted.

Mr. Serra, do you care to cross?

I'm curious.

Just how much of that reward money

did you receive?

$20,000.

No more questions.

And how much of this

so-called reward money did you get?

$20,000.

I received a check for $10,000.

What is this, medical expert number nine?

We could do a montage.

Yeah, and they're all saying

the exact same thing.

Not only was the state a little bit wrong,

but completely...

So in your opinion, Mr. Drummond,

this was not an unusual overdose?

Actually, Mr. Binion's death was

very much a typical overdose.

You see,

the use of some other drug, usually Xanax.

Users take it because it magnifies

the euphoric effects of the heroin.

No more questions.

What? You're not going to threaten

to scratch my eyes out

or run me over with your car

or any of those other classy things

you used to love to say to me?

You know, Becky, I used to think that

you knew as well as I did that Teddy OD'd.

I thought you were using it as the excuse

to set me up, get me out of the way.

But now I realize you were just in denial,

Iike every other person

who loves a drug addict.

Please, don't even bother.

You, with your purse full

of Teddy's silver coins,

and your boyfriend digging up all the rest.

At least I can say I earned it

by taking care of Ted.

You earned it?

My brother plucked you naked off the stage

and gave you everything!

You took care of him?

You lived high on the hog for three years,

and my brother ended up dead,

and now you have the nerve

to say to me that you deserve more?

I could retch all over your shoes!

I have better things to do with my life

than fight with you forever.

I said it in the beginning,

and I will say it again.

There was no murder.

He died the way

countless heroin addicts die,

of an accidental overdose.

Nine medical experts testified to that.

And the prosecution witnesses? Paid.

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