The verdict in the retrial of legendary music producer Phil Spector came in yesterday: guilty! Phil looked completely flabbergasted as the verdict was read. After his first trial for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson ended in a mistrial, it seemed that the producer was going to get away with it. But this time around, the jury was convinced that Spector indeed was responsible for the shooting.
Six years after the death of actress Lana Clarkson, and nearly two years after a 2007 mistrial, a jury found music producer Phil Spector guilty of second-degree murder on Monday. Spector, 68, will be sentenced May 29 and faces a prison sentence of 18 years to life.
Long before the jury’s final verdict, Spector had vanished from the music industry. He hadn’t completed an album since the 1970s. But it almost didn’t matter. Spector produced some of the greatest recordings of the 20th century — with Ike and Tina Turner, The Ronettes, The Beatles and many others — but his work was always colored by his mental state.
Shortly before the shooting that led to Spector’s arrest, journalist Mick Brown taped the reclusive producer’s first interview in years, as he told NPR in 2007.
“Almost as soon as I sat down with Phil Spector, he started to talk about his mental state,” Brown said. In the interview with Brown, Spector referred to “devils inside that fight me,” adding, “I am my own worst enemy.”
Clarkson, a 40-year-old actress who starred in the 1985 cult film Barbarian Queen, was found in the foyer of Spector’s mansion with a gunshot wound to the mouth in 2003. The defense claimed Clarkson was depressed over a breakup and used a 38-caliber pistol to kill herself.
Jurors in Spector’s first trial, which ended in September 2007, failed to reach a verdict after deliberating for 15 days. His retrial began in October of 2008.
In closing arguments to jurors last month, the prosecution called the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer “a very dangerous man” who “has a history of playing Russian roulette with women.” This time it took jurors less than 30 hours to side with the prosecution.
This time around, the prosecution painted a chilling picture of a mentally unstable man with a fondness for threatening, frightening and hurting women. It was not a pretty picture, and Spector didn’t do much to help himself by showing for court looking like a psychopath day after day. The defense asserted that Clarkson killed herself, but the evidence just didn’t support it. In the end, the jury didn’t buy it. Looks like the music is over for Spector now.
Phil Spector is shown outside court on 4/13/09. I’m sure Obama appreciates the endorsement. Credit: WENN.com
I’m glad that a jury finally proved they can see past the bells and whistles put on by a famous murder defendant’s lawyers. I was beginning to worry about California.
It’s about time !
Sick bastard. Poor Lana. I hope her family can get a modicum of peace now. The real hero of the story is the Brazilian chauffeur who consistently testified against his former boss, Spector. So glad money can’t buy everyone. The other hero is Clarkson’s mother, enduring hell for 6 years, steadfastly attending trials, supporting her daughter in the only way left to her. Spector should have been stopped long ago, but SURPRISE, SURPRISE, he wasn’t. And kudos to the jury for courageously doing what was right.
Well it is about bloody time this gun-waving idiot was nailed! He’s a terrorist.
Dude sounds crazy.
On another note, now they need to find a way to go after Roman Polanski.
Bamm, gotcha.
The evidence dlearly shows phil did not shoot Lana. She was a troubled woman, had been for many years. It is too bad he left his house that night, had he stayed home, he would be home now. Unbelievable that the DA can hold second trial with lesser charges to capture a conviction. Peace, Phil & Rachelle!
The evidence clearly shows Phil did not shoot Lana. She was a troubled woman, had been for many years. It is too bad he left his house that night, had he stayed home, he would be home now. Unbelievable that the DA can hold second trial with lesser charges to capture a conviction. Peace, Phil & Rachelle! The jury should be very ashamed of their decision, perhaps Karma will get them one day!
The evidence clearly shows Phil did not shoot Lana.
You dumbass- it was just his gun and he had a previous record of waving guns in women’s faces if they tried to leave before he was properly amused. No one suicides with a pistol, by shooting themselves in front of the mouth. EVER. I does not happen. First words out of his mouth “I think I killed her.” with her blood on his hands, no less.
Agree Hiero
Dismayed…read the facts on the case first. The only thing he wasn’t guilty of is cleaning up the mess… He thought he’d get away with it.
Yes, Hiero is right. At the crime scene Spector told the police that it was an accident, but later at the police station (were his lawyers there?), he said she committed suicide. Five women testified that he pulled guns on them, too (and a few men said so also). Also, there were 12 phones in the house and he never called 911. He actually had to be tasered at the scene because he wouldn’t cooperate with the police. The DA was right in saying he played Russian roulette with women’s lives. Crazy psycho should have been locked up long ago.
How the mighty have fallen. This guy was a legendary producer, and now he’s a sordid episode of Law & Order waiting to happen.
Do we all still want to be famous, kids?
Wow, I didn’t think it was possible! Justice in eazy breezy California? Nevermind Roman Polanski, whose victim doesn’t even want to prosecute, but maybe this verdict indicates that one day they might convict that most infamous of diddlers, Jacko, the one who has been evading justice for years….who knows, maybe in this lifetime?
He’s a scary man, and I do not believe that this was the first time that he has killed.