Mistrial threatened in Pellicano case

Los Angeles-- A federal judge in Los Angeles has threatened to rule a mistrial in the case of private investigator Anthony Pellicano after a recent court disruption.

Variety reported the jury in the lengthy trial was dismissed by Judge Dale S. Fischer Friday after defense attorney Chad Hummel attempted to introduce new evidence through a witness's testimony.

Witness for the prosecution Phyllis Miller came close to implicating herself when she testified that she filed fraudulent Chapter 13 bankruptcy paperwork. The paperwork was allegedly for former Los Angeles Police Dept. Sgt. Mark Arneson, who Hummel is also representing in the trial.

Fischer stopped Miller before she could implicate herself and said he would consider a motion by Hummel for a mistrial on the grounds he should be able to further question Miller.

"I suppose I'm going to have to declare a mistrial if this can't be resolved," Fischer said.

Pellicano has been on trial, along with Arneson and three other co-defendants, for allegedly receiving confidential information on his numerous celebrity clients, Variety said.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.