Los Angeles Lawyer Convicted of Conspiracy

-November 26, 2008

A respected Los Angeles, California lawyer was recently sentenced to three years in jail after being convicted of conspiracy to wiretap a courtroom opponent in a divorce case.

Terry Christensen, the 67-year old convicted attorney, was also sentenced to pay fines upwards of $250,000 for his role in conspiring against Lisa Bonder Kerkorian, a woman who was in the process of divorcing her billionaire husband, Kirk Kerkorian.

Christensen is known for his tough, no-nonsense litigation style. He gained national fame in 2002 when he represented a wealthy Las Vegas casino entrepreneur in a child custody case.

Details of Christensen's Case
The Kerkorians' high-stakes divorce involved contentious proceedings, during which Lisa was seeking over $320,000 per month in child support.

In an attempt to gain the upper hand in court, prosecutors argued that Christensen conspired with Anthony Pellicano, an L.A.-area private investigator, to set up wiretaps in Lisa's home.

Although Christensen's defense lawyers argued that Pellicano set up the wiretaps himself, independently of Christensen's knowledge, authorities pointed to 34 taped phone conversations between Christensen and Pellicano. In these 6 hours of recordings, the jury heard the men discussing wiretapped, privileged conversations between Lisa and her divorce lawyers.

Christensen's Appeal
Despite his recent sentencing, Christensen remains free, pending appeal of his case.  In the appeal, Christensen's lawyers are seeking a reduced sentence, as they claim that the conviction, Christensen's suspension from the bar and the associated humiliation are punishment enough for his actions.

However, prosecutors intend on seeing that Christensen's initial sentence is carried out. They contend that Christensen is not remorseful for his actions and that he intentionally violated the law because he thought he could get away with it.

An appellate hearing has yet to be scheduled in this case.

(Source: Los Angeles Times)

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