Lawyer Testifies on Gaming Figure’s Death

Ted Binion’s longtime attorney testified Thursday that the well-known gambling figure ordered girlfriend Sandra Murphy removed from his will and expressed concern that she might kill him, which prosecutors say she did 24 hours later.

Jim Brown, a friend of his client since the mid-1950s, said Binion called him Sept. 16, 1998.

“He said, ‘Take Sandy out of the will. If she doesn’t kill me tonight . . . if I’m dead you’ll know what happened.’ ”

The testimony came in the trial of Murphy and her lover, Rick Tabish, a Missoula, Mont., contractor, who are charged with giving Binion a lethal dose of heroin and the prescription tranquilizer Xanax.

Defense attorneys contend that Binion, a longtime drug user, died of an accidental overdose or committed suicide.

Brown said that Binion was “chipper” when the two talked the day before he died and that there was nothing to suggest he might kill himself.

The attorney said Binion and Murphy had a cohabitation agreement that would have given the former topless dancer some stock and a car if they split. He said the Binion will was later changed to give her Binion’s $900,000 home, $300,000 in cash and the car if he died.

Brown said that Binion called Sept. 16 directing him to remove her from the will and that the lawyer scratched in the changes the next day, leaving them for his secretary to type. Later the same day he learned Binion was dead.

Brown said he had a confrontation the next day when Murphy tried to get into the Binion home.

He said that Murphy asked why he was trying to ban her from the home and that he told her Binion wanted her cut from the will. Murphy called him a liar, Brown said.

Brown and Murphy took a tour of the house, which was videotaped, to categorize what was in the home less than 24 hours after Binion was found dead in his den.

Prosecutors contend that cash and other valuables were stolen from the house.