Wow... an illegal wiretap costs $50,000 ? Seems kinda pricey... -- JR
----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Halegua Comic Art" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2006 15:21 Subject: [MOPO] Director John McTiernan pleads guilty > (AP) A somber "Die Hard" director John McTiernan stood before a > federal judge and said he made "knowingly false" statements to an FBI > agent about Anthony Pellicano, the celebrity private eye he admitted > hiring to wiretap a business associate. > > McTiernan, who pleaded guilty Monday to making false statements, > faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced July 31. > > He is the highest-profile figure yet to plead guilty in the > investigation of Pellicano, who is accused of bugging phones and > bribing police to get information on celebrities and others. > Pellicano has pleaded not guilty. > > Asked by U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer on Monday if the statements > he made to the FBI agent were false, McTiernan replied: "They were > knowingly false, your honor." > > McTiernan, director of "The Thomas Crown Affair," "The Last Action > Hero" and other films, sketched out a scenario that began with a > phone call to his home on Feb. 13 from a person identifying himself > as an FBI agent. > > He said he told the agent the only time he used Pellicano's services > was in his divorce. > > "He asked me if I had hired him in any other area, and I said, 'No, I > didn't,'" McTiernan told the judge. > > Actually, McTiernan added, "I had hired Anthony Pellicano to wiretap > Charles Roven in the summer of 2000. ... But I never received a > report or specific information." > > Roven worked with McTiernan on the 2002 box-office flop "Rollerball." > Roven was a credited producer and McTiernan directed and produced the film. > > McTiernan said he paid Pellicano $50,000 for the illegal wiretap, and > in the end, "I paid him off and fired him." > > Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Saunders asked the judge to seal the plea > agreement documents, and he refused to answer questions outside court > about whether the government had agreed to make a recommendation for > leniency in sentencing. > > Fischer allowed McTiernan to remain free on bond until sentencing. > > The speed with which McTiernan entered his guilty plea came as a > surprise after an arraignment earlier in the day in which his > attorney told another judge there was a plea agreement. No details > were announced and another hearing was scheduled for next week. > > But McTiernan's lawyers sought a speedy resolution, and Fischer, who > is presiding over other Pellicano-related cases, agreed to take the case. > > Allegations against Pellicano, 62, include tapping the phone of actor > Sylvester Stallone and having police run the names of comedians Garry > Shandling and Kevin Nealon through a government database. > > Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com > ___________________________________________________________________ > How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List > > Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L > > The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. > > > Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
