NEW YORK -- Apparently confident he is safe from prosecution, a former bodyguard for the Billionaire Boys Club has admitted pulling the trigger in a murder for which the club's founder is serving life in prison.
James Pittman told the TV tabloid 'A Current Affair' in a program scheduled for broadcast Thursday that he shot Ron Levin, a Beverly Hills conman who had swindled the BBC out of $4 million, on orders from BBC founder Joe Hunt.
'Yes, I did kill Ron Levin, but I can't be tried for it twice,' Pittman said.
Two California juries could not reach a verdict against Pittman; he pleaded guilty in 1987 to being an accessory after the fact and Los Angeles prosecutors dropped murder charge. He was sentenced to three years, the time he had already served since his arrest in 1984.
Hunt, leader of the club made up of the sons of prominent Southern California families, was convicted of Levin's murder and is serving life without parole. He is appealing, claiming Levin is still alive.
Murder charges were dropped earlier this year against Hunt in San Mateo County after a jury deadlocked 8-4 for acquittal in the death of businessman Hedayat Eslamina in 1984.
Lawyer Douglas Gray, who advised Hunt while he acted as his own attorney, said Pittman's admission may have an affect on that case, which the state has served notice it may reopen.
Pittman said he shot Levin at his Beverly Hills home to avenge the securities swindle.
'Joe was really upset with Ron Levin. Levin was the first person ever to make Joe look like a fool in front of the rest of the guys,' Pittman says in the TV interview. 'I knew he wanted to get even with Ron Levin, and he asked me to help him out.'
Pittman said they got Levin to hand over a $1.5-million check and then killed him and buried his body in remote Soledad Canyon after shredding his body with 70 shotgun blasts.
The body has never been found.
