For a second time, the fate of legendary music producer Phil Spector is in the hands of a Los Angeles County jury today. The jury got the case yesterday after closing arguments wrapped up. The 12 jurors will decide if Spector murdered 40-year-old actress Lana Clarkson.
The cult film actress was found shot to death in the foyer of Spector’s Alhambra mansion in 2003. During the nearly five months of testimony in the retrial, the prosecution tried to prove an enraged Spector killed Clarkson when she tried to leave his place. Defense attorneys countered by claiming the evidence doesn’t support that finding and therefore, Spector should be acquitted.
The jury, made up of six men and six women, will consider second-degree murder, which carries a prison term of at least 15 years or a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter with a penalty of two-to-four years behind bars.
In 2007, Spector first murder trial end in a mistrial, after the jury deadlocked 10-to-2 for conviction.