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October 11, 2008 11:32:20 PM CDT

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Private Eye's Assistant Spills on Stand

Posted Mar 8, 08 10:16 AM CST in US,  Arts & Living,  Gossip,  Crime & Courts 

(Newser) – A former assistant to Anthony Pellicano, improbably named Tarita Virtue, told a packed courtoom yesterday that she transcribed many wiretapped conversations for the Hollywood private eye, Variety reports. She explained Pellicano's wiretapping process step by step, and described the detective's security system, including punch-code locks on every room  and files protected with the password "Omerta."

The office included a "War Room," Virtue said, where intercepted conversation could be listened to in real time. One of the Omerta files was called "Sissy—Cruise Missile Omerta," which she speculated referred to Tom Cruise, whose attorney hired Pellicano during Cruise's divorce from Nicole Kidman. Pellicano is charged with federal racketeering and wiretapping for illegally digging up dirt for clients involved in litigation or divorces.

Source Variety

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In this courtroom sketch, Anthony Pellicano, speaks in court during his wiretapping trial, Thursday March 6, 2008 in Los Angeles. Pellicano, acting as his own attorney, spoke for only 10 minutes during...   (Associated Press)
Before the judge told her not to speculate, Anthony Pellicano's former assistant said that she though the code name "Cruise Missile" in the private eye's files probably referred to Tom Cruise. (AP Photo/Matt...   (Associated Press)
Anthony Pellicano's former assistant testified at the private eye's trial yesterday. Pellicano is accused of running a criminal enterprise and tapping phones on behalf of his clients. There are a number...   ((c) BigMcGuire)
In this artist's depiction, private investigator Anthony Pellicano is seen acting as his own attorney in his federal wiretapping case Wednesday, March 5, 2008, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Bill Robles)   (Associated Press)
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celebrity  • Hollywood  • trial  • celebrity trials  • Tom Cruise  • wiretap  • Nicole Kidman  • racketeering  • Anthony Pellicano  • private eye


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