Private Detectives

Indicted private eye Anthony Pellicano on Monday abruptly dropped his request for a hearing into alleged government misconduct as a federal judge brushed aside eleventh-hour bids to postpone next month's wiretapping trial of Pellicano and five co-defendants. The surprise move by Pellicano came at the outset of a hearing before U.S. District Judge Dale S.

For the last six years, few plots in Hollywood have kept more power brokers and entertainment lawyers in suspense than the FBI investigation into onetime private eye to the stars Anthony Pellicano. With alleged victims including actors Sylvester Stallone and Keith Carradine and secret grand jury testimony from the likes of super-agent Mike Ovitz and studio executives Brad Grey and Ron Meyer, the case was seen by many as the entertainment industry's biggest scandal in decades.

Tearfully confronting her former boss, a key government witness in the racketeering trial of Anthony Pellicano told a federal jury Wednesday that she feared for her life after telling the FBI and a grand jury about the indicted private investigator's alleged wiretapping and other crimes. "I was shattered. I was so scared . . . about your retaliation," a seemingly terrified Tarita Virtue said to Pellicano, who is acting as his own defense attorney.

Hedge fund manager Adam Sender was angry -- at the man with whom he had invested $1.1 million and at himself for believing it would lead to a successful film company and another venture. So after a year of searching in vain for Aaron Russo, Sender hired private detective Anthony Pellicano.

Editor's note: Rachel Abramowitz will be periodically checking in on the trial of Anthony Pellicano -- former private eye to the stars, who faces 110 counts of racketeering, wiretapping, conspiracy and other federal charges -- and writing about what the case means to Hollywood. -- For once, Chris Rock wasn't laughing. Dressed in a black suit, the comedian was subdued and spoke in such a hushed voice that the judge had to urge him to "project" during his brief 8 a.m.

A now-retired FBI agent was grilled Friday on why he didn't investigate legitimate jobs former Los Angeles Police Sgt. Mark Arneson may have worked for Hollywood private eye Anthony Pellicano. Arneson, 54, in earlier testimony admitted that he did "cross the line" by snooping in police files for Pellicano, who is on trial on wiretapping and racketeering charges. Arneson maintained that the $195,000 Pellicano paid him was for legal services, including guarding the detective's Hollywood clients.

Editor's note: Rachel Abramowitz will be periodically checking in on the trial of Anthony Pellicano -- former private eye to the stars, who faces 79 counts of racketeering, wiretapping, conspiracy and other federal charges -- and writing about what the case means to Hollywood.

Keeping to his carefully cultivated image as the man who prizes loyalty above all else, Los Angeles private detective Anthony Pellicano told a federal judge Wednesday that he would not take the stand to defend himself against charges of wiretapping and racketeering if it meant talking about his clients. "I am not -- Mr. Pellicano is not going to discuss conversations with his clients," said Pellicano, who is representing himself in the trial. "It's not going to happen. Ever.

In the courtroom drama starring Los Angeles private detective Anthony Pellicano, they are the supporting players -- the disgraced cop, the one-time Las Vegas businessman, the former phone company technician and the computer whiz. It is Pellicano who faces the most counts and casts the biggest shadow over the trial, now in its eighth week.

After all the testimony about Anthony Pellicano -- the industry titans who said he loyally helped them during troubled times, the harassed men and women who recalled being targeted at their most vulnerable times -- a federal prosecutor, in arguments Tuesday, reduced him from a powerful private detective to a "very well-connected and very well-paid thug." Masquerading as a legitimate private investigation agency, Pellicano's business "was nothing more than a criminal organization," Assistant U.S.