Lawyer Pleads Not Guilty in Wiretap Probe

2/21/2006 6:27 PM PT

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS -- A prominent attorney who represented billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian pleaded not guilty Tuesday in connection with a Hollywood wiretapping scandal.

Terry Christensen, 65, of Beverly Hills is among 13 people facing federal charges in an alleged wiretapping scheme involving Hollywood celebrities and executives.

Prosecutors claim Christensen paid private investigator Anthony Pellicano at least $100,000 to illegally wiretap the phones of Kerkorian's former wife, Lisa Bonder Kerkorian, during a child support battle.

Christensen, who helped build the Los Angeles law firm Christensen, Miller,Fink, Jacobs, Glaser, Weil & Shapiro, was charged with conspiracy andintercepting wire communications. If convicted of both charges, he could faceup to 10 years in federal prison. His trial was set for April 18, and he isfree on $100,000 bond.

Prosecutors contend that Pellicano illegally wiretapped the phones of Hollywoodstars such as Sylvester Stallone and bribed police officers to run the names ofmore than 60 people, including comedians Garry Shandling and Kevin Nealon,through government databases.

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