Harvey’s Casino Bomber Seeks New Trial
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CARSON CITY, Nev. — The convicted mastermind of the 1980 bombing of Harvey’s Casino at Lake Tahoe in a $3-million extortion attempt has asked the Supreme Court of Nevada for a new state trial.
The lawyer for John Birges Sr. told the court Friday that his client was not given a speedy trial, was placed in double jeopardy and was not given enough time to prepare his defense.
Birges is serving a 20-year sentence in a Southern California federal prison on extortion and explosive charges. He faces life plus 10 years in a Nevada prison when his federal prison sentence is completed.
Lawyer Richard Campbell asked the court to overturn five of the eight state counts against Birges, who was found guilty of unlawful possession of explosives, unlawful transportation of explosives, use of explosives to commit a crime, making a bomb threat and extortion.
The bomb exploded at Harvey’s on Aug. 26, 1980.
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