The Anthony Pellicano legal psychodrama continues to run its course. Keith Carradine has become the latest to wrap up a civil lawsuit. The actor, who won an Oscar for songwriting in Robert Altman's Nashville and most recently had star turns in Deadwood and Dexter, claimed that notorious P.I.-to-the-stars Pellicano had spied on him in the midst of contentious divorce proceedings about 15 years ago. Carradine sued his ex-wife Sandra Will Carradine, Pellicano, Pacific Bell, former Lapd sergeant Mark Arneson and the City of Los Angeles over an alleged conspiracy that invaded his privacy. Story: Michael
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- 10/28/2013
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Disgraced Hollywood private investigator Anthony Pelicano has been convicted of federal racketeering and other charges.
The detective, who once boasted a list of celebrity clients, was found guilty of illegally digging up information to be used in high-profile lawsuits, divorces and legal battles.
In court on Thursday, the 64 year old was accused of wiretapping stars such as Sylvester Stallone, and using illicit contacts to get information that could be used against other stars in legal disputes.
Pellicano was found guilty of 76 of the 77 counts against him.
He maintained throughout his trial that he acted alone, but his co-defendants Mark Arneson, a former cop, and an ex-telephone company worker, Rayford Earl Turner, were also convicted of racketeering.
Comedian Chris Rock and top Hollywood agent Michael Ovitz were among those who testified at the Pellicano trial, which began in February.
Both admitted to hiring the private detective but insisted they had no idea about his illegal practices.
The detective, who once boasted a list of celebrity clients, was found guilty of illegally digging up information to be used in high-profile lawsuits, divorces and legal battles.
In court on Thursday, the 64 year old was accused of wiretapping stars such as Sylvester Stallone, and using illicit contacts to get information that could be used against other stars in legal disputes.
Pellicano was found guilty of 76 of the 77 counts against him.
He maintained throughout his trial that he acted alone, but his co-defendants Mark Arneson, a former cop, and an ex-telephone company worker, Rayford Earl Turner, were also convicted of racketeering.
Comedian Chris Rock and top Hollywood agent Michael Ovitz were among those who testified at the Pellicano trial, which began in February.
Both admitted to hiring the private detective but insisted they had no idea about his illegal practices.
- 5/16/2008
- WENN
Anthony Pellicano was a "well-paid thug" and ringmaster of a criminal enterprise who was hired to threaten, intimidate and harass foes of his clients, a federal prosecutor told jurors Tuesday in closing arguments in the Hollywood wiretapping trial.
Asst. U.S. Atty. Dan Saunders carefully laid out for jurors the evidence presented over the last eight weeks, connecting the dots on dates and times of illegal records searches and alleged harassment by the former Hollywood celebrity sleuth and his co-defendants.
Jurors were taken "inside a thoroughly corrupt criminal organization that disguised itself as a legitimate investigative agency." So well disguised, Saunders said, that Pellicano did work for law enforcement.
But the Pellicano Investigative Agency was in fact, "a criminal organization operated by a very well-connected and very well-paid thug," Saunders said.
Pellicano, who is representing himself, faces 77 charges of wiretapping and racketeering. Some of those charges were filed against co-defendant Mark Arneson, a retired Los Angeles Police sergeant, and retired phone company supervisor Ray Turner.
Asst. U.S. Atty. Dan Saunders carefully laid out for jurors the evidence presented over the last eight weeks, connecting the dots on dates and times of illegal records searches and alleged harassment by the former Hollywood celebrity sleuth and his co-defendants.
Jurors were taken "inside a thoroughly corrupt criminal organization that disguised itself as a legitimate investigative agency." So well disguised, Saunders said, that Pellicano did work for law enforcement.
But the Pellicano Investigative Agency was in fact, "a criminal organization operated by a very well-connected and very well-paid thug," Saunders said.
Pellicano, who is representing himself, faces 77 charges of wiretapping and racketeering. Some of those charges were filed against co-defendant Mark Arneson, a retired Los Angeles Police sergeant, and retired phone company supervisor Ray Turner.
- 4/29/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Veteran entertainment attorney Bert Fields will not take the stand as a witness in the government's wiretapping and racketeering case against Anthony Pellicano and four others.
On Thursday, a spokesman for Fields said the attorney for co-defendant Mark Arneson decided not to call him after all. No explanation was given.
Arneson, a former LAPD sergeant, planned to call the attorney. Fields showed up to court twice this week to take the stand but was never called.
Retired FBI special agent Stanley Ornellas will resume his testimony Friday. Ornellas was the lead investigator in the case. The government claims Pellicano, Arneson and three others ran a criminal racket that included illegally wiretapping and running records searches on police computers for adversaries of clients.
On Thursday, a spokesman for Fields said the attorney for co-defendant Mark Arneson decided not to call him after all. No explanation was given.
Arneson, a former LAPD sergeant, planned to call the attorney. Fields showed up to court twice this week to take the stand but was never called.
Retired FBI special agent Stanley Ornellas will resume his testimony Friday. Ornellas was the lead investigator in the case. The government claims Pellicano, Arneson and three others ran a criminal racket that included illegally wiretapping and running records searches on police computers for adversaries of clients.
- 4/17/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A U.S. federal judge has refused to dismiss the case of disgraced Hollywood private eye Anthony Pellicano[/link]Anthony Pellicano - rejecting a defence motion asking the court to declare it a mistrial.
Pellicano is accused of wiretapping, racketeering and other crimes and is currently standing trial in California's Federal Court along with four other co-defendants.
The trial has been linked to a number of A-list stars including Tom Cruise[/link]Tom Cruise, Steven Seagal[/link]Steven Segal, Farrah Fawcett[/link]Farrah Fawcett and Chris Rock[/link]Chris Rock - who testified in court earlier this month - all of whom allegedly employed Pellicano's services.
However, Judge Dale Wesley Fischer[/link]Dale Fischer was called upon to declare a mistrial, after defence lawyers accused prosecutors of inappropriately questioning one of the accused - Mark Arneson[/link]Mark Arneson - during his testimony.
The former Los Angeles police sergeant is accused of taking over $180,000 (GBP90,000) in bribes from Pellicano, to run names through criminal databases in a scheme to help the private eye amass evidence against his subjects.
And defence attorney Chad Hummel, who represents Arneson, claimed prosecutors improperly referred to statements made by his client during a Los Angeles Police Department (Lapd) internal affairs investigation in 1999.
But Judge Fischer rejected the motion on Tuesday, ruling that prosecuting lawyers didn't attempt to reveal to the jury that Arneson has been previously investigated by the department.
All five defendants have pleaded not guilty to a variety of charges.
The case continues.
Pellicano is accused of wiretapping, racketeering and other crimes and is currently standing trial in California's Federal Court along with four other co-defendants.
The trial has been linked to a number of A-list stars including Tom Cruise[/link]Tom Cruise, Steven Seagal[/link]Steven Segal, Farrah Fawcett[/link]Farrah Fawcett and Chris Rock[/link]Chris Rock - who testified in court earlier this month - all of whom allegedly employed Pellicano's services.
However, Judge Dale Wesley Fischer[/link]Dale Fischer was called upon to declare a mistrial, after defence lawyers accused prosecutors of inappropriately questioning one of the accused - Mark Arneson[/link]Mark Arneson - during his testimony.
The former Los Angeles police sergeant is accused of taking over $180,000 (GBP90,000) in bribes from Pellicano, to run names through criminal databases in a scheme to help the private eye amass evidence against his subjects.
And defence attorney Chad Hummel, who represents Arneson, claimed prosecutors improperly referred to statements made by his client during a Los Angeles Police Department (Lapd) internal affairs investigation in 1999.
But Judge Fischer rejected the motion on Tuesday, ruling that prosecuting lawyers didn't attempt to reveal to the jury that Arneson has been previously investigated by the department.
All five defendants have pleaded not guilty to a variety of charges.
The case continues.
- 4/16/2008
- WENN
Bert Fields sat for most of Wednesday in the cafeteria of the downtown federal courts building, waiting to be called as a witness in the government's wiretapping and racketeering case against Anthony Pellicano.
For the second day in a row, the veteran entertainment attorney was never called as a witness for Pellicano co-defendant Mark Arneson, a retired Los Angeles Police sergeant. Fields was supposed to testify Tuesday, but the trial was delayed and the jury sent home after Arneson's attorney made an emergency motion for mistrial, which was denied. Fields' name has been brought up several times during the trial because he often used Pellicano to assist on cases.
But Fields wasn't called again Wednesday, this time because Asst. U.S. Attorney Daniel Saunders spent most of the day in an aggressive cross-examination of Arneson, pushing to get the former cop to admit he changed his story many times to match the government's evidence.
For the second day in a row, the veteran entertainment attorney was never called as a witness for Pellicano co-defendant Mark Arneson, a retired Los Angeles Police sergeant. Fields was supposed to testify Tuesday, but the trial was delayed and the jury sent home after Arneson's attorney made an emergency motion for mistrial, which was denied. Fields' name has been brought up several times during the trial because he often used Pellicano to assist on cases.
But Fields wasn't called again Wednesday, this time because Asst. U.S. Attorney Daniel Saunders spent most of the day in an aggressive cross-examination of Arneson, pushing to get the former cop to admit he changed his story many times to match the government's evidence.
- 4/16/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A federal judge on Tuesday rejected a motion for a mistrial in the government's case against former LAPD sergeant Mark Arneson, a co-defendant in the wiretapping and racketeering trial of Hollywood super spy Anthony Pellicano.
In an emergency hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Dale Fischer ruled that there was not a deliberate attempt by federal prosecutors to reveal to jurors that Arneson was the subject of a police internal affairs investigation in 1999.
"I find no deliberate attempt to coerce a compelled statement" from Arneson while he was testifying, Fischer said.
She also found there was no violation of evidence discovery rules, which require prosecutors to turn over evidence they plan to use at trial, and it was likely an oversight that prosecutors did not provide the evidence to the defense before the trial.
The judge ruled on the motion after an emergency hearing in which jurors were dismissed for the day and Arneson's attorney, Chad Hummel, called several witnesses, including the two lead federal prosecutors in the case.
In an emergency hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Dale Fischer ruled that there was not a deliberate attempt by federal prosecutors to reveal to jurors that Arneson was the subject of a police internal affairs investigation in 1999.
"I find no deliberate attempt to coerce a compelled statement" from Arneson while he was testifying, Fischer said.
She also found there was no violation of evidence discovery rules, which require prosecutors to turn over evidence they plan to use at trial, and it was likely an oversight that prosecutors did not provide the evidence to the defense before the trial.
The judge ruled on the motion after an emergency hearing in which jurors were dismissed for the day and Arneson's attorney, Chad Hummel, called several witnesses, including the two lead federal prosecutors in the case.
- 4/15/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After six weeks of showing illegal searches of police records, extracting the most private of details from top Hollywood players and playing audio recordings between Anthony Pellicano and his plethora of high-powered clients, the government Thursday rested its wiretapping and racketeering case against the former private eye and four others.
Before finishing its case, the government dismissed 28 counts against Pellicano and co-defendant Mark Arneson, a former Los Angeles police sergeant, because some of the alleged victims weren't able to testify and many of the 110 counts against Pellicano were redundant.
The dropped counts mostly involved wire fraud that authorities had alleged involved Arneson searching law enforcement databases for Pellicano.
Over the weeks, the jury has heard witnesses testify to titillating facts and tawdry details that point to the unglamorous underbelly of Hollywood.
Prosecutors Kevin Lally and Daniel Saunders have called several high-profile Hollywood figures as witnesses, a mix of former Pellicano clients and alleged victims, including Chris Rock, Brad Grey, Michael Ovitz, Garry Shandling and Keith Carradine.
Before finishing its case, the government dismissed 28 counts against Pellicano and co-defendant Mark Arneson, a former Los Angeles police sergeant, because some of the alleged victims weren't able to testify and many of the 110 counts against Pellicano were redundant.
The dropped counts mostly involved wire fraud that authorities had alleged involved Arneson searching law enforcement databases for Pellicano.
Over the weeks, the jury has heard witnesses testify to titillating facts and tawdry details that point to the unglamorous underbelly of Hollywood.
Prosecutors Kevin Lally and Daniel Saunders have called several high-profile Hollywood figures as witnesses, a mix of former Pellicano clients and alleged victims, including Chris Rock, Brad Grey, Michael Ovitz, Garry Shandling and Keith Carradine.
- 4/10/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise has been dragged into the trial of a celebrity private investigator accused of illegal practice.
Anthony Pellicano and former Los Angeles cop Mark Arneson are charged with running an illegal wiretapping and information-gathering network.
Famous names Steven Seagal, Farrah Fawcett, Gary Shandling and Warren Beatty have already been linked with the case.
Now it has emerged Cruise once hired Pellicano - on the advice of his longtime lawyer Bert Fields - to find out the identity of people following him, according to court testimony.
The P.I.'s assistant Lily LeMasters claimed she overheard her boss and Arneson discussing Cruise's case, reports New York gossip column PageSix.com.
Anthony Pellicano and former Los Angeles cop Mark Arneson are charged with running an illegal wiretapping and information-gathering network.
Famous names Steven Seagal, Farrah Fawcett, Gary Shandling and Warren Beatty have already been linked with the case.
Now it has emerged Cruise once hired Pellicano - on the advice of his longtime lawyer Bert Fields - to find out the identity of people following him, according to court testimony.
The P.I.'s assistant Lily LeMasters claimed she overheard her boss and Arneson discussing Cruise's case, reports New York gossip column PageSix.com.
- 3/19/2008
- WENN
Five of the associates and clients who were charged in a wiretapping conspiracy with Hollywood investigator Anthony Pellicano pleaded not guilty Tuesday and were given a tentative trial date in April. Pellicano, the alleged ringleader of the scheme to illegally tap telephone calls and government databases, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Feb. 6, when the 110-count indictment was unsealed by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. Among those appearing in U.S. District Court on Tuesday were retired Los Angeles police Sgt. Mark Arneson, who is accused of taking $189,000 in bribes to illegally search the criminal and driving records of people, including celebrities, under investigation by Pellicano's agency. Also pleading not guilty were Rayford Turner, a retired telephone company employee who allegedly supplied the insider information to enable the wiretaps, and Kevin Kachikian, the accused developer of the computer software that recorded the conversations. Two Pellicano clients who allegedly relied on the illegal wiretaps and searches also pleaded not guilty: former Hollywood Records president Robert Pfeifer and Las Vegas businessman Abner Nicherie.
- 2/15/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Five of the associates and clients who were charged in a wiretapping conspiracy with Hollywood investigator Anthony Pellicano pleaded not guilty Tuesday and were given a tentative trial date in April. Pellicano, the alleged ringleader of the scheme to illegally tap telephone calls and government databases, pleaded guilty at his arraignment Feb. 6, when the 110-count indictment was unsealed by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. Among those appearing in U.S. District Court on Tuesday were retired Los Angeles police Sgt. Mark Arneson, who is accused of taking $189,000 in bribes to illegally search the criminal and driving records of people, including celebrities, under investigation by Pellicano's agency. Also pleading not guilty were Rayford Turner, a retired telephone company employee who allegedly supplied the insider information to enable the wiretaps, and Kevin Kachikian, the accused developer of the computer software that recorded the conversations. Two Pellicano clients who allegedly relied on the illegal wiretaps and searches also pleaded not guilty: former Hollywood Records president Robert Pfeifer and Las Vegas businessman Abner Nicherie.
- 2/14/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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