LOS ANGELES -- Several videotapes were found in Vicki Morgan's condominium by detectives investigating her murder but her lawyer said Thursday the material appeared 'innocuous' and did not reveal government officials in sex acts.
Attorney Michael Dave said a partial review of the tapes indicated they contained only movies, news and entertainment programs recorded from a television and 'nothing that even resembles a home movie.'
Dave, who represented Miss Morgan, 30, before her death and now represents her family and estate, characterized the material on the tapes as 'innocuous.'
Police Sgt. William Welch said there were a number of video cassettes in Miss Morgan's condominium and they were released with her belongings to the victim's family -- before Beverly Hills attorney Robert K. Steinberg claimed he had viewed tapes showing government officials in sex acts.
'Mike Dave has assured me that the tapes are purely innocuous, that there is nothing on them that relates to any of this (sex),' Welch said in a telephone interview. 'I have asked Mike Dave to hold on to the tapes, just in case they should become relevant.'
Dave refused to specify exactly how many videotapes were turned over to the family, but stressed he believed the 'sex tapes' described by Steinberg did not exist.
'None of Vicki Morgan's closest friends with whom I've talked nor myself believe that such tapes are truly in existence,' he said.
Steinberg hired criminal attorney Leonard Levine Wednesday to counsel him on the case. Levine said he has not yet discussed the existence of the alleged tapes with his clients and no formal legal charges were planned.
'At this stage we do not anticipate any formal legal charges at this time,' Levine said. 'It is simply his attempt to have the advice of another person familiar with the law in this area who can give him some assistance in dealing with the matter, which has obviously grown to immense proportions.'
In another development, the attorney representing Miss Morgan's accused murderer told UPI he believed audio tapes existed that were 'perhaps as revealing' as the videotapes described by Steinberg.
Attorney Arthur Barens also revealed that Miss Morgan once asked him to represent her in an $11 million 'palimony' suit against the late Alfred Bloomingdale, a long-time friend of President Reagan and a member of his 'kitchen cabinet.'
In interviews this week, Barens said he doubted Steinberg's claims that he and two unidentified individuals saw three videotapes last Saturday showing Miss Morgan, Bloomingdale, an elected official and three Reagan appointees at 'sex parties.'
'I had reason to believe there are tapes of some kind,' Barens said. 'I still have reason to believe there are tapes of some kind - not necessarily the tapes described by Mr. Steinberg.'
Barens represents Marvin Pancoast, 33, who told police he beat Miss Morgan to death with a baseball bat July 7 while she slept in the North Hollywood condominium they shared. Steinberg met with Pancoast in jail last Saturday but is not on the case.
Barens said that Pancoast, who is being held on $250,000 bail pending a July 25 arraignment, has told him about a variety of tapes - both audio and video -- that allegedly contained material that could embarrass the administration.
'We have discussed tapes that involve relations of people in the administration, allegedly in the administration,' Barens said. 'Now, the problem we have, I don't know if Marvin (Pancoast) would recognize someone in the administration or not. I have not seen the tapes to verify what I am being told. I don't know how reliable Marvin is as a witness.
'However, that is not to say that the tapes I am referring to are necessarily videotapes. That would also encompass audio tapes. I believe that there are audio tapes that would be perhaps as revealing in this regard as would be a videotape.'
Steinberg, who claimed Tuesday that the videotapes were stolen from his office, has been subpoenaed by the district attorney to produce the tapes in court July 25.
Under increasing criticism for not producing proof that the videotapes exist, Steinberg was at his home Thursday, refusing to take telephone calls.
Barens said he had information -- independent of Pancoast -- that led him to believe audio tapes with Miss Morgan discussing sex acts existed.
'I have been told where the tapes are,' he said, refusing to elaborate. 'I am intending to obtain the tapes.'
Barens said the audio tapes could be relevant to Pancoast's defense.
Dave refused to comment when asked if he had such audio tapes, perhaps oral notes for a planned book.
Barens said Miss Morgan asked her to represent her in her suit, which was later thrown out of court, after she fired celebrity divorce lawyer Marvin Mitchelson -- who once practiced law with Barens.
Barens said he declined to take the case for 'academic reasons.' Miss Morgan later hired Dave, an old friend.
