Phil Spector Sentenced 19 Years To Life
Phil Spector
Phil Spector, 69, was sentenced on Friday to 19 years to life in prison for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson. She was shot through the mouth in Spector’s home six years ago.
Spector looked straight in front of him and showed no redemption as Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler ordered a term of 15 years to life for second-degree murder. In addition another four years for the personal use of a gun.
Donna Clarkson, Lana’s mother, made a quick statement before sentencing, speaking of her daughter’s fine qualities, sense of humor, intelligence and dedication to her acting skills.
“I’m very proud of Lana, proud to be her mother,” Donna said. She added, “No one should suffer the loss of a child.”
In addition, the judge ordered Spector to pay $16,811 in funeral expenses, $9,740 to a state victims’ restitution fund and other fees.
Spector was taken away immediately. His attorney asked that he immediately be transferred from a county jail to a state prison. It was not know which prison Spector would be taken to.
Spector received fame decades ago for what became known as the “Wall of Sound” recording technique that changed rock music.
Clarkson was most famous as the star of Roger Corman’s 1985 cult film classic “Barbarian Queen.” She was 40 when she was murdered.
Spector’s wife, who is in her late 20s, attended the sentencing.
“This is a sad day for everybody involved,” Rachelle Spector said. “The Clarkson family has lost a daughter and a sister. I’ve lost my husband, my best friend. I feel that a grave injustice has been done and from this day forward I’m going to dedicate myself to proving my husband’s innocence.”
Spector’s son, Louis, accompanied his wife, also attended the sentencing. He had came to most of the trial.
“I’m torn about this,” he said. “I’m losing my father who is going to spend his life in jail. At the same time, justice is served.”
Deputy District Attorney Alan Jackson said afterward in a message: “If you commit crimes against our citizens we will follow you and prosecute you. And no matter whether you are famous or wealthy, you will stand trial.”
He was asked how he felt about Spector personally, Jackson’s response was, “I find nothing tragic about him. Everything he did was intentional.”
Jackson said the case was “rock solid” legally and will not have a successful appeal.
Defense attorney, Doron Weinberg, told the reporters that the appeal will be extremely strong.
“Mr. Spector did not kill Lana Clarkson,” he said, “and we hope by the time we are through we will be able to prove that.”
Spector had two trials with basically the same evidence. His first trial in 2007 was televised gavel to gavel and spectators ran to the courtroom. But when the jury deadlocked after a five-month trial, his legal “dream team,” which at times numbered to half a dozen lawyers, quit.
By the time the second trial started in 2008, interest had decreased. The judge ordered cameras to be turned off and only a handful of spectators and reporters stopped in no time to watch the testimony.
During jury selection, only a few panelists remembered Spector’s old days of being a producer of teen anthems including “To Know Him is to Love Him” by The Teddy Bears, The Ronette’s “Be My Baby,” The Crystals‘ “Da Doo Ron Ron” and The Righteous Brothers’ classic, “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feelin’.”
Clarkson didn’t know Spector’s music legacy either when she met him only hours before she died at his “castle” in February of 2003. She was working as a waitress at the House of Blues nightclub on the Sunset Strip, where she was told by a manager that Spector was an important man.
His time had passed. Clarkson’s career also was gradually declining. Their fateful meeting, recounted in both trials, led to her death and to the end of his life as he knew it. For the next six years he spent millions of dollars on lawyers as so he could try to prove that Clarkson killed herself.
What had happened inside his house was never really figured out. Clarkson’s body was found drooping in a chair in a foyer. A gun had been fired in her mouth. Spector’s chauffeur, the main witness, said he heard a gunshot, then he saw Spector holding a gun and heard him say, “I think I killed somebody.”
Weinberg said forensic evidence proved that Clarkson shot herself in the mouth and cited her desperation at not being able to get a job acting. Jackson said the shooting fit the same pattern of other confrontations between Spector and women.
Much of the case attached on the testimony of five women from Spector’s past who said he threatened them with guns when they tried to leave him. The parallels with the night Clarkson died were scary even if the stories were very old, 31 years were told in one instance.
Weinberg said Spector’s appeal will insist that the judge erred in allowing the women to testify.
