Funeral for the Illustrious Harry Claiborne - 8 News NOW

Lisa Johnson, Reporter

Funeral for the Illustrious Harry Claiborne

(Jan. 23) -- Hundreds of people jammed into the chapel at Palm Mortuary Friday afternoon to say good-bye to an old friend and icon in the legal community. Former federal judge Harry Claiborne, who died on Tuesday, was one of the preeminent defense attorneys for Southern Nevada. For 50 years, Claiborne was a fixture in our legal community.

Those who turned out remembered him as a masterful litigator, many saying he was one of the best defense attorney's in Nevada history. Although he became the first judge in the nation's history to be convicted of criminal charges while sitting in the federal bench, his friends and family said he was undeterred by the indictment and impeachment.

Becky Binion Behnen said he became her father's attorney after Claiborne skillfully prosecuted one of Benny Binion's henchmen for murder. 

Claiborne stunned his friends and family by taking his own life. They believed the 86-year-old was battling cancer and Alzheimers and commited suicide to spare his wife and family's suffering.

You can watch the entire funeral for Harry Claiborne starting at 7 p.m. tonight on our sister station Las Vegas One on cable channels 1 and 19.

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