The feds won’t let anything block Cameron Douglas’ role as the star witness against his alleged drug suppliers — not even additional lawbreaking.
The troubled Hollywood scion — currently serving five years in the slammer for dealing meth — has been caught in “additional criminal activity,” according to court papers filed yesterday.
Prosecutors say they learned of the unspecified wrongdoing while preparing for next months’ trial of brothers David and Eduardo Escalera, who are accused of providing Douglas with “distribution quantities” of methamphetamine and cocaine.
The eldest son of Oscar-winning “Wall Street” actor Michael Douglas had promised to testify against the Escaleras under terms of a cooperation agreement, but reneged during a recent meeting with the feds to discuss his “uncharged criminal conduct.”
“Because of Douglas’ possible exposure to further prosecution, counsel for Douglas indicated that Douglas . . . would not testify except pursuant to a grant of immunity,” the Manhattan federal court filing says.
Prosecutors told Douglas they wouldn’t seek “sentencing consideration for his testimony,” but instead got permission from the Department of Justice “for an immunity order permitting Douglas to testify.”
During a court session prior to the release of the feds’ letter yesterday, Judge Richard Berman ordered prosecutors to provide the Escaleras’ lawyers with details about Douglas’ latest brush with the law by “early next week.”
A spokeswoman for the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office declined to comment, as did one of Douglas’ defense lawyers, Allison Menkes.
Another defense lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, who the feds say was recently hired as Douglas’ “additional counsel,” declined to comment.
Lawyer Lloyd Epstein, who represents Eduardo Escalera, said he had no idea what trouble Douglas had gotten into, or if it had occurred during the time he has been locked up.
Legal experts said Douglas can still be prosecuted over the new allegations, as long as the feds don’t rely on anything he says on the stand.
But by granting him immunity for his testimony, Douglas won’t face cancellation of his plea deal and a resentencing, at which he’d face a mandatory 10-year stretch.
Also yesterday, the judge ordered prosecutors to release three letters written by Douglas’ shrink that had been sought by the Escaleras’ lawyers.
“It is certainly true that Cameron Douglas’ credibility is an issue at trial, and it’s also my opinion his psychiatric history may be relevant to his credibility,” Berman said.