Panah Involved in Plot to Kill Chief Witness, Prosecutors Say : Trial: Threats were directed at a former girlfriend and co-worker, who is set to testify that the defendant confessed to her about the killing, attorneys say.

A former department store clerk on trial for the sex murder of an 8-year-old girl was involved in a plot to kill the chief witness against him, prosecutors alleged in court Tuesday.

Concerned about the safety of the witness, Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Sandy R. Kriegler refused a request by defense attorneys to reveal her whereabouts or force her to answer their questions in a pretrial interview. The witness, Rauni Campbell, is scheduled to testify today and will say that Hooman Ashkan Panah confessed to her that he killed Nicole Parker on Nov. 23, 1993, prosecutors said. Nicole’s bruised and sexually battered body was found in a suitcase in Panah’s closet 24 hours after she disappeared from the Woodland Hills apartment complex where her father and Panah lived.

After Campbell--Panah’s former girlfriend and co-worker--notified police of Panah’s confession to her, Campbell’s life was threatened, prompting her to move out of Los Angeles, prosecutor Peter Berman said in court.

Berman refused to reveal the nature of the threats or any evidence the district attorney’s office may have implicating Panah. He said only that “the defendant was involved in a plan that jeopardized the life of the witness.”

Because Panah already faces a possible death sentence in the Parker trial, Berman said he will not be charged with plotting to kill Campbell.

Panah is charged with capital murder, kidnaping, rape, sodomy and committing lewd acts with a child. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge and plans to use an insanity defense.

For the second consecutive day Tuesday, spectators and witnesses at Panah’s trial had to pass through a metal detector, an uncommon feature at most murder trials. Berman said extra security was necessary because of concern for Panah’s safety, not because of the threats against Campbell. The case has aroused deep emotions, partly because of the brutality of the acts against Nicole and because Panah is believed to be the first Iranian immigrant to face a possible death sentence in California.

Defense attorney Robert Sheahan argued outside the presence of the jury of seven men and five women that Panah’s right to a fair trial was in jeopardy because information about Campbell’s whereabouts was being withheld, depriving the defense of the chance to investigate her or question her before she takes the witness stand.

“We don’t have a clue as to what’s going on with a witness who may be devastating to this case . . . whether she is a liar or has a reputation in her community for truth and honesty,” Sheahan said.

But the judge ruled that security concerns outweighed the defense’s need to know Campbell’s whereabouts and pointed out that information about Campbell could be obtained from Panah and others who knew her when they worked together at Mervyn’s in Canoga Park.

Earlier in the day, the judge dismissed one of six alternate jurors who had fallen asleep three times during opening arguments and testimony.