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Sin City Prepares for Trial Sequel

LAS VEGAS -- As reported by the BBC: ``Four years ago a former topless dancer and her lover were jailed for life for murdering casino millionaire Ted Binion. But now their convictions have been overturned and they face a retrial in the autumn.

``…Sandy Murphy, a former topless dancer, and her married lover Rick Tabish were jailed for life for the murder of casino millionaire Ted Binion.

``Prosecutors claimed the pair plied Binion with heroin and Xanax and then smothered him, using a technique known as "burking" after the 19th century Scottish killer William Burke.

``Binion, who was worth $55m, was a regular heroin user whose father Benny founded one of the city's most famous casinos, Binion's Horseshoe, in 1952.

``…Prosecutors claimed the pair plotted to kill Binion so they could steal $7m worth of silver bullion buried in a vault beneath his ranch in Pahrump, Nevada.

``…But last year the Nevada Supreme Court overturned the pair's conviction and ordered a new trial.

``The court ruled the jury may have been unfairly influenced by hearing allegations Tabish extorted, kidnapped and beat a Nevada sandpit owner, Leo Casey, in July 1998.

``The supreme court decided Murphy and Tabish both deserved a retrial, although the conviction against him for the extortion and kidnap was upheld.

``…A new trial is pencilled in for October but it will be almost impossible to find a juror whose mind is not already made up about their guilt or innocence…"

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