DieHard director gets 1 year in prison in wiretapping case

[Buffmaster]

DieHard director gets 1 year in prison in wiretapping case





LOS ANGELES – "Die Hard" director John McTiernan was sentenced to one year in prison Monday for lying about his association with a private investigator to illegally wiretap a movie producer.

In a stinging rebuke of the 59-year-old McTiernan, U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer said he should receive a harsher sentence than the year recommended by prosecutors because he didn't accept responsibility for his actions.

"The defendant doesn't think the law applies to him," Fischer said.

McTiernan pleaded guilty in July to two counts of making false statements to the FBI. He also pleaded guilty to one count of perjury for lying to a federal judge while trying to withdraw a guilty plea.

Fischer also ordered McTiernan to pay a $100,000 fine and serve three years probation. He will remain free on bond pending an appeal. His attorneys said the conditional plea agreement allows their client to challenge certain pretrial rulings made by Fischer.

McTiernan previously pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents in 2006 about the investigation of private investigator Anthony Pellicano. The director later withdrew that plea, arguing he didn't have adequate legal representation.

Pellicano was convicted in 2008 of wiretapping film producer Charles Roven for McTiernan and of bugging the phones of celebrities and others to get information for clients.

McTiernan's film credits include "Predator," "The Hunt for Red October" and "The Thomas Crown Affair."