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At this re-trial, the jury heard how Clarkson died. The key witness, Spector’s chauffeur, gave his evidence of how Phil Spector stumbled out onto the steps of his home, gun in hand, saying “I think I killed somebody.”

The testimony from five women who said that Spector had threatened them with guns when they tried to leave his prescence, backed up just how dangerous and obsessed with guns and the power they held over people, that Spector was.

Lana Clarkson, who was unaware of Spector’s fame when she met him that night was later shot through the mouth, after being invited back to Spectors Alhambra castle in the hills in 2003.

At the culmination of this 6 year case, Spector was asked if he had anything to say. He quietly declined and was ushered out of the court, surrounded by court officers, as he shuffled out of a side door.

Phil Spector sat in silence, showing no emotion as the 19 year sentence was passed upon him. This means that Spector could very well see out the end of his days in jail.

Spector’s son, Louis said: “I’m torn about this,” - “I’m losing my father who is going to spend his life in jail. At the same time, justice is served.”

Weinberg said. “He will be a very high-profile inmate and there’s a question of how others will treat him.”

Phil Spector is now a frail and mentally unstable 69 year old that may not be able to handle the pressure of prison life.

If he makes it, he will be 88 years old when he may be eligible for parole. What a sad end to the story of this fallen and disgraced music genius. –

- Previously -

Phil Spector has been found guilty of the 2nd degree murder of actress Lana Clarkson. A shadow of his former self, Spector, 69, appeared frail and unstable, his hands shaking as he sat in the courtroom to await the verdict.

After the verdict was read out, one of the witnesses said: “It was a painful decision” - Phil Spector’s lawyer, Doron Weinberg, said: “Justice was not done today”.

This was the re-trial of the murder of Lana Clarkson. Legendary music producer Phil Spector (Harvey Philip) had been brought back to answer this charge once again.

The first trial concluded in a mis-trial, though the evidence looked pretty solid against Spector with many incriminating testimonies. His first jury deadlocked 10-2 for conviction.

‘Spector, 69, was accused of shooting dead Lana Clarkson, 40, in the early hours of February 3, 2003, after meeting her for the first time that night after visiting the Hollywood nightclub where she worked.

He then invited her back to his mansion for a drink’. Where later, the B movie actress was found with a single, fatal gunshot wound to the mouth.

Spector, famous for his ‘Wall of Sound’ recording technique, which was a “dense, layered effect that reproduced well on AM radio and jukeboxes.

To attain this signature sound, Spector gathered large groups of musicians (playing some instruments not generally used for ensemble playing, such as electric and acoustic guitars) playing orchestrated parts —often doubling and tripling many instruments playing in unison — for a fuller sound.

Spector himself called his technique “a Wagnerian approach to rock & roll: little symphonies for the kids”.

The original trial in 2007 saw Spector up on a charge of murder in the second degree for the killing of Lana Clarkson at his hilltop home in 2003.

Spector told the court that Ms Clarkson, best known for her role in Roger Corman’s 1985 cult hit Barbarian Queen, was depressed and shot herself, maybe by accident.

During the 5 month trial there was a mountain of evidence produced and over 70 witness statements to get through.

Spector’s driver after hearing a gunshot saw him emerge from his back door with blood on his hands and he said: “I think I killed somebody.” The driver said “He had a lady on the floor and a gun in his hand”.

Jurors also heard from five women who claimed Spector had threatened them with guns, usually after a heavy bout of drinking.

‘Phil Spector’s history of violence against women was like a game of Russian roulette that ended with the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson at his hilltop mansion’.

Now at the culmination of the March re-trial, at Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles, the jury have now retired to consider their verdict.

Deputy District Attorney Truc Do has urged jurors to find Spector guilty of second-degree murder and not the lesser possibility of involuntary manslaughter.

Spector had a fascination with guns. During recording sessions which weren’t going the way he wanted, he drew guns on both The Ramones and John Lennon it is reputed. Canadian Poet and singer Leonard Cohen also said the producer held a gun to his chest.

In incidents which happened between 1975 and 1995 several women have stated that Spector confronted them with guns when they tried to leave his presence.

Over the years Spector has become more and more eccentric, with a reclusive temperament and obsessive behavioural tendencies.

Deputy District Attorney Truc Do referred in her closing argument to Spector as becoming “a demonic maniac” when he drank and “a very dangerous man” around women.

‘His increasingly erratic behaviour made it difficult for the producer to settle into projects, notably steering disastrous albums featuring John Lennon and later, punk legends The Ramones’.

“This case is about a man who has had a history of playing Russian roulette with the lives of women,” she said. “Five women got the empty chamber. Lana got the sixth bullet.”

Prosecutor Truc Do said that Spector has a tendency to “grab a gun” when angered, and that he has a “conscious disregard for human life”

“When he’s ignited, he always does the same thing — he grabs a gun” - “In every single one of these incidents, Mr. Spector demonstrates conscious disregard for human life…Her death was a death waiting to happen in his world.”

If convicted of second-degree murder Spector could incur a 15 years to life prison sentence for the murder of Lana Clarkson. If convicted of involuntary manslaughter he will get two to four years behind bars.

Spector has been released on $1 million bail ever since his original arrest back in 2003. He will be now looking at a long stretch in jail. -

‘Spector was a pioneer of the 1960s’ girl group sound and clocked in over twenty-five Top 40 hits between 1960 and 1965. In later years he worked with such artists as Ike and Tina Turner, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ramones with similar success, including production work on the Academy Award winning Let It Be and Grammy Award winning Concert for Bangladesh soundtracks.

In 1989, Spector was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. The 1965 song “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’”, produced and co-written by Spector for the The Righteous Brothers, is listed by BMI as the song with the most U.S. air play in the 20th century’. Wikepedia