🎲🎰 Murder in Sin City : The Death of a Las Vegas Casino Boss 🎰 🎲 (2001) - Book Review

MY REVIEW

Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Avon; First Printing edition (July 31, 2001)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0380818736

ISBN-13: 978-0380818730

“The reckless heir to the Horseshoe Club fortune, fifty-five-year-old Vegas casino boss Ted Binion lived the high life constantly teetering on the edge — surrounding himself with guns, heroin, cash, babes and mobsters. But it was a beautiful ex-stripper and her new lover who gave him the final, fatal push over the side.

The gripping true story of the fall of a powerful man that culminated in the most publicized murder in Las Vegas history — an almost perfect crime undone by the unbelievable greed of its perpetrators — Jeff German's Murder in Sin City is a stunning account of human deterioration and depravity, a neon-tinged view of the poisonous rot that festers beneath the Vegas glitter.”

** For those looking for a book about real emotions, actual relationships, and any resulting fallout from Ted’s death – this is not the book for you.

** If you’re looking to relate to anyone in this story (and, honestly why would you EVEN want to??) – this book is definitely not for you.

** If you’re looking for more characterization of the victim & the killers – this is not the book for you.

** If you’re looking for some kind of geographical description of Las Vegas with regard to this case – this book is absolutely not for you.

This book is not a fictional story; it isn’t even an “entertaining” story. It is an actual/real-life accounting of the murder of a troubled and disgraced casino boss (Ted Binion), the famed silver theft after his “death”, the trial of those suspected in his murder, and how the justice system in Las Vegas worked at the time.

For those looking for a “story-based” type of read – you’re out of luck. It reads more like an expanded newspaper article with notes in a compact version.

It’s worth nothing that this isn’t the most up-to-date novel either. A lot changed between the publication of this book (2001) and the 2004 re-trial of Murphy and Tabish. It seems the writer never updated it unlike Ann Rule did with her true crime novels (“The Stranger Beside Me”, “If You Really Loved Me”, etc.). This book actually appears to be “out of publication/print”, so realize that this book isn’t a complete version of the Ted Binion saga.

The book was the basis for the Lifetime movie – “Sex and Lies in Sin City: the Ted Binion Scandal”. The movie allowed for more alternative theories; however this book focuses only on the prosecution’s point of view. It’s quite apparent this book is not exactly a non-biased account with this blurb on the back cover: “it was a beautiful ex-stripper and her new lover who gave him the final, fatal push over the side”.

The trial covered all the basics of a sordid, almost “made for TV” tale: greed, drugs, sex, money, mob ties, and casino lore. Binion; while he was the owner of the family’s Horseshoe Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas; had been banned from the premises by gaming authorities who suspected him of corruption, along with his drug issue.

It was well known that Binion was a heroin addict; he made no effort to conceal that. He was also friends with known organized crime figures such as the late “Herbie” Blitzstein. Again, he didn’t trial to conceal that either.

The murder tale – Sandra “Sandy” Murphy, a “stripper”, was the girlfriend of Ted Binion. He had taken her in, given her expensive gifts, a generous allowance, and even wrote her into his will. However they did not have a happy relationship and it was showing at the end of Ted’s life. It was alleged that Murphy, along with Rick Tabish (her alleged secret lover and the guy who helped Binion build the vault and transport the silver), plotted and killed Ted for the money and about $7 million silver.

The prosecution suggested that Murphy and Tabish forced Binion to ingest lethal levels of heroin and the antidepressant Xanax before suffocating him. The book ends with the first conviction of the Murphy and Tabish with them each sentenced to well over 20 years in prison.

It is worth noting that the author was also a columnist for the Las Vegas Sun. So mentioning his employer at the time was either part of the book deal or a way to generate more “buzz” for the paper. Taking that into consideration will help with the references and with reading the slant on this book.

Anyone outside the Las Vegas area will not understand the “fame” part of this trial as it did not connect to anyone outside of Las Vegas. I say that because some reviewers don’t understand the “fame” part of the case and trial. Obviously someone in Missouri would not have the same interest in the case as someone who lived next to or around Ted Binion. This was a MAJOR case for Las Vegas, much in the way the OJ Simpson murder case was HUGE for Los Angeles.

Since this book doesn’t cover the “post-trial” notes, I’ll leave them here in the review.

In 2004, Tabish and Murphy were acquitted of the murder charges after the Nevada Supreme Court granted them a new trial. The second jury convicted them on charges related only to the silver theft. Murphy was released for time already served and now lives in Laguna Beach, California and is currently married. Tabish remained in prison on an extortion conviction, however he was granted parole on January 13, 2010 and released to Montana in May 2010.

Binion’s Horseshoe Club is known only as Binion’s Gambling Hall, but has not been controlled by a Binion since 2004. Becky Binion-Behnen’s reign wasn’t without controversy – unpopular cost-cutting measures, failing to keep sufficient funds available to pay winners in the casino cage were just a few of the issues.

Behnen's and Binion’s complete undoing was a dispute with the employees’ union regarding unpaid medical and pension payments. Despite a signed agreement in March 2003, the union finally had to obtain a court order in December 2003 to seize funds from the casino cage to cover the payments. On January 9, 2004 IRS agents and Federal Marshals seized money from the casino cage to satisfy debts owed to the Southern Nevada Culinary and Bartenders Pension Trust Fund and to the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union Welfare Fund. That depleted the casino’s bankroll, forcing it to close. A day later, the hotel was also closed. Behnen reached an agreement with the Gaming Commission to keep the casino closed until its bankroll was replenished. On January 23, Behnen sold the Horseshoe to Harrah's Entertainment. In 2008, Harrah’s sold it to the owner of the Four Queens (TLC).

If you’re looking for multiple views of the Ted Binion case – I would consider this as only one of the sources available but suggest thoroughly researching the case online.

If you only want one point of view from a “true crime” book (namely one that favors the prosecution’s side with multiple mentions of the author’s employer), with no current “updates” – I would definitely suggest this.

2 ⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐