Perjury figure wins case

BURBANK — A woman accused of lying to a federal grand jury about her relationship with a co-worker implicated in the Anthony Pellicano wiretapping case was exonerated on Monday on four of five counts against her.

Joann Wiggan, 52, of Burbank, was charged with lying about her contacts with former co-worker Ray Turner, who is alleged to have furnished Pellicano, a Hollywood private investigator, with confidential phone records to dig up dirt for his clients.

But a U.S. District Court jury acquitted Wiggan, a former SBC employee who was not accused of involvement in the wiretapping, on four perjury counts, U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Thom Mrozek said. However, the jury deadlocked 6-6 on a fifth perjury count, he said.

The government has not yet decided whether to proceed with the remaining count against Wiggan, said Daniel Saunders, lead prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney.

"There is a third count of the five indictment counts that still stands," he said. "And there has been no decision made."

The jury's decision on Monday does not affect the larger wiretapping case, Mrozek said.

"It has no bearing whatsoever on the indictment against Pellicano and his associates," he said.

Pellicano stands accused of illegally attempting to obtain recorded conversations of Lisa Kerkorian, former wife of billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, for attorney Terry Christensen in an attempt to gain the upper hand in a dispute over child support.