Pellicano Victims Object to L.A. Times’s Reference to the “Cool Efficiency” of Pellicano’s Operations
When Rachel Abramowitz of the L.A. Times wrote of the “cool efficiency” of Anthony Pellicano’s operations, I said: “I have a feeling we haven’t heard the last of this.”
Today, the L.A. Times prints this letter from certain of Anthony Pellicano’s victims:
WE WERE among those targeted by Anthony Pellicano. We have read numerous stories during the coverage of this case in the Los Angeles Times that were slanted against the U.S. prosecutors and the FBI trying to put this man in prison, written by a reporter who admitted to having a long relationship to Pellicano as a news source.
Now, a story regarding Rob Lowe’s nanny accusations [“The Price of Celebrity Privacy,” by Rachel Abramowitz, June 4], asking, “Where is Anthony Pellicano when you need him?” A story that notes the private investigator’s “cool efficiency” in making problems go away.
That “cool efficiency” entailed bribes, illegally wiretapping phones, harassing family members — including an elderly mother who was blind and confined to a wheelchair — breaking into homes, slashing tires, leveling death threats, trying to run people off the road, using the press to smear victims and other “efficient” forms of domestic terrorism. Pellicano didn’t care if someone was right or wrong, he was paid to ruin lives . . . and that he did. And if it involved breaking the law, then so be it.
To those of us who were victimized by the “cool efficiency” of Mr. Pellicano and to our families who were likewise terrorized, the comments in your story were offensive and insensitive and represents a complete lack of understanding of what Pellicano did and why he was found guilty on 76 counts.
The FBI and U.S. attorney’s office spent six years going after Pellicano and his criminal enterprise. He and others were convicted, and Pellicano is now in prison where he belongs.
By publishing the line “Where is Anthony Pelicano when you need him?” the L.A. Times has sent a message that what Pellicano did was not only OK but preferable to fighting through the court system.
Anita M. Busch
Jude Green
Pamela Miller
Bernie Weinraub
Well said.
I’m surprised they even printed it. SOmeone must have fallen asleep in that department…
Scott Jacobs (d3a6ec) — 6/14/2008 @ 1:45 amI remember years ago when Marvin Mitchelson got such great press with the LA Times. It made you wonder if he was in bed with the reporter.
Where are the editors? Were they asleep or just sleeping with Pellicano?
How ironic! The mainstream media complains that the internet is a poor source of information because there are no so-called Gate Keepers.
Alta Bob (b7dc8b) — 6/14/2008 @ 9:45 amThe cavalier and insensitve comments by LAT scribe Abromowitz regarding the victimization of private citizens by ‘thug to the stars’ Pellicano for his powerful clients betrays a most disturbing mindset infecting this once great, now dying newspaper. It falls in line with a pattern of articles penned during the trial and afterwards, crafted to soften the persona of Pellicano after his conviction trying to portray him as a ‘victim’ of a Hollywood system, too. What bull. As if G. Gordon Liddy was just a manipulated victim of Nixon’s wicked ways, too. These four people are CRIME victims and have had their personal lives scarred forever. No form of justice can ever really heal the wounds Pellicano inflicted on these honest, hard-working people. Prison is too good for the Pelican and his henchmen. Frankly, this jailbird should go extinct.
Dave Coates (56a0a8) — 6/14/2008 @ 5:00 pm