Legal News

Judge Fischer Goes Large, Hands Pellicano 15 Years

By Dan Slater

U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer, the judge who oversaw the cases of private investigator Anthony Pellicano and attorney Terry Christensen, has gone rather large when it comes to sentencing.

Anthony Pellicano and U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer Thursday, May 15, 2008, during his trial at the Federal Courthouse in Los Angeles. (AP/Mona Edwards)

A few weeks ago, Judge Fischer denied a request by Terree Bowers, an attorney for Christensen, for a sentence of home confinement. Instead, Fischer — remarking that Christensen had not taken responsibility for his criminal actions that had “marred the legal profession” — sentenced him to three years in prison and fined $250,000 for conspiring with Pellicano to wiretap billionaire Kirk Kerkorian’s former wife.

Yesterday, Fischer went large on Pellicano as well, handing him 15 years for running an illegal wiretapping operation that gathered information for a list of Hollywood glitterati. She condemned Pellicano, 64, for “reprehensible” conduct that went on for many years as she handed down a sentence that significantly exceeded the five-year, 10-month term recommended by probation officials.

“He did this eagerly, sometimes maliciously, and with pride,” Fischer said. Here’s the L.A. Times report.

Attorney Michael Artan had reportedly sought a more lenient sentence from Fischer, arguing that Pellicano’s “hardscrabble” youth, work as a forensic audio expert for the government and financial struggle to provide for his autistic son in the years before his arrest were mitigating factors she should consider.

When given a chance to address the court before sentencing, Pellicano, who, somewhat comically, represented himself in his federal trials, said he had taken “full and complete responsibility” for his actions.

Assistant U.S. Atty Kevin Lally reportedly called the statement “hogwash.”

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on December 16, 2008 (boomark / email).