John Joseph Momot

John Joseph Momot Jr. was a distinguished Las Vegas criminal defense attorney whose legal career in Nevada spanned more than four decades. Born in New Jersey on May 30, 1943, he served as a captain in the U.S. Army during the height of the Vietnam War before relocating to Las Vegas, where he was licensed to practice law in Nevada in 1974. Over his long career he became a well-known and respected figure throughout the state's court system, and his legal knowledge was frequently sought by his peers. He held an AV rating - a distinction reserved for experienced lawyers who have demonstrated both a high degree of skill and high ethical standards over their careers.

Momot represented a number of high-profile clients during his career. He defended Sandra Murphy in the Ted Binion case, represented Margaret Rudin, who was convicted in the 1994 killing of real estate magnate Ronald Rudin, and represented mobster associate Herbert 'Fat Herbie' Blitzstein, as well as Paul Dottore. He was widely regarded within the Las Vegas legal community, remembered by colleagues as one of the great ones and by members of the bench and bar as a gentleman known for both his skill and his demeanor at the Regional Justice Center.

Beyond the courtroom, Momot appeared as an attorney in Martin Scorsese's 1995 film 'Casino,' sharing the screen alongside Robert De Niro, Don Rickles, and Sharon Stone. He died on April 12, 2018, at the age of 74 in Orange County, California, from complications of a terminal lung condition.