Music Producer Phil Spector Gets Max Sentence For Murder of Lana Clarkson
Music Producer Phil Spector Gets Max Sentence For Murder of Lana Clarkson. It took two trials for the verdict of the maximum sentence of 19 years to life for the murder six years ago of actress Lana Clarkson.
The first murder trial in 2007 ended in a mistrial as jurors couldn’t reach a verdict.
Phil Spector, who is now 69, sat slumped over, stone faced and wearing a dark suit and bright red tie, sat silently throughout his sentencing by Judge Larry Paul Fidler.
As part of the court ordered sentence, Spector gave a $17,000 check to Donna Clarkson, Lana Clarkson’s mother, to pay for her funeral expenses.
“All of our plans together are destroyed,” the mother said, reading a statement on behalf of her family. “Now, I can only visit her at the cemetery.”
Judge Fidler denied a motion for a new trial by defense attorney Doron Weinberg, who said he would file an appeal.
Defense claims that Lana Clarkson committed suicide. But it is a know fact that Lana bought a new pair of shoes earlier that day. Now I ask you, what woman buys shoes, then commits suicide?
February of 2003, Lana Clarkson, 40, was found dead, slumped in a chair in the foyer of Spector’s Alhambra, California, mansion. There was a gunshot wound through the roof of her mouth. What a horrible way to die.
Spector’s trial, which began in October of 2008 and ended April of 2009. Judge Fidler then told the jurors that they could also consider a lesser charge of involuntary murder. It took jurors 30 hours to deliberate and then announced a guilty verdict on a second degree murder charge.
After 15 days of deliberations, Spector’s first murder trial in 2007 ended in a mistrial after jurors couldn’t reach a verdict. The Jury was deadlocked 10-2 in favor of conviction.
Judge Fidler refused to allow Phil Spector to remain free on bail pending sentencing. His ruling was based on the fact that Spector had years long “pattern of violence” involving firearms.
“This was not an isolated incident,” Fidler stated, noting Spector’s two firearms related convictions from the 1970s. “The taking of an innocent human life, it doesn’t get any more serious than that.”
In closing arguments at the retrial, prosecutor Truc Do called Spector “a very dangerous man” who “has a history of playing Russian roulette with women, six women. Lana just happened to be the sixth.”
Weinberg flimsy argument was that the prosecution’s case hinged on circumstantial evidence. He said the possibility that Clarkson committed suicide could not be ruled out.
Lana Clarkson starred in the 1985 B-movie “Barbarian Queen” and appeared in many other films, including “Deathstalker,” “Blind Date,” “Scarface,” “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and the spoof “Amazon Women on the Moon.” At the time of her murder, she was working as a VIP hostess in Hollywood’s House of Blues.
In the 2007 trial, Spector’s attorneys argued that Clarkson was depressed over a recent breakup and grabbed a .38-caliber pistol to kill herself while at Spector’s home.
Perhaps the down fall of Spector’s trail was when five other women took the stand and testified that he had threatened them with firearms. Also the fact that his driver testified against him. He stated in trial that he heard a loud noise and saw Phil leave the home, pistol in his hand, saying, “I think I killed somebody.”
Phil Spector’s Life Before It Went In The Crapper
Most Baby Boomers will remember Spector’s professional trademark was the “Wall of Sound,” the layering of instrumental tracks and percussion that underpinned a string of hits on his Philles label. That was named for Spector and his business partner, Lester Sill way back in the early 1960’s.
The roaring arrangements were the heart of what he called “little symphonies for the kids.” they incuded No. 1 hits like the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” and the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.”
Few Baby Boomers will forget that Phil Spector co-produced the Beatles’ final album, “Let It Be,” and worked with ex-Beatles George Harrison and John Lennon on solo projects after the group broke up. His recording of Harrison’s 1971 benefit concert for war relief in Bangladesh won the 1972 Grammy award for album of the year.
During his career Phil Spector won two Grammy Awards, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. After that, he pretty much stayed out of the public eye for almost 20 years, before the 2003 arrest, connected with Lana Clarkson’s death.
Music Producer Phil Spector Gets Max Sentence For Murder of Lana Clarkson. What a way to end your career and possibly your life…in prison. For the full story, go to CNN News.
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This creap got of way to easily all away around.
That is all he had to pay the family? That is chump change for him I would go to court and take every cent from plus all of his underwear.