Anthony Pellicano Diaries--Research Compiled by Cheryl Shuman

November 28, 1971: Tony Pellicano, a private detective who specializes in finding missing persons, said, "To many people, the image of the private eye is terrible. They have this stereotype of the gun in a shoulder holster and a bottle on the desk. Maybe there still are guys who operate that way, but I don't know any." Pellicano works out of an llth floor Chicago office designed in rich reds and blacks with S900 mirrors and a giant carved zodiac glazing the walls behind his huge desk. His car is equipped with a telephone for which the monthly bill is $300. "That's why I laugh when I see some television detective handle a case for $100 and get shot a couple times besides," he said. Pellicano, 31, said, "Private investigating is highly competitive, except for me. I'm the best." Pellicano was reluctant to divulge his investigative methods. Pellicano, attempting to explain his approach said, "A private eye needs logic, common sense and a fantastic imagination."

Wiretapping Trial of Anthony Pellicano

Mr. Pellicano has plead innocent to a 112 count indictment handed down in federal court where he and thirteen others are accused of crimes that include racketeering and conspiracy, wiretapping, identity theft, witness tampering and destruction of evidence. He is being held without bail in LA County. The indictment comes after Pellicano finished serving his 30 month month sentence for illegal weapons possession. An attorney, Terry Christensen,who used Pellicano has also been implicated in the wiretapping scandal in a new ammended indictment. Six people have already plead guilty in the federal investigation and are co-operating with the prosecutors. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kevin Lally, has indicated that more indictments are forthcoming in the next few months before jury selection begins.

Mr. Pellicano now has asked the court if he may represent himself in the case after he fired his second attorney, Victor sherman and hired Stephen Gruel, a retired federal prosecutor and San Francisco defense attorney. His first attorney had been Bert Field's first criminal attorney as well, Donald Re. Sources say that Mr. Pellicano's funds have run dry and that his current defense is being paid for by one of his former A-list employers. If convicted, he will serve up to 20 years for each charge.

The Los Angeles Times has featured prominently in the reporting of recent current events about Mr. Pellicano. Interestingly though, they have still failed to publicly disclose the extent of their own newspaper's prior involvement with the investigator. Sources say that the in house counsel for the Times had frequently used Mr. Pellicano's services in the past.

There is still an investigative Grand Jury ongoing in Los Angeles probing wiretap and extortion issues with Mr. Pellicano and many of his celebrity clients and further indictments are expected over the next few months. Assistant U.S. attorneys Daniel Saunders and Kevin Lally continue to head the Pellicano investigation and prosecution (213)892-2272 . Stanley Ornellas and Stephan Tidwell are the FBI agents in Los Angeles still working the case (310)996-4305.