In his first interview in three years, jailed private eye Anthony Pellicano accused federal authorities of exaggerating the strength of their case against him, which he predicted would soon fizzle out like a box-office flop.
Speaking by telephone from the federal Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles one morning last week, a defiant Pellicano insisted that he would never cooperate with authorities or testify against a bevy of A-list lawyers, Hollywood executives, business moguls and celebrities who have hired him over the years to dig up dirt on their adversaries.
"My loyalty never dies," said Pellicano, 62. "You're not going to see me take the stand against the clients and employees and other people that are going to be testifying against me. I didn't rat them out. You understand? I am never going to besmirch a client or any other person that I gave my trust to or who gave their trust to me. I'm never going to do that. I am going to be a man until I fall -- if, in fact, that happens."
Until an alleged mob-style threat against a Los Angeles Times reporter almost four years ago landed him in prison, Pellicano was Hollywood's private eye to the stars -- and their lawyers -- for nearly a quarter century.
His subsequent imprisonment in 2003 on illegal-firearms charges and indictment earlier this year for alleged racketeering and illegal wiretapping has kept much of Hollywood on the edge of its seat, wondering who else might be implicated in a burgeoning criminal probe.
The importance of Pellicano's vow of silence is not lost on his anxious clients and could be a critical factor in who else gets implicated and who doesn't.
So far, Pellicano and 12 others have been charged, including an entertainment attorney, a record company executive, two former police officers and several telephone company employees.
Six have admitted to lying to authorities and other charges stemming from hiring Pellicano or helping him conduct alleged illegal investigations; Pellicano and six others named in a 112-count indictment have pleaded not guilty.
Assistant U.S. Atty. Daniel Saunders, the lead prosecutor, said it would be "inappropriate" to comment on Pellicano's statements.
"The grand jury has heard the evidence and has returned a 112-count indictment, and we look forward to the opportunity to present that evidence in court," Saunders said.
