Legendary American pop producer Phil Spector has been found guilty of second degree murder in Los Angeles.
Phil Spector stood accused of murdering actress Lana Clarkson at his Los Angeles home on February 3rd. The actress was discovered dead at the scene, with Spector protesting that she had killed herself.
The producer originally stood trial in 2007, but the with the jury deadlocked at 10-2 in favour of convicting Spector the judge ruled a mis-trial. The new jury were controversially granted access to Spector’s house during the trial, examining the scene of the crime.
The new jury were given the option of convicting Spector of involuntary manslaughter, but chose instead to jail the producer for second degree murder after deliberating for approximately 30 hours.
Phil Spector rose to fame on the back of his ‘Wall Of Sound’ technique. Hugely innovative, this brand of orchestrated girl-pop soundtracked an entire generation in America and beyond and remains lodged in the bedrock of the modern music industry.
Since then, however, Spector’s behaviour has become notoriously wayward. Sessions with former Beatle John Lennon broke down after the producer threatened the singer with a shotgun.
When the verdict was read out, Spector showed no emotion, reports the Associated Press. His attorney argued that he should remain free on bail until the May 29th sentencing, but Judge Larry Paul Fidler sent him directly to jail.
Phil Spector is now 69, but could face fifteen years in jail. A separate firearms conviction carries a penalty of up to three years in jail.
One of the key pieces of evidence in the trial was the testimony of his chauffeur. The driver told the court that on the night of Clarkson’s death, he heard a gunshot and then saw Spector emerge holding a gun saying, “I think I killed somebody.”
