Lana Clarkson

David Mamet Thinks Phil Spector Was Railroaded

Railroaded?​Playwright David Mamet has been on a press tour lately to discuss his recent conversion to Palin-loving conservatism. Clearly in a provocative mood, he also went to bat for bewigged murderer Phil Spector:"I don't think he's guilty. I definitely think there is reasonable doubt," Mamet s ... More >>

The Agony and the Ecstasy of Phil Spector: Having Lost That Lovin' Feeling

Vikram Jayanti on his new film

Phil Spector's Lawyers Appeal Murder Conviction

The Man, The Myth, The Hair​Rolling Stone reports that Phil Spector's lawyers have appealed his 2009 conviction for the murder of Lana Clarkson at his house in 2003. His lawyers have requested a new trial on the grounds of "judicial error and prosecutorial misconduct": In papers filed Wednes ... More >>

Tiger's Wife Is A Hero: We Look At Other Maligned Acts Of Bravery In Recent History

Tiger Woods Foundation​Tiger Woods' wife is a hero for rescuing the legendary golf pro after he crashed his SUV outside his Florida driveway early Friday morning. Standing over him, perhaps with golf club in-hand, Elin Nordegren was an image of selfless giving. She busted out a window with the ... More >>

Full Court Press: 99 Candles — Phil Spector Sentenced to Life ... Clarkson Family Speaks

Spector faces civil suit next

Phil Spector Gets 19 Years to Life in Prison

11:17  a.m. Department 106, L.A. County Criminal Courts BuildingJudge Fidler formally asks if the defense wishes to request a new trial. Doron Weinberg now moves for a new trial. Fidler denies motion for new trial. Weinberg offers two restitution checks, one for $16,811.82, to be given to Lana' ... More >>

Phil Spector to Be Sentenced in 10 Minutes

Deptartment 106 is packing out with media, D.A. types and lottery-drawn spectators, all of whom have come to see how many years music producer Phil Spector receives for his second-degree murder conviction for the 2003 death of Lana Clarkson. I've been told sheriff's deputies were seen rolling a full ... More >>

Wall of Years: The Spector Verdict

And then he was gone, like Don Giovanni pulled into the underworld by the commendatore's ghost

Morning Sixpack: A News Roundup

Phil Spector Found Guilty Famed music producer Phil Spector was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2003 death of sometime actress Lana Clarkson. He faces a prison sentence of 18 years to life. L.A. DailyUrban League The L.A. Dodgers' opening home game was marked by a parking-lot stabbing and v ... More >>

Phil Spector Verdict Countdown

Department 106 is filling up with media, bloggers, D.A. staff members, murder ghouls, et al. No sign of Spector yet, although we've overheard he's coming in with 10 people. The jurors had  been deliberating just under 30 hours, since March 26, when they rang the court clerk three times this mor ... More >>

SPECTOR FOUND GUILTY OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER

Phil Spector sits in a black frock coat, red tie, white shirt and American flag lapel pin. The bailiff has made the announcement about turning off cell phones or getting escorted out of the courtroom. (Where was he the last time I saw a movie in this town?)  Spector's young wife, Rachelle, sits ... More >>

Wall of Years: Phil Spector Faces Mandatory Life Sentence

In the end, the jurors for Phil Spector's second murder trial did what the first jury did: They let Judge Larry Paul Fidler know their deliberations had reached a conclusion -- but late enough in the morning so that they would get one more catered lunch out of the case. The two panels' denouements w ... More >>

Leonard Cohen's Prophecy of the Phil Spector/Lana Clarkson Incident: 'Death of a Ladies' Man'

Note: for best results, listen to the above song while you read this. As we prepared for this April's "Leonard Cohen Week," which commences this evening at the Nokia Theater, continues there tomorrow night, and concludes with next Friday's twilight performance at Coachella, one of Leonard Cohen' ... More >>

Nail Biter: Spector Jurors Ask About You-Know-What

As far as murder juries go, Phil Spector's second panel doesn't seem to be knocking itself out. They got the case on the afternoon of March 26 and almost immediately took off on a four-day weekend for the Cesar Chavez holiday. When jurors returned on April 1 it was to learn that one of their number ... More >>

Accidental Suicide? New Involuntary-Manslaughter Option in Phil Spector Murder Retrial

The final arguments: Shifting sand dunes, or rock-solid mountains?

Phil Spector Trial Jurors Get the Case

Today jurors in Phil Spector's murder trial got the case and began deliberations, after six months of testimony. Actually, for a while this week it seemed as though closing arguments were going to go on for another half year. This morning co-prosecutor Alan Jackson finished his rebuttal argument tha ... More >>

Phil Spector Trial: Weinberg Returns

From Criminal Courts Building, Dept. 1069:38 a.m.: Jurors have entered, with one chronically coughing."Some of you may wonder why I'm up here," Doron Weinberg opens. Today begins the defense lawyer's second day of closing arguments on behalf of Phil Spector, who is accused of second-degree murder in ... More >>

Phil Spector: The Burden of Truth

Like Woodrow Wilson, Doron Weinberg had 14 points he wanted to share with his audience. These had nothing to do with the status of Alsace-Lorraine, however, but with the emotional state of Lana Clarkson, the House of Blues VIP hostess who took a one-way ride to music producer Phil Spector's mansion ... More >>

Last Words from Phil Spector's Lawyer Continue

Yesterday I wasn't feeling the star power of Deputy District Attorney Truc Do, after watching the first hour or so of her closing argument. Do, who has co-prosecuted several high-profile cases over the past few years, including the Santa Monica Black Widows murder case and the Chester Turner serial ... More >>

Morning Sixpack: A News Roundup

Murder Takes a Holiday L.A. County homicides are down 15 percent from last year, according to the Coroner's office. The Sheriff's Department cites greater funding for increased patrols as one reason for the decline. San Gabriel Valley TribuneSparta Beats Troy USC lost its bid to upset the Michigan S ... More >>

This Is Not a Screensaver: Final Arguments Begin in Phil Spector's Trial

When Phil Spector, his wife Rachelle and Spector's bodyguard emerged from their black Lexus this morning, it was, finally, to an awaiting squad of TV news cameramen huddled at the top of the Superior Court's pedestrian ramp. After half a year of testimony that went largely ignored by the media, Sp ... More >>

Full Court Press: Dominick Dunne's Cameo at Phil Spector Retrial; Anand Jon's Explosive Evidence of Juror Shenanigans

Phil Spector Trial: Dominick Dunne Drops By, A Juror Drops Out

The murder retrial of music-producing legend Phil Spector resumed today with the momentary return of Dominick Dunne, the Vanity Fair correspondent who'd sat through the first trial in all its melodramatic glory. Dunne arrived at Department 106 this morning solely for pleasure and had not come to tow ... More >>

Morning Sixpack: A News Roundup

Helmet Rule Ignored? A police officers' union is suing the LAPD and its chief, Bill Bratton, accusing both of violating the department's own safety policies. The case is part of the spreading controversy over orders that kept cops from donning riot helmets before a January 10 protest in Westwood. L. ... More >>

Jurors In Phil Spector's Retrial Visit Death Mansion

When jurors in the first Phil Spector murder trial toured his Alhambra mansion two years ago, their visit occurred on a witheringly hot day. Today the jury in Spector II, however, was spared those high temperatures as it examined the now-infamous foyer where police found the body of actress/House of ... More >>

Morning Sixpack: A News Roundup

Emptier Than a Hummer Showroom When polling stations closed Tuesday night only 18.59 percent of L.A. County's eligible voters had "filled" them. At stake were critical state ballot measures and the City Attorney's race. Turnout was higher in the San Gabriel Valley's 32nd District Congressional race. ... More >>

Phil Spector Rings in 2009

It's an almost forgotten fact, but the murder retrial of legendary pop music producer Phil Spector, 68, is still unfolding in Judge Larry Fidler's downtown courtroom. You may remember that Spector's five-member legal team managed to win him a hung jury in 2007 -- leading to Spector II, which began a ... More >>

Spector Retrial Has Its Diarist

"Why isn't anyone covering the Spector trial?" asked Marc Germain, the veteran talk-show interviewer. Phil Spector photo by Ted Soqui I had no answer, other than that assignment editors across town deem it to be a pale sequel to the first trial, the B-side of a mid-chart hit. It's not that way to th ... More >>

Have Movie Stereotypes Returned?

Back in black (and yellow) face

A Noir Gift From Phil Spector

How a struggling murder trial earned a sequel

Phil Noir: Phil Spector’s Dark Victory

Trial wrap-up: A juror’s Lana Clarkson fantasies and failed casserole strategy as the Wall of Sound architect gets away with — what?

Phil Noir: Fidler Out of Tune

The judge gets threatened, the jurors get defensive, and Phil Spector beats his murder rap — for now

Phil Noir: Strangers On a Train Wreck

The jury that hangs together gets hung

Phil Noir: The Dark at the Top of the Stare

Phil Spector’s trial reaches its endgame

Phil Noir: The Left-Handed Gun

Spector trial mirages, red herrings and no shows

Phil Noir: Murder of an Anatomy

Spector’s surreal surrebuttal. Updated Wednesday, August 30.

Phil Noir: Court Gesture

Dr. Baden’s ah-ha! moment

Phil Noir: If He Did It

Warning: Spector verdict spoiler

Phil Noir: Avenue of the Scars

The jurors see Lana Unleashed

Phil Noir: Spattered

Doctor Death’s trigger-nometry lesson, plus reluctant witness Sara Caplan speaks to L.A. Weekly

Phil Noir: In a Lonely Place

With friends like Punkin Pie...

Phil Noir: Doc Day Afternoon

Cross-examination holds DiMaio

Phil Noir: The Heart of the Spatter

Jurors get put on a strict science diet

Phil Noir: The Human Stain

How Spector left his mark on Lana Clarkson

Phil Noir: Like Watching Blood Dry

A slow trial suddenly goes ballistic

Phil Noir: The Tooth of Crime

A coroner gets examined and cross-examined

Phil Noir: Hassle in the Castle

The night the cops had Phil Spector by the short hairs

Phil Noir: Marlowe vs. CSI? The Tycoon of Teen’s Gun Problem — Muzzle Tov

The Phil Spector verdict is months away and Bruce Cutler’s wardrobe has not yet begun to fight.

Phil Noir: Accidental Suicide

Guns, slips and semiotics

Phil Noir: A Spectator at the Spector Trial

Tell it to the judge: Bruce Cutler's California adventure