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A round-up of several delicious developments in the Anthony Pellicano Wiretapping Trial of the Century:
· The biggest news by far is that the Scary Hollywood Lawyer at the center of this sordid affair, Bert Fields, has invoked the Fifth Amendment's protection against self-incrimination. Unfortunately for Fields, no amount of scarily worded cease-and-desists printed on firm letterhead and delivered by Krav Maga-trained assassin-couriers will serve to lessen the culpability implied by such a bold legal action. [HuffPo]
UPDATE: Bert Fields will not be taking the Fifth, and "has nothing to hide," a rep tells us.

· Anita Busch is the reporter whose snooping into the dealings of axe-shredding blackbelt and energy beverage purveyor Steven Segal she claims led to colorful threats on her life, and set Pellicano's house of cards a-tumbling. (Soon to be dramatized in Starz!'s gripping true-crime drama, The Car, The Fish, and The Rose.) In assessing the NY Times's recent Busch profile, Deadline Hollywood Daily insists there's no there there, rattling off a series of "inexplicably"s and missed opportunities that flew clear over our heads. Michael Ovitz's name is evoked, however, and that's never a good thing. (Seagal, meanwhile, vigorously maintains his innocence, and would like his career back now KTHXBAI.) [Deadline Hollywood Daily]
· The recorder becomes the recorded, as once again Pellicano's own audio tapes are used to bury him. Last time, it was when he pledged to his "honey" Chris Rock that he'd "blacken this [rapist-accusing] girl up for you left and right." This time, Pellicano was blasted throughout the courtroom telling attorney Peter Knect that his client, Bilal Baroody, owed Pellicano's client, Universal head Ron Meyer, $300,000, sweetly adding the sentiment, "His life is about to change exponentially unless he pays this money back." (What—no flowers or fish?) [HuffPo]
· Then, Rollerball producer Charles Roven took the stand. Another tape was played: "The jury heard Mr. Pellicano tell director John McTiernan...that he was in the middle of wiretapping Mr. Roven...Mr. Pellicano made a pitch to McTiernan, asking him to come help out and listen to the calls so he could figure out what was important in Mr. Roven's conversations. Mr. McTiernan replied that he was a bit too busy, but suggested sending his then girlfriend..." There's ltos more where that came from over at HuffPo. [HuffPo]