Spector Guilty of 2nd-Degree Murder

Lack of 'persnickety' people helped retrial avoid second deadlock

(NEWSER) - Twelve agreeable jurors made all the difference between Phil Spector's two murder trials, lawyers from both sides tell the Los Angeles Times. The jurors who this week voted unanimously to convict heard the same evidence as the jury that deadlocked in 2007, prosecutors and the music legend's lawyer say, but they bonded over the course of the case, avoiding the discord that plagued the first panel. More»

Judge declares mistrial as 2 jurors hold out against majority

(NEWSER) - Jurors announced a 10 to 2 deadlock in the Phil Spector trial today after more than 2 weeks of deliberations, sparking the judge to declare a mistrial. The jury was split more evenly a week ago, and did not reveal the position of its 2 holdouts. As Spector went home, prosecutors vowed to seek a new trial in the 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson, the BBC reports. More»

(NEWSER) - A Los Angeles judge today sentenced Phil Spector to 19 years to life in prison in the 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson. The legendary music producer, whose first trial in the case ended in a mistrial, plans to appeal, KTLA-TV reports. Spector, 69, listened impassively as he drew the mandatory minimum of 15 years to life for second-degree murder, plus 4 years on a gun charge. More»

Music producer could get lesser manslaughter charge

(NEWSER) - Attorneys begin closing arguments today in the second murder trial of music producer Phil Spector—proceedings which drew little attention after a media frenzy surrounding the first, which ended with a hung jury, the AP reports. Spector, 69, faces a second-degree charge in the 2003 death of actress Lana Clarkson, but Friday, a Los Angeles judge said Spector could also be convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter. More»

He even tried gluing it on, to no avail

(NEWSER) - Of all the people damaged by the OJ Simpson trial, Lance Ito’s tale is perhaps the saddest—err, most mundane. The poor presiding judge’s name became so famous that the placard announcing him outside his courtroom was repeatedly pilfered over the years. He tried everything, the Los Angeles Times reports—even glue—but each new iteration would disappear all over again. So now he doesn’t have one. There is no investigation. More»