Feb 19, 2008 1:28 pm US/Pacific
Co-Defendant To Be Tried Separately From Pellicano
LOS ANGELES (AP) ―
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Private detective Anthony Pellicano (file)
AP
A judge has ruled that an entertainment attorney accused of paying private detective Anthony Pellicano to illegally listen in on conversations will stand trial separate from five other defendants in an upcoming wiretapping case.
U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer made her decision Tuesday to allow Terry Christensen to have his case separate from Pellicano and four others who are expected to go to trial next week. Christensen's trial could begin as early as two weeks after the first trial ends.
Prosecutors say Christensen paid Pellicano about $100,000 to wiretap the phones of Lisa Bonder Kerkorian, the ex-wife of MGM mogul Kirk Kerkorian, in 2002. The former couple were involved in a child custody dispute at the time.
Christensen has pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of intercepting wire communications.
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