Suspected celeb burglar loses motion for plea deal

[May 13, 2010]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A judge on Wednesday rejected a bid by a key suspect in a rash of celebrity burglaries to force prosecutors to give him a favorable plea deal in exchange for his cooperation.

Attorneys for Nicholas Prugo argued authorities made an implied deal for favorable treatment for his assistance in unraveling break-ins at homes of Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and other stars. The lawyers said in court filings that Los Angeles police would have been unable to recover some of the stolen property or make cases against other defendants in the crew without Prugo's help.

But Deputy District Attorney Sarika Kim argued that the motion was premature because her office had made no plea offer to Prugo. She said that would come after a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 25. Prugo's statements to police could be used during that hearing.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Darrell Mavis agreed with Kim, saying any agreement for cooperation between Prugo and police was "very vague."

Prugo's attorneys are seeking leniency for the 19-year-old, including a sentence that wouldn't involve jail time. Attorney Daniel Horowitz said Wednesday that Prugo would get "beat up and brutalized in prison" because he has been branded a snitch.

Kim argued that Prugo has sought media attention and conducted several nationally televised interviews about his case.

He is charged with seven counts of felony residential burglary for break-ins at the Hollywood Hills homes of Orlando Bloom, "The Hills" star Audrina Patridge, Megan Fox and her boyfriend Brian Austin Green, and several others, including Lohan and Hilton.

Kim said Wednesday that Prugo and his former attorney, who dropped out after being indicted for witness tampering on an unrelated case, weren't coerced by police or prosecutors.

"Mr. Prugo and his attorney came forward voluntarily," Kim said.

Horowitz said he will now argue that the former attorney provided "ineffective counsel" for allowing Prugo to cooperate with police without an immunity deal. A hearing on that motion will be held May 21.

Alexis Neiers, a reality television starlet implicated in the break-in at Bloom's home in July pleaded no contest Monday to one count of felony burglary.

She was sentenced to six months in jail and three years of probation. Her attorney said she would not cooperate with cases against Prugo and the other burglary suspects.

[Associated Press; By ANTHONY McCARTNEY]

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