Phil Spector Trial News
Gets 19 years to life for murder of actress
· Spector wants TV, music player for new prison cell. Phil Spector is hoping to get a few comforts of home in his new prison cell, and a television, iPod and computer access are at the top of his list. 
· Prison mug shot reveals a different Phil Spector. California corrections officials released a startling new prison mug shot of Grammy-winning music legend Phil Spector, convicted last month of second-degree murder and serving 19 years to life in prison.
· Phil Spector gets 19 years to life for murder of actress. Music producer Phil Spector was sentenced Friday to the maximum sentence of 19 years to life for the murder six years ago of actress Lana Clarkson.
· Phil Spector faces sentencing in murder of actress. Phil Spector faces sentencing Friday on second-degree murder of actress Lana Clarkson, a conviction that suggests to some that California prosecutors have broken a decades-long string of celebrity murder case losses. The names O.J. Simpson and Robert Blake come to mind.
· Phil Spector is convicted of 2nd-degree murder. Legendary music producer Phil Spector has been found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2003 shooting death of an actress at his home in Alhambra, California. The six men and six women began their deliberations on March 26. Spector now faces 15 years to life in prison.
· Prosecutor calls Phil Spector 'demonic maniac.' A prosecutor told a jury that Phil Spector's history of violence against women was like a game of Russian roulette that ended with the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson at his hilltop mansion.
· LA jury can consider lesser charge in Spector case. Jurors in Phil Spector's retrial can consider the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter instead of second-degree murder in the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson, a judge ruled Friday.
· Phil Spector jury ready for tour of his mansion. For the second time in two years, a jury is to go by bus to suburban Alhambra to tour the mansion where actress Lana Clarkson died and where the life of music legend Phil Spector was altered forever. The tour scheduled for Thursday is part of Spector's murder retrial, which was ordered after the judge declared a mistrial in his first case.
· Jury to tour Phil Spector home despite objections. Music producer Phil Spector's second jury will tour his Alhambra mansion where actress Lana Clarkson died of a gunshot wound, just as the first jury did, despite prosecution objections.
· Prosecution rests in Phil Spector murder retrial. Prosecutors rested their case Thursday in the murder retrial of legendary music producer Phil Spector. The final prosecution witness was Donna Clarkson, mother of 40-year-old actress Lana Clarkson, who died of a gunshot through the mouth at Spector's mansion in February 2003. It ended nine weeks of testimony.
· The strange defense of Phil Spector: He's scary. Since his murder retrial began a month ago, Phil Spector has heard himself described as a gun-obsessed boor with a mouth filthier than a truck stop restroom and mood swings as sharp and scary as a dagger. Surprisingly, this ugly portrait came courtesy not of prosecutors - although they've offered their own unflattering character sketch - but from the legendary music producer's own lawyer.
· Spector's ex-girlfriend testifies: 'He's easy to forgive.' Phil Spector's ex-girlfriend acknowledged Wednesday that she attended events with the rock music legend after she says he pistol-whipped her and threatened her with guns, telling the court that "he's easy to forgive."
· Actress' death center stage again in Spector trial. The death of actress Lana Clarkson at Phil Spector's hillside castle stunned Hollywood five years ago. It is a distant memory now as Spector, the eccentric musical genius behind some of rock 'n' roll's biggest sounds, goes on trial for a second time. It's a year since the jury in his first murder trial failed to reach a verdict, bringing a mistrial and now a retrial.
· UPDATE: Phil Spector's case moves toward jury selection. A witness at Phil Spector's murder retrial will be allowed to testify that the record producer used incendiary language about women and once stated that they should be shot, a judge has ruled.
· Spector defense team not ready until fall. Phil Spector made a brief court appearance Friday in which his new lawyer said he could not be ready for the music producer's murder retrial until September at the earliest. The lawyer also filed a writ asking that a neutral judge be appointed to decide if Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler should be disqualified from Spector's second trial because of alleged bias.
· Phil Spector breaks his silence before second trial for murder. Phil Spector, the American music producer who faces a second murder trial later this year, is about to break his media silence to talk on British television about the case against him and about his extraordinary career.
· Phil Spector Murder Trial Witness Dies. A woman who testified against Phil Spector at his murder trial last year has died, but prosecutors vowed Monday that the loss would not substantially affect the music producer's second trial. Dianne Ogden, 61, who was one of four women who testified that Spector had threatened her with a gun, died at home in Park City, Utah, on Dec. 29, said Argus Hamilton, a friend. Hamilton, the host of the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, said he was told of Ogden's death during the weekend. Hamilton did not know the cause of death.
· Phil Spector gets a new lawyer. A San Francisco lawyer says he will represent Phil Spector in his retrial on a murder charge and that he could not be ready to proceed until September. Doron Weinberg's proposed date for the new trial would put it exactly one year after the record producer's first one ended in a hung jury.
· Spector still lacks new lawyer. Music legend Phil Spector told a judge Monday that he's seeking a new attorney to defend him for the retrial of his murder case but has yet to find the lawyer he wants. The 67-year-old Spector was accompanied in court by Christopher Plourd, the only lawyer remaining from his six-attorney defense team. Spector already has tried unsuccessfully to hire two new lawyers.
· Spector faces murder case retrial. Music producer Phil Spector is to face a retrial on a charge of murdering actress Lana Clarkson, officials have confirmed. Spector's first trial ended in a mistrial last month when the jury were deadlocked 10-2, with the majority favouring conviction. Lawyers have been back to court, and prosecutor Alan Jackson formally confirmed that the district attorney's office will retry Spector.
· A half-decade later, Spector case will go on. The specter of Phil Spector will haunt Hollywood well into 2008. On Wednesday, the judge presiding over the legendary "Wall of Sound" producer's murder trial declared a mistrial after jurors indicated they were hopelessly deadlocked, 10-2, in favor of convicting Spector on charges that he killed actress Lana Clarkson more than four years ago. After the decision, the district attorney's office indicated it would retry Spector.
· Mistrial declared in Phil Spector murder case. A judge declared a mistrial in the murder case against music legend Phil Spector after a jury announced for the second time in a week that it was hopelessly deadlocked. The jury deliberated for 12 days without reaching a unanimous verdict. Spector went on trial in April, charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson after a night in the nightclubs of Hollywood.
· A look at the jurors in Phil Spector's murder trial. A look at the nine-man, three-woman jury in Phil Spector's murder trial, based on their jury questionnaires.
· Phil Spector's Musical Legacy Survives. Phil Spector was often described as a music legend during the trial that ended Wednesday with a jury unable to decide whether he was guilty or innocent of murder. The fact is, though, that Spector's glory days - of reinventing rock 'n' roll, and influencing everyone from the Beatles to Bruce Springsteen - had been decades past by the time he landed in an LA courtroom surrounded by bodyguards and lawyers.
· Spector Jury Resumes Deliberations in LA. As jurors returned to deliberations in Phil Spector's murder trial Monday, the record producer's defense filed a motion asking the judge to give the panel more guidance to clarify controversial new instructions he issued last week to help break a deadlock. In a hearing outside the jury's presence, Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler listened to arguments on the motion and told attorneys he would think about it, but gave no indication how he would rule. Amid the developments, the jury sent a note asking for a VCR, which was brought in but not used before the jury recessed for lunch. It was not known what the panel wished to view.
· Instruction in Spector case `unorthodox.' Jurors in Phil Spector's murder trial resumed deliberations after a two-day break with a new set of instructions from the judge that legal experts deemed an unprecedented effort to break a deadlock. Fidler told the panel that to prove Spector guilty, "the people must prove that ... the defendant committed an act with a firearm that caused the death of Lana Clarkson, such as placing a gun in her mouth or forcing her to place the gun in her mouth at which time it discharged, pointing the gun at or against her head at which time it entered her mouth and discharged, pointing the gun at her to prevent her from leaving the house, causing a struggle which resulted in the gun entering her mouth and discharging."
· Spector Judge to Withdraw Instruction. The judge in Phil Spector's murder trial, struggling to help deadlocked jurors reach a verdict, is taking an unusual step that some legal experts say could make a conviction easily reversible on appeal. With jurors split 7-5, Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler said Wednesday he planned to withdraw a legal instruction that some panelists cited as a point of dispute when they announced the impasse a day earlier. The judge sent the jurors home early on Wednesday and told them to return Thursday. The instruction concerns the prosecution's theory that Spector held a gun to actress Lana Clarkson's mouth, and that the weapon discharged, causing her death. It says jurors must find Spector committed that act in order to convict him of second-degree murder.
· Spector judge rejects manslaughter option. The judge in the Phil Spector murder trial today ruled out instructing the deadlocked jurors on a lesser charge, but he left the door open to sending them back to continue deliberating. At a morning hearing, Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler said it would be inappropriate to have the jury consider involuntary manslaughter because it would imply that jurors should return a guilty verdict after they were unable to decide whether the famed record producer was guilty of shooting actress Lana Clarkson.
· Spector jury locked in 7-5 impasse The judge in Phil Spector's murder trial said he is considering giving jurors the option of finding the record producer guilty of a lesser charge than second degree murder after the panelists reported a 7-5 impasse following seven days of deliberations. Spector's defense team was expected Wednesday to vigorously oppose Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler's expected proposal to help jurors break their deadlock, while legal scholars said a conviction on lesser charges could be vulnerable to appeal.
· Spector jury says it's deadlocked. The jury in the murder trial of music producer Phil Spector has "reached an impasse" after more than a week of deliberations, the trial judge said Tuesday. Phil Spector, 67, is charged with second-degree murder in the 2003 killing of an actress. The nine-man, three-woman jury delivered a note to court officials early Tuesday afternoon, warning they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict in Spector's case.
· Spector jurors begin deliberations, view revolver used in shooting death. A jury of nine men and three women began deliberating yesterday whether rock 'n' roll producer Phil Spector is guilty of second-degree murder in the 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson. In the afternoon, jurors requested the .38-caliber revolver used in the shooting. They'll return for a second day of deliberations today.
· Murder Case Against Spector Goes to Jury. The murder case against record producer Phil Spector went to jurors Monday after Spector's wife sparred with the judge over a gag order and Spector himself publicly denied he had criticized the judge and jury pool. Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler sent the jurors into deliberations after asking if any had heard or seen any news reports over the weekend that could affect their discussions. No one raised a hand. The London newspaper The Mail on Sunday reported that Spector had said most of the prospective jurors thought he was either guilty or insane and Fidler "doesn't like me."
· Spector prosecutors show animations depicting Clarkson's death. Closing arguments in the Phil Spector murder trial ended after jurors watched a series of computer-generated animations of how prosecutors say the music pioneer shot actress Lana Clarkson. The Spector figure, sporting a long, white jacket and a long, curly hairdo, then thrusts a gun in her mouth and fires.
· Jurors Hear Closings in Spector Trial. The nine-man, three-woman jury is expected to hear two days of closing arguments by both sides. Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler said he expects the case to be submitted to them on Friday. The judge has ruled that the jury will only decide whether Spector is guilty or innocent of second-degree murder, and they cannot consider so-called lesser included offenses, such as voluntary or involuntary manslaughter.
· Spector Murder Trial Headed for Showdown. Prosecutors, haunted by the acquittals of stars such as O.J. Simpson, Robert Blake and Michael Jackson, seem invested in making Phile Spector, 67, the first showbiz star to be convicted in a major criminal case. But his lawyers have fought fiercely to prove Clarkson pulled the trigger. Final arguments are scheduled Wednesday and Thursday and jurors are to begin deliberations Friday. And, like any intriguing murder mystery, the outcome is unpredictable.
· Spector Appoints New Lead Attorney. Phil Spector's murder trial is entering its final phases with a newly appointed lawyer at the helm of the music producer's defense team. In a surprise development Tuesday evening - a day after the close of the trial's testimony - Spector's wife announced that the producer had hired San Francisco attorney Dennis Riordan to replace his ousted lead counsel, Bruce Cutler. Spector's lawyers filed papers Tuesday asking the judge to tell jurors they must find the record producer either guilty or not guilty of murder, with no option to convict him of lesser offenses such as voluntary or involuntary manslaughter.
· Spector Trial Testimony Ends. The final day of testimony in Phil Spector's trial began dramatically, with the music producer's often-absent lead defense lawyer announcing that he was leaving the case. Later, Judge Larry Fidler told the jurors, who heard form 77 witnesses over the course of the trial, that the evidence in the case was finished. He said final arguments would be presented next Wednesday, with jury deliberations to begin Friday.
· Phil Spector's lead lawyer leaves case. Phil Spector's often-absent lead lawyer, Bruce Cutler, announced Monday that he is leaving the music producer's murder case because of "a difference of opinion between Mr. Spector and me on strategy." Cutler made the announcement as the trial resumed for what was expected to be the last day of testimony. It wasn't immediately clear if he quit or if Spector fired him. Cutler had been absent from the trial for many weeks so he could appear on a syndicated TV show.
· Spector trial hears from Clarkson's mother. The mother of actress Lana Clarkson testified at Phil Spector's murder trial yesterday, telling jurors that she last saw her daughter when they went shopping for comfortable shoes the day before she died. Prosecutors elicited the testimony to counter the defense contention that Lana Clarkson was despondent. They are expected to argue that if Clarkson were suicidal, she would not buy multiple pairs of shoes – seven – or get a new crop of casting photos.
· Michael Bay Directed to Witness Stand. The Phil Spector trial reached blockbuster status today. Michael Bay took the stand Monday to refute a story that had him giving Lana Clarkson the brush-off at a party just weeks before she died. A friend of the late actress testified several weeks ago that Clarkson was distraught over her run-in with the filmmaker.
· Woman Refutes Testimony at Spector Trial. Nili Hudson, called as a prosecution rebuttal witness, produced a letter written by Punkin Pie Laughlin a year after Clarkson died. In it, Laughlin told friends: 'My Lana, my best friend, my sister, my right arm, was violently taken from me at the hands of Phil Spector."
· Spector's Daughter Testifies for Defense. Phil Spector's daughter took the witness stand Wednesday as the defense's case wound down in his murder trial, but the judge only allowed her to testify that he is right-handed and stopped questioning that suggested he was an attentive father.
· Spector defense suddenly near end. After several weeks of trying to persuade jurors that music producer Phil Spector did not murder actress Lana Clarkson, defense attorneys have abruptly decided to close their case. Defense attorneys said they would have a few minor witnesses Wednesday morning and then would conclude, pending admission of exhibits and a planned jury tour next week of Spector's home.
· Prosecution case closed in Spector murder trial. Prosecutors finally rested their case in the murder trial of music producer Phil Spector here Monday, three months and 35 witnesses after the high-profile court case got underway.
· Spector Trial Turns Bloody Again. Contradicting one of the prosecution's main scientific arguments, defense witness James Pex testified Wednesday during Phil Spector's murder trial that blood spatter can travel more than three feet, depending on the circumstances.
· Ex-Spector Lawyer Agrees to Testify. A former attorney for Phil Spector agreed Thursday to testify in his murder trial about evidence allegedly withheld by a defense expert rather than go to jail for contempt of court.
· Judge Allows Spector Rant Testimony. The judge in record producer Phil Spector's murder trial decided Monday to let jurors hear from a celebrity security guard who says he heard Spector rant against women and declare they should all be shot in the head.
· Spector lawyer Cutler leaves to tape TV show. Just when we thought we had seen it all in celebrity trials, Phil Spector's bombastic lead attorney has decided the record producer's murder case can continue just fine without jurors seeing one key element — himself. Bruce Cutler, the New York lawyer who opened the proceedings in April as the star performer, has taken time out from the 10-week-old trial to film a new courtroom TV show, "Jury Duty."
· Spector prosecutor grills defense expert. A prosecutor in Phil Spector's murder trial accused a forensic pathologist who testified actress Lana Clarkson shot herself to death of tailoring his testimony to favor Spector. Dr. Vincent DiMaio said he was basing his opinions on scientific evidence and not trying to help Spector, for whom he is working.
· Phil Spectors's Former Attorney Could go to Jail. A former attorney for rock music producer Phil Spector could go to jail for her refusal to testify before jurors in her ex-client's murder trial. Spector, 67, is accused of fatally shooting Lana Clarkson, a 40-year-old actress and House of Blues hostess, in the foyer of his Alhambra mansion during the early hours of Feb. 3, 2003. He maintains Clarkson's death was a suicide. Sara Caplan, 51, was held in contempt of court last week by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler for refusing to testify the prosecution in front of the jury. Caplan said her testimony is barred by attorney-client privilege.
· Ex-Spector attorney held in contempt. An ex-defense attorney for Phil Spector was declared in contempt of court Monday after she tearfully refused to testify that she saw a defense expert in the murder case pick up possible evidence. Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler ordered the attorney, Sara Caplan, to be jailed until she testifies. But he stayed the order to allow for an immediate appeal before she was put behind bars.
· Anger and tears at Spector trial, ex-lawyer told she must testify. An angry judge Thursday threatened a tearful lawyer with contempt of court for refusing to testify for the prosecution, at the murder trial of her ex-client and record producer Phil Spector. "You're not going to jail today," Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler told Beverly Hills lawyer Sara Caplan, who cited attorney-client privilege in appealing the judge's order to testify. Caplan said she saw a defense expert pick up something from Spector's house the day after the February 3, 2003 murder, according to prosecutors. The defense expert, Henry Lee, denies having tampered with evidence and prosecutors now want Caplan to testify before the jury, in order to counter Lee's crucial testimony in the case.
· DNA Consistent With Spector's Found on Lana Clarkson's Breast. DNA consistent with Phil Spector's genetic markers was found on Lana Clarkson's left breast but was not present on any part of the gun that killed her or the bullets in the weapon and was not under her broken fingernail, a sheriff's criminalist testified Tuesday in the record producer's murder trial.
· Spector jury sees death weapon. The bloody revolver found at the feet of an actress shot to death in Phil Spector's mansion was shown to jurors at the music producer's murder trial on Tuesday. Los Angeles County sheriff's Detective Mark Lillienfeld donned gloves as he handled the gun still covered with dried blood. The snub-nosed Colt Cobra revolver was not registered and never definitively linked to Spector, though prosecutors argued he used it to shoot Lana Clarkson in the mouth on Feb. 3, 2003.
· Spector Defense Expert Decries "Slanderous Attack." Henry Lee is mad as hell and doesn't want to take it anymore. The forensics expert who has been accused of mishandling evidence in the Phil Spector case adamantly denies any and all wrongdoing pertaining to a piece of broken fingernail that he may or may not have found at the alleged crime scene. Yesterday, however, the jury was shown a picture of Clarkson's right hand, which showed a chunk of nail missing from her thumb.
· Phil Spector trial gets real ugly with coroner testimony. Dr. Louis Pena testified on Tuesday that there were bruises on the right arm and wrist of Lana Clarkson, which he called "resistance injuries," not exactly consistent with the story of a woman who grabbed a gun and killed herself as much as it is with someone who fought with someone trying to kill her. It got worse for the Phil Spector defense team when Dr. Louis Pena testified that there was bruising on the tongue of Lana Clarkson, which would be consistent if someone shoved a gun, a Colt Cobra in this particular case, in her mouth. "The bruise is very unique and is consistent with blunt-force trauma. Something struck the tongue."
· Coroner: Clarkson's Death Was a Homicide. The barrel of a gun may have been forced into actress Lana Clarkson's mouth, bruising her tongue before she was fatally shot, a coroner testified Tuesday in music producer Phil Spector's murder trial. "The bruise is very unique and is consistent with blunt-force trauma. Something struck the tongue," said Dr. Louis Pena.
· Judge: Dr. Lee Hid Spector Evidence. The judge in Phil Spector's murder trial ruled Wednesday that renowned forensic expert Dr. Henry Lee removed something from the scene where actress Lana Clarkson was shot and hid it from the prosecution.
· Spector murder jury sees grisly picture of dead actress. This is the gruesome images shown to the jury of actress Lana Clarkson slumped dead in a chair. The jury were shown the death photos by defense attorney Bradley Brunson. [with photo]
· Spector denies killing actress in video. Phil Spector, now on trial for murder, asserted in a 2005 home video interview that the statuesque Lana Clarkson was standing when a gun was fired in her mouth and that he is too short to have done it. The video, broadcast Wednesday by the TV program "Inside Edition," also showed Spector offering $100,000 to unnamed women to take a lie detector test to prove their claims that Spector threatened them with guns.
· Phil Spector's Chauffeur Testifies He Fled Spector's Home in Fear. Phil Spector's chauffeur testified that he fled the music producer's home after seeing his boss with a gun and the body of an actress inside - and feared he could have been shot himself.
· Spector Driver Tells of Fateful Night. Phil Spector stepped out of his mansion with a gun in his hand at 5 a.m. four years ago and said, "I think I killed somebody," a chauffeur testified Tuesday in the record producer's trial on charges of murdering an actress. It was the first time that Adriano Desouza gave his account in public, though he has told the story to police and grand jurors. Desouza said he looked past Spector into the foyer of his castle-like home in suburban Alhambra. "I saw the legs of the lady," he said. "I stepped inside and I saw the blood on her face."
· Waitress Tells of Spector Gun Episode. A waitress testifying Monday in music producer Phil Spector's murder trial described him as fatherly, but also said he once escorted her and a friend out of his mansion while carrying a rifle or shotgun. Kathy Sullivan testified that she initially thought it was silly for Spector to walk them to a car with a gun, and that he looked like the cartoon character Elmer Fudd when he came downstairs with the weapon while wearing plaid. She said she had told investigators that "it was the funniest picture in the whole wide world" but also testified that once she and her friend drove away she remarked, "I'm so glad we're out of there."
· Witness Says Spector Was Not Himself. A friend of Phil Spector testified Thursday that the music producer "was not his usual self" during a dinner date hours before actress Lana Clarkson's death at his mansion. Rommie Davis said at Spector's murder trial that she was concerned about him because he was drinking and taking medication, calling it a "lethal combination."
· 2 more women say Spector pulled gun. Four women who have testified in Phil Spector's murder trial described a pattern of threats with guns before the 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson. "He walked up, held the gun to my face between my eyes and said, 'If you try to leave I'm going to kill you,'" Melissa Grosvenor testified Wednesday after another witness said the record producer held her hostage at gunpoint.
· Spector Defense Off the Hook, For Now. Phil Spector's defense team can breathe a collective sigh of relief. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler opted Tuesday to not issue sanctions against Spector's camp for allegedly mishandling evidence, although he concurred with the District Attorney's Office that the music producer's attorneys had improperly delayed the turning over of evidence and names of potential witnesses to prosecutors.
· Woman says Phil Spector turned 'demonic.' A second woman has testified that Phil Spector threatened her with a gun, saying the music producer suddenly turned "demonic" after a party 18 years ago and tried to rape her. Prosecutors called Dianne Ogden, a music talent coordinator, to support its case that Spector's pattern of threatening women with guns led to the killing of actress Lana Clarkson.
· Spector trial delayed after defense lawyer falls ill. The murder trial of Phil Spector hit a fresh snag on Monday after a defense attorney representing the legendary music producer fell ill, court officials said. The trial will now resume on Wednesday after Spector's flamboyant lawyer Bruce Cutler was forced to seek medical treatment for an undisclosed illness.
· Trembling Spector, shrunken shadow of former genius. Pale, gaunt, his hands trembling, Phil Spector sits silently in a Los Angeles courtroom, a shrunken shadow of the man who revolutionized pop music 40 years ago.
· Spector to rely on 'invisible witness.' Phil Spector's defense will rely on an "invisible witness" to prove that he did not shoot actress Lana Clarkson, one of his lawyers said yesterday: science. Science will show that Clarkson shot herself, that Spector was not standing close enough to shoot her, that his DNA was not on the gun and that his clothing bore no trace evidence to prove guilt, the defense told jurors.
· Opening Statements Begin in Spector Case. More than four years after a beautiful actress was shot to death at Phil Spector's hilltop castle, a prosecutor told jurors Wednesday that at times the music producer is "sinister and deadly." Spector appeared tense during the televised proceeding as the prosecution laid out the murder case against him in opening statements. Prosecutor Alan Jackson said Spector is someone "who, when he's confronted with the right circumstances, when he's confronted with the right situations, turns sinister and deadly."
· Jury chosen for murder trial of music legend Phil Spector. A 12-member jury was on Thursday chosen to hear the murder trial of legendary music producer Phil Spector, which is expected to get underway in earnest next week. Nine men and three women will sit on the jury panel, which was selected after four days of questioning by prosecution and defense lawyers at the Los Angeles Superior Court.
· Spector Prosecution Files New Motions. Prosecutors in the Phil Spector slaying case asked a judge Friday to limit the defense from suggesting shooting victim Lana Clarkson was suicidal because of a declining career.
· Prosecutors: Spector threatened ex-lover. Prosecutors in the Phil Spector murder case have asked a judge to allow testimony from a one-time girlfriend who said the record producer pointed a gun at her head in two separate incidents decades ago.
· Murder trial begins for Phil Spector. Jury selection began on Monday in the murder trial of pioneering rock producer Phil Spector, who came to court in Los Angeles sporting a new blond, Beatles-style shag and smiling broadly as he made his way past photographers. The trial, delayed repeatedly since Spector was indicted in 2003, will be shown on live television amid fascination with the 1960s musical genius turned recluse who once described himself as having "devils that fight inside me."
· Update: Jury selection date set in Spector trial. Jury selection will begin in March in the murder trial of music producer Phil Spector, who's charged with killing actress Lana Clarkson in his suburban mansion, a judge said Tuesday. "We have to get this to trial," said Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler, who has granted numerous postponements in the case since Spector was arrested for the Feb. 3, 2003 slaying.
· Date Set for First Leg of Spector's Civil War. Phil Spector has another date to get ready for. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lee Smalley Edmon set an Apr. 16, 2007, trial date in the lawsuit the notorious music producer filed in September against a former assistant for allegedly embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from him.
· Lawsuits Filed by Spector Can Proceed. Record producer Phil Spector lost a bid Friday to delay court proceedings on lawsuits involving his former assistant until his murder trial is over. Superior Court Judge Lee Smalley Edmon ruled that since Spector was first to file suit against Michelle Blaine he will have to live with the consequences of that decision.
· Phil Spector's Murder Trial Delayed Again. The much-delayed murder trial of music producer Phil Spector was postponed again Tuesday, with a judge pushing the case back to January. Spector's trial in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson had been set for September. But at a hastily called hearing, the judge told attorneys he had scheduled two trials for the same time and had decided to try the other case first.
· Ex-Personal Assistant Sues Phil Spector. Record producer Phil Spector, awaiting trial for murder, is being sued for more than $5 million by his former personal assistant, whose claims include sexual harassment. In September, the creator of rock music's "wall of sound" sued Michelle Blaine, alleging that she siphoned off hundreds of thousands of dollars from his accounts.
· Rock producer Spector says mind clouded by Taser. Rock producer Phil Spector said in a sworn deposition made public on Friday he was sober when arrested in the shooting death of an actress but that his mind was clouded from having been zapped by police with a stun-gun.
· Judge: 'No Smoking Gun' in Spector Deposition. Phil Spector said he made the rounds at upscale restaurants but did not drink heavily or use drugs the night actress Lana Clarkson was killed in his mansion, according to a civil trial deposition. Spector gave now familiar facts: that he went out with two different women that night, and took them to Dan Tana's and The Grill, two upscale restaurants, before he went to House of Blues. He said he didn't drink much early in the night and left lavish tips of $100 for waiters.
· Spector Drops Suit Against Former Attorney. Record producer Phil Spector, who is facing a murder trial, has dropped a lawsuit that claims he was cheated by his former attorney, Robert Shapiro. Spector's attorney filed a dismissal without prejudice Thursday in Superior Court. The move permits Spector to file another suit in the future if he chooses. "We're very happy because the case has been completely dismissed and Bob Shapiro has been completely vindicated," said Eric Early, Shapiro's lawyer. Spector, 65, said he gave Shapiro a $1-million retainer after his February 2003 arrest for investigation of shooting to death B-movie actress Lana Clarkson at Spector's home in suburban Alhambra.
· Spector prosecutor, now a judge, is stepping down from the case. The lead prosecutor in the murder case against music producer Phil Spector is stepping down from the case and stepping up to the bench. Deputy District Attorney Douglas Sortino, 46, was named a Los Angeles Superior Court judge by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Thursday.
· Music legend Phil Spector set to go to trial on murder charges in April. A Los Angeles judge has set a date of April 24 for the murder trial of legendary music producer Phil Spector. Spector, 65, is charged with the 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson, whose body police found in the foyer of Spector's Alhambra mansion with a single gunshot wound to her head. Spector has pleaded not guilty and is free on $1 million bail.
· Spector plans to wed if he escapes murder rap. Troubled music producer Phil Spector plans to celebrate in style if he beats the murder charges hanging over him - he'll wed his fiancee Rachelle Short. Spector, 64, is accused of shooting actress Lana Clarkson at his Hollywood Hills home but continues to protest his innocence with the support of his 25-year-old bride-to-be.
· Phil Spector loses key court ruling. Phil Spector's potentially damning statements to police about the shooting death of an actress at his home can be used against the record producer at his upcoming murder trial, a judge ruled on Thursday. Most damaging to the defense may be testimony from a police officer who says that after Spector was shot with a stun gun, wrestled to the ground and hog-tied in his foyer, not far from Clarkson's body, he said: "I didn't mean to shoot her. It was an accident."
· Prosecutors Want to Use Phil Spector's Comments. Prosecutors in the Phil Spector murder case asked a judge to allow statements he made shortly after an actress was shot to death at his home in 2003 to be used at his trial. Spector's lawyers have argued the statements he made after Lana Clarkson died should be thrown out because he was suffering withdrawal symptoms from seven prescription drugs when he talked to police. The judge has said he expects the trial to begin in January.
· Dead actress' pal attacks Phil Spector's legal team over stalling tactics. Late actress Lana Clarkson's former agent has lashed out at Phil Spector's legal team - for stalling the music producer's upcoming murder trial. After learning the trial, which was set to begin tomorrow, is set for another delay, Clarkson's ex-publicist Edward Lozzi has blasted attorney Bruce Cutler for allegedly stalling proceedings.
· Phil Spector's bad hair day. Music producer Phil Spector is shown in Superior Court judge Monday, May 23, 2005, in Los Angeles. A judge said Monday, he will allow four of 10 incidents of evidence in Spector's murder trial that prosecutors say illustrate the music producer's history of pulling guns on women. Dealing the defense a potentially serious blow, a Los Angeles judge ruled Monday that four women can testify that rock legend Phil Spector had threatened them with guns more than 15 years before he allegedly shot actress Lana Clarkson in the face at his Alhambra mansion.
· Phil Spector Getting Married? Famed record producer Phil Spector isn't going to let a murder charge prevent him from getting hitched again this weekend. Fox News is reporting that friends are on their way out to his Alhambra, Calif., estate — where he allegedly fatally shot an actress in 2003 — to witness the secret nuptials.
· Judge Sets Sept. 16 Trial Date for Spector. A judge on Thursday set a Sept. 16 trial date for famed rock 'n' roll producer Phil Spector, who is accused of fatally shooting a B-movie actress Lana Clarkson during a fight at his home.
· Phil Spector Sued for Wrongful Death. Famed rock 'n' roll producer Phil Spector has been named in a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the mother of a B-movie actress whom Spector is accused of killing in his home. The shooting took place after Spector "grabbed, hit, fought with ... and injured" Lana Clarkson, and after he tried to prevent her from leaving his home, the lawsuit says.
· Spector Said He Accidentally Shot Actress. Rock music producer Phil Spector initially told police he accidentally shot actress Lana Clarkson, then later said she committed suicide, according to newly released grand jury transcripts.
· Spector transcripts to be made public. Transcripts of grand jury hearings in the Phil Spector murder case should be made public, a judge ruled Wednesday, brushing aside vehement arguments by the defence that the documents are "full of lies." Judge Larry Paul Fidler said lawyers for the rock music producer failed to show how releasing the documents would prevent a fair and impartial jury from being chosen for the trial.
· Phil Spector Charged With Murder. Record producer Phil Spector was charged in an indictment unsealed Monday with murder in the shooting death of a B-movie actress at his mansion last year. Spector, 64, leaned on the arm of his attorney as the indictment in the slaying of 40-year-old Lana Clarkson was read, but showed no emotion. He was allowed to remains free on $1 million bail.
· Spector granted murder case delay. Music producer Phil Spector has been granted a court delay to give his new legal team time to prepare his defence against a murder charge. Spector, 64, denies murdering B-movie actress and club hostess Lana Clarkson at his home in February 2003. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carlos Uranga agreed to rearrange a preliminary hearing for 16 December. Mr Spector's recently-appointed lawyer Bruce Cutler said he was confident of clearing his client' s name.
· Gotti Lawyer To Rep Phil Spector. Spector, famed for creating rock 'n' roll's "wall of sound" recording technique in the 1960s, is charged in the fatal shooting of actress Lana Clarkson at his mansion in February 2003. After a string of high-profile lawyers, Bruce Cutler, best known for representing John Gotti, is taking over Spector's criminal case.
· Producer Phil Spector sues former attorney. Music producer Phil Spector, charged with allegedly killing an actress, has sued his attorney for a refund of his $1 million retainer, it was reported. Spector filed the civil suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Robert L. Shapiro, an attorney known for defending O.J. Simpson, E! Online said.
· Spector Defense Denies Hiding Fingernail. Lawyers for music legend Phil Spector declared in court Friday that they are not hiding a fingernail from the body of the actress he's accused of killing.
· Phil Spector and chauffeur arrested after scuffle. Music producer Phil Spector, who is awaiting trial on a murder charge, and his chauffeur were both arrested for investigation of misdemeanor battery after the two scuffled Friday at Spector's mansion.
· Expert Says Spector Shooting Likely Not Suicide. Music producer Phil Spector was the only person in his mansion when a gunshot killed "Silk Stalkings" star Lana Clarkson. Now, rumors swirl that Lana's death is likely not a suicide and sex may have been a factor.
· Spector's Lawyers: It Was Suicide. Attorney for Spector says "The theory cannot be that Philip Spector somehow was able to walk up to this woman, put a gun inside her mouth, and shoot the gun without any defensive measures from Ms. Clarkson."
· Actress May Have Shot Self in Spector Case. An actress killed at music producer Phil Spector's home was shot with a gun inside her mouth and had gunshot residue on both hands, indicating she may have fired the weapon, according to a coroner's report.
· Coroner: Spector May Not Have Shot Victim. "Analysis revealed several highly specific particles and many consistent particles of gunshot residue on both the right and left hand. ... Therefore, the decedent may have discharged a firearm or had (her) hands otherwise in an environment of gunshot residue," the Coroner's report said.
· Phil Spector's Lawyers Refuse to Share Evidence. Phil Spector's lawyers said Friday they have no obligation to share with the prosecution a piece of evidence discovered after sheriff's detectives left the music producer's mansion after investigating the fatal shooting of an actress.
· Prosecutors: Spector Camp Is Withholding Physical Evidence. The defense in music producer Phil Spector's murder case has refused to turn over a torn piece of the victim's fingernail, blackened with gunpowder residue, prosecutors said in court documents released Wednesday.
· Phil Spector replaces lawyer, hires Leslie Abramson to defend him. Music producer Phil Spector has hired Leslie Abramson, one of the nation's best known and most colorful criminal defense lawyers, to handle his murder case, ending his relationship with Robert Shapiro, Abramson said.
· Prosecutors ask for mystery evidence in Spector case. Prosecutors in the Phil Spector murder case want the defense to reveal mystery evidence that "had been overlooked at the crime scene."
· Woman claims Phil Spector forced sex at gunpoint. Los Angeles Sheriff's officers want to question a New York woman who claims record producer Phil Spector once forced her at gunpoint to perform oral sex.
· Grisly scene at site of Phil Spector murder. Court records show that authorities found broken teeth and the body of an actress shot in the mouth when they came to record producer Phil Spector's home after a 911 call.
· Record Producer Phil Spector Charged With Murder. Record producer Phil Spector was charged Thursday with one count of murder in the death of Lana Clarkson at his Alhambra home.
· Phil Spector's bail extended again. Phil Spector's $1 million bail has been extended again until January 9 while the investigation into the death of actress LANA CLARKSON continues.
· Search Warrants In Spector Murder Case To Stay Sealed. One of the search warrants executed after B-movie actress Lana Clarkson's shooting death at record producer Phil Spector's Alhambra, Calif., mansion will stay sealed until at least Nov. 12.
Clarkson, 40, died of a gunshot wound to the "head and neck" and was "shot by another."
· Phil Spector Might Flee The Country. The New York Daily News reports that legendary '60s record producer Phil Spector, who was arrested in February on suspicion of killing actress Lana Clarkson at his California mansion, may have plans to flee the U.S. before his October 31 hearing.
· Phil Spector's Bail Extended to Nov. 3 Record producer Phil Spector has had his one million dollar bail extended until November third while a decision is being made on whether he will be charged in the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson.
· Death of Actress in Spector Case a Homicide. The February shooting death of an actress at the home of record producer Phil Spector was ruled a homicide Monday by the coroner's office.
· BREAKING! Police conclude Spector shot actress. Police investigating the death of actress Lana Clarkson say they have concluded that legendary record producer Phil Spector was responsible for her shooting.
Lana Clarkson's Family Cries Foul. Spector has gone on a rampage declaring that Lana Clarkson, found dead in his home last February, killed herself by putting a loaded gun in her mouth. more...
Phil Spector Says Slain Actress 'Kissed The Gun' Before Killing Herself. The producer told Esquire magazine that Clarkson "kissed the gun" before pulling the trigger. "I have no idea why," he said in the magazine's July issue. "I never knew her, never even saw her before that night." more...
L.A. Police Want Spector Interview Too. Legendary rock producer Phil Spector has told Esquire Magazine that actress Lana Clarkson killed herself in his Los Angeles mansion by putting a gun in her mouth and blowing her head off -- details about the death he apparently hasn't shared with police. more...
Family of Woman Shot at Spector Home in Limbo. The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department has remained mum on the case. A planned arraignment for March 3 was skipped, and now August 1 has been set has the due date. more...
Actor 'shot herself': Spector. POP legend Phil Spector says a B-movie actor found dead in his mansion committed suicide. In a bizarre e-mail circulating Hollywood, the record producer - on $1 million bail and likely to be charged with first-degree murder - says Lana Clarkson, 40, shot herself in the face. more...
Spector Boasts: "I Told You So!" more...
Police: Spector victim did not kill herself. more...
Not an "accidental suicide" as E-mail states. more...
Suicide ruled out in Spector case. more...
Spector's Attorney Says He'll Be Cleared. more...
Phil Spector's bail bond extended as murder case remains under investigation. more...
Friends and Family Mourn Lana Clarkson. more...
250 Gather To Remember Clarkson. more...
Family, friends pay tribute to slain actress. more...
Police say Spector case could be delayed. more...
Prosecutor not ready in Spector case. more...
Murder case turns Spector into hot movie property. more...
ABC's 'Prime Time Live' guest exploiting Clarkson. more...
Clarkson death casts shadow over TV pilot season. more...
Spector will contend shooting was accidental...
Clarkson found shot in the face, slumped over in a white antique chair in the foyer of Spector's mansion. more...
Spector's apparent wall of unsound. more...
Spector Was in Dark Place, Friends Say. more...
This Is Your Life, Phil Spector. more...
'From madman to gentleman.' more...
Police Building Case Against Phil Spector. more...
An inside look at Lana Clarkson's life. more...
Bartender saw nothing unusual. more...
Spector's sons claim forced sex with girlfriend. more...
Champagne toast before death for Phil's new pal. more...
The Hollywood Lana knew all too well. more...
Lana Clarkson: Requiem for the Barbarian Queen.
more...
Spector's mystery dinner date. more...
Spector dined at Dan Tana's. more...
Dan Tana's food menu with $39 NY Steak. more...
Later, House of Blues - Sunset Strip. more...
Spector surrounded by music, mystery and murder? more...
EX-LOVER: 'Spector drew gun on me.' more...
Coroner: Spector murder victim shot in face. more...
Spector resisted arrest when confronted by cops. more...
Police Work to Build Murder Case Against Spector. more...
Spector Ex-wife: "If I didn't leave... I was going to die." more...
Ronnie Spector speaks out on GMA. more...
Ex-girlfriend also recounts Spector's abusiveness. more...
A quiet meal with another woman and a $500 tip. more...
Page Six: ACTRESS KILLING - FATAL ATTRACTION. more...
LANA'S LAST BOOZY HOURS. more...
Spector killing: 'I have devils inside that fight me.' more...
Why Spector Is Free on Bail after Killing. more...
Killing Puzzles the Police and Spector's Friends. more...
Specter Murder Case Victim Kept Dreaming. more...
Clarkson's TV guest star credits. more...
Spector killing: He met actress at House of Blues club near Los Angeles just hours before her death. more...
Phil Spector Met Murder Victim At Club Where She Worked. more...
Lana Clarkson murder, three shots fired. more...
High school classmates look back on life of Clark. more...
Tribute paid to murdered actress. more...
Lana Clarkson Exposed (rated R). more...
Phil Spector busted on first-degree murder charges. more...
Spector arrested for victim killed at his mansion. more...
Spector released on $1 million bail for killing. more...
Victim identified as 42-year-old Lana Clarkson. more...
Actress killed wanted stardom - found fame in death. more...
Clarkson killing provides clues in e-messages. more...
Six-foot blonde beauty had long list of TV credits. more...
Clarkson was also actress for several B-movies. more...
Lana Clarkson's personal website. more...
O.J. attorney Robert Shapiro handling Spector case. more...
Spector "booked for murder but did not confess." more...
Los Angeles NBC affiliate news report. more...
History of Phil Spector. more...
Slide show of photos in Spector case. more...
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