Phil Spector sports new "wig" to court...Jury selection begins

[Ireneparalegal]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Jury selection began on Monday in the murder trial of pioneering rock producer Phil Spector, who came to court in Los Angeles sporting a new blond, Beatles-style shag and smiling broadly as he made his way past photographers.

The trial gets under way more than four years after B-movie actress Lana Clarkson was killed at Spector's faux castle outside Los Angeles on February 3, 2003, and it promises to be the biggest celebrity court case since pop star

A smiling Spector, 67, arrived at court like one of the 1960s rock stars he made his name producing -- escorted by lawyers and beefy bodyguards. He was greeted by a throng of photographers, his once-wild hair newly styled into a blond moptop reminiscent of the Beatles.

Opening statements are still more than a month away, following a lengthy jury selection process in which Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler and the lawyers will pick 12 jurors from a pool of 300 people.

Spector, best known for his innovative "Wall of Sound" recording technique and work with The Beatles, The Ronettes, The Righteous Brothers, and Cher, left at the noon break and was not expected to return on Monday.

The judge has ruled that the trial can be broadcast live, making it the biggest celebrity case to be televised from Los Angeles since O.J. Simpson was acquitted of murder in 1995, bringing scorn on the city's legal system. Fifty news organizations asked for seats.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers both say Clarkson, 40-year-old star of such films as "Amazon Women on the Moon" and "Barbarian Queen," met Spector the night before her death while working as a waitress at a Sunset Strip rock club.

There is no dispute that the actress was killed early the next morning by a single shot from a .38-caliber revolver in the foyer of Spector's mansion, which was designed to resemble a castle.

But the two sides disagree on the fundamental question of who pulled the trigger: Prosecutors say it was Spector, who according to pre-trial hearings owned a dozen guns and had pulled them on women in the past.

Defense lawyers say Clarkson put the gun in her mouth and shot herself. It was not clear whether Spector, who has said he hates being in the public eye, would take the stand.

[Janice]

God, he's such a freak.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Janice

God, he's such a freak.

...and a MURDERER!!!!!

[catlover79]

He may have been a musical genius, but man, this guy is SCARY!!

[Jrnygrl]

No Stevie Wonder is a musical genius, Phil is just weird. So sad!

[Ireneparalegal]

I seen an interview where his former wife Ronnie Spector (The Ronettes) talked abt him keeping her prisoner in their own home, didn't allow her to have money, spend money, he abused her mentally and physically. Another Ike Turner basically.

Here is something that I found regarding other allegations...allegations I believe:

March 19, 2007 -- MORE nauseating stories of Phil Spector's alleged abuse toward women are emerging as the legendary music producer goes on trial today for the 2003 shotgun death of B-movie actress Lana Clarkson. Los Angeles magazine reports that in 1993 Spector smacked his houseguest, Joan Rivers' then-personal assistant Dorothy Melvin, in the head with a gun and told her "to get back in the house" and "take your [bleep]ing clothes off." When she begged him to stop, "he struck her again, rifled through her purse, threw her jacket and keys at her and ordered her out of the house. She ran to her car with Spector chasing after her, pumping a shotgun," the magazine says. Two years later, he showed up at the Carlyle Hotel room of New York photographer Stephanie Jennings, "barred her door and pointed a gun at her," according to Los Angeles. And in 1999, when Deborah Strand saw Spector flicking cigar ash on her boyfriend's dog at a Bel-Air Christmas party and told him to stop, "he whipped a gun out of his jacket, placed the muzzle on her cheek, and asked, 'How does this make you feel, bitch?' " Spector's lawyer, Bruce Cutler, told us that no charges were pressed in any of the cases and said, "We don't put any credence in what they say."

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I seen an interview where his former wife Ronnie Spector (The Ronettes) talked abt him keeping her prisoner in their own home, didn't allow her to have money, spend money, he abused her mentally and physically. Another Ike Turner basically.

Here is something that I found regarding other allegations...allegations I believe:

March 19, 2007 -- MORE nauseating stories of Phil Spector's alleged abuse toward women are emerging as the legendary music producer goes on trial today for the 2003 shotgun death of B-movie actress Lana Clarkson. Los Angeles magazine reports that in 1993 Spector smacked his houseguest, Joan Rivers' then-personal assistant Dorothy Melvin, in the head with a gun and told her "to get back in the house" and "take your [bleep]ing clothes off." When she begged him to stop, "he struck her again, rifled through her purse, threw her jacket and keys at her and ordered her out of the house. She ran to her car with Spector chasing after her, pumping a shotgun," the magazine says. Two years later, he showed up at the Carlyle Hotel room of New York photographer Stephanie Jennings, "barred her door and pointed a gun at her," according to Los Angeles. And in 1999, when Deborah Strand saw Spector flicking cigar ash on her boyfriend's dog at a Bel-Air Christmas party and told him to stop, "he whipped a gun out of his jacket, placed the muzzle on her cheek, and asked, 'How does this make you feel, bitch?' " Spector's lawyer, Bruce Cutler, told us that no charges were pressed in any of the cases and said, "We don't put any credence in what they say."

I also heard he kept guns in the recording studio to scare some of his artists/musicians when they weren't performing to his expectations.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by catlover79

I also heard he kept guns in the recording studio to scare some of his artists/musicians when they weren't performing to his expectations.

Wow, that's a new one. Geez, this guy is definitely PSYCHO! LOCK HIM UP LOCK HIM UP!!!!!

[AKA]

Originally Posted by Jrnygrl

No Stevie Wonder is a musical genius, Phil is just weird. So sad!

Phil Spector is also a musical genius. He single-handedly created the "wall of sound" style in the 1960s.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by catlover79

He may have been a musical genius, but man, this guy is SCARY!!

I agree, Phil WAS a musical genius....

[TJL]

Let's see...

Los Angeles Court
+ wealthy celebrity
+ top flight defense team who will do anything to win
+ 24 hour media circus
= why don't you just let Phil go right now?

[catlover79]

Just listen to "Be My Baby", "Walking In The Rain", "Da Do Run Run", "You've Lost That Loving Feelin'", "He's A Rebel", "To Know Him Is To Love Him", etc. Even today, 40-45 years after these songs were produced, people know still know these songs and they still hold up today. There's no denying Phil Spector had and knew musical talent. But even back then, he had a few screws loose. It's a very sad situation all around.

[ABlairican Pie]

Phil Spector and Hair Bear from the early 70's Hanna-Barbera cartoon
'Help!...It's the Hair Bear Bunch!'

[Brian Damage]

Originally Posted by ABlairican Pie

Phil Spector and Hair Bear from the early 70's Hanna-Barbera cartoon
'Help!...It's the Hair Bear Bunch!'

[Brian Damage]

Originally Posted by AKA

Phil Spector is also a musical genius. He single-handedly created the "wall of sound" style in the 1960s.

Lana Clarkson was a beautiful and talented actress. Unfortunately, she is unavailable for comment.