'Die Hard' director John McTiernan sentenced to prison

By Mary McSweeney Sep 25, 2007, 15:21 GMT

The Anthony Pellicano fallout continues.  Director John McTiernan has been sentenced to four months in prison over his lying to the FBI over his hiring of Pellicano, the strong-armed, ethics-challenged private investigator.

Variety reports director McTiernan has been sentenced to four months "for lying to the FBI about hiring disgraced private eye Anthony Pellicano to illegally wiretap producer Charles Roven."

U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer sternly admonished the "Die Hard" director on Monday for suggesting that his crime did not justify prison time, and that he suffers from depression.

"He (McTiernan) will certainly not be the only depressed man in custody," Fischer said during the Monday court hearing. "He has shown no remorse, just excuses."

On top of doing time, McTiernan must pony up a $100,000 fine.

Back in April 2006, McTiernan became the biggest Hollywood player to be charged in connection with the Pellicano scandal, according to Variety.

Variety reports McTiernan is the second person who used Pellicano's services to receive prison time.

Daniel Nicherie was sentenced to 4˝ years after pleading guilty to hiring Pellicano to wiretap a Hollywood businessman.

Prosecutors say McTiernan lied to the FBI when he told investigators that he had no knowledge of Pellicano's illegal wiretapping activities.

In fact, FBI said McTiernan hired and paid Pellicano to conduct an illegal wiretap of producer Roven in summer 2000.

Roven and McTiernan worked together on the movie, "Rollerball."

McTiernan agreed to plead guilty to one count of making a false statement in connection with a Justice Dept. investigation, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, after he was indicted.

Variety reports that on Sept. 10 -- "17 months after entering the plea agreement -- McTiernan and his new attorney notified prosecutors that he would seek to withdraw his plea on the grounds that he was given bad advice by his then-attorney."

"McTiernan and his new attorney argued that he was jet-lagged and under the influence of alcohol and medications when he made his false denials to FBI agent Stanley Omellas during an after-hours phone call to McTiernan's home."

McTiernan went on blaming his old attorney for bad legal advice.

Federal prosecutors claim when McTiernan realized he had to do sme real time behind bars, he changed his tune.

The Judge claimed McTiernan seemed "incensed" he was even charged at all.

McTiernan's legal team said they would immediately seek an appeal.

McTiernan is attached to direct "Run," a $30 million action-thriller produced by L.A.-based management-production shingle Pierce/Williams and finance brokers Future Films according to Variety.