Anthony Pellicano presents closing arguments in self-defense

Facing 77 criminal counts and years in prison, private detective Anthony Pellicano delivered closing arguments in his wiretapping and racketeering trial, spending nearly 18 minutes telling the jury that his investigative operation was not a criminal enterprise.

Calling himself “a lone ranger,” Pellicano, acting as his own defense attorney (therefore required to refer to himself in the third person), said: “For 35 years he was a successful private investigator, who trusted only himself and discovered that that got the job done….

“Perhaps his business card should have read, ’ I deliver,’ because that’s what he did over and over again – not just for his private clients but for law enforcement…,” the private eye told a federal jury. “He kept things to himself and only allowed people to know what he wanted them to know.”

During the nine-week trial, Pellicano’s self-defense has provided an odd display of legal bumbling, occasional cleverness and eccentricity.

Wearing his customary outfit of dark green windbreaker, cotton pants and white gym shoes, Pellicano spoke in a soft, friendly tone to jurors. It was a contrast to the menacing, ruthless, profane portrait that prosecutors have portrayed, in part through secretly recorded tapes of his phone conversations.

“One of the things you are not going to find is: Pellicano was a criminal enterprise,” he told the jurors. “What it was, was an investigative agency.”

He told the jurors that all private investigators dig up information – that’s the norm. Otherwise, “every investigative agency in the country is a criminal enterprise,” Pellicano said. Then he turned toward the courtroom and added, “maybe even these journalists out here – ”

“Objection,” federal prosecutor Daniel Saunders said.

The government has argued that Pellicano and several of his four codefendants constituted a criminal enterprise, the basis for the most serious charge, racketeering, against the detective.

Pellicano told the jurors: “I respectfully submit to you: They have not found an enterprise – or that there was a common purpose. There was an investigative agency run by a guy who’d been around a long time.”

Pellicano never mentioned his alleged wiretapping. He was apparently more concerned with persuaded the jury that none of the defendants – including himself – was guilty of racketeering.

“Pellicano alone is responsible,” he said.

“I guess I could sit up here and discuss things that the government said and go over testimony, but Mr. Pellicano instructed me not to do that,” he said as those in the courtroom laughed. “And you know when Mr. Pellicano instructs you to do something, you do it.”

carla.hall@latimes.com