Jury selection in Phil Spector's murder trial begins
Jury selection for Phil Spector's long-delayed murder trial for the 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson starts on Monday, March 19th, in Los Angeles Superior court.
Spector has maintained his innocence since the murder. The coroner's office has ruled a homicide "death by the hand of another," but also noted that Clarkson had gunshot residue on both of her hands and may have possibly been the one to pull the trigger.
Spector remains free on $1 million bail, and has claimed that Clarkson's death was an "accidental suicide," and that the actress had shot herself after telling Spector that she wanted to, quote, "kiss the gun."
According to Grand Jury testimony given by Spector's chauffeur Adriano De Souza who was with the couple moments before and after the gunshot, Spector admitted to the murder immediately. De Souza testified that Spector emerged from the house with blood on his hands and holding the gun and said, quote, "I think I killed somebody." When De Souza asked him what happened, Spector reportedly responded, "I don't know."
Spector's lead attorney Bruce Cutler told The Associated Press that he feels the case to be open and shut, explaining that, ""He didn't shoot this woman. Everything in this case is consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The cause of death is not at issue. The manner of death is the question."
Cutler added that, "There was no malice, no motive, no intent, no homicide, no crime. If it had happened in any other home, there would have been no charges."
Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler has summoned 300 prospective jurors for the trial, and has decided to allow the trial to be televised once jury selection is completed. The selection process is expected to take up to three months.
Spector is best known for his legendary '60s "Wall Of Sound" productions like "Be My Baby" for the Ronettes, "Da Doo Ron Ron" for the Crystals, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" by the Righteous Brothers, the Beatles' "The Long And Winding Road," John Lennon's "Imagine," and George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord."
Backstage at last week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Ronettes' Nedra Talley spoke about her former producer's upcoming trial: "I pray that the truth will come out and that we all need God on our side. Right now, I would not want to be in that position -- I wouldn't want it for anybody. So I don't gloat, I feel nothing. I thank him for the fact that he gave us a couple of really good songs and so I can't say anything that way. But like I said, God knows the truth and I will have to trust our system to bring the truth out."
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Spector has maintained his innocence since the murder. The coroner's office has ruled a homicide "death by the hand of another," but also noted that Clarkson had gunshot residue on both of her hands and may have possibly been the one to pull the trigger.
Spector remains free on $1 million bail, and has claimed that Clarkson's death was an "accidental suicide," and that the actress had shot herself after telling Spector that she wanted to, quote, "kiss the gun."
According to Grand Jury testimony given by Spector's chauffeur Adriano De Souza who was with the couple moments before and after the gunshot, Spector admitted to the murder immediately. De Souza testified that Spector emerged from the house with blood on his hands and holding the gun and said, quote, "I think I killed somebody." When De Souza asked him what happened, Spector reportedly responded, "I don't know."
Spector's lead attorney Bruce Cutler told The Associated Press that he feels the case to be open and shut, explaining that, ""He didn't shoot this woman. Everything in this case is consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The cause of death is not at issue. The manner of death is the question."
Cutler added that, "There was no malice, no motive, no intent, no homicide, no crime. If it had happened in any other home, there would have been no charges."
Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler has summoned 300 prospective jurors for the trial, and has decided to allow the trial to be televised once jury selection is completed. The selection process is expected to take up to three months.
Spector is best known for his legendary '60s "Wall Of Sound" productions like "Be My Baby" for the Ronettes, "Da Doo Ron Ron" for the Crystals, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" by the Righteous Brothers, the Beatles' "The Long And Winding Road," John Lennon's "Imagine," and George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord."
Backstage at last week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Ronettes' Nedra Talley spoke about her former producer's upcoming trial: "I pray that the truth will come out and that we all need God on our side. Right now, I would not want to be in that position -- I wouldn't want it for anybody. So I don't gloat, I feel nothing. I thank him for the fact that he gave us a couple of really good songs and so I can't say anything that way. But like I said, God knows the truth and I will have to trust our system to bring the truth out."
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