Wiretap victims grateful private eye is convicted

The indictment charging Pellicano and his supporting cast in February 2006 had Hollywood buzzing with speculation about who might be snared in the investigation and what secrets might be revealed.

Fourteen people were charged and seven, including film director John McTiernan and Pfeifer, have pleaded guilty to charges including perjury and conspiracy.

Former reporter Anita Busch was in court Thursday when the verdict was read, nodding her head as the judge ticked off the "guiltys" against the defendants. It was Busch who reported finding a dead fish with a rose in its mouth on her car in June 2002 that led to the federal investigation.

She testified during the trial that she was terrorized for months after co-writing a series of unflattering articles about alleged financial troubles at Ovitz's Artists Management Group. Ovitz testified that he hired Pellicano to find out who was behind the stories.

Busch, who filed her own lawsuit, said she was grateful to the jury, judge and law enforcement officers who helped in the investigation but believes there's more that might be revealed during a civil trial.

"The full story of Pellicano's reach has yet to be told," she said in a statement. "To Pellicano and his wealthy clients 'winning' meant completely obliterating someone's life and livelihood."