The Phil Spector Trial: We Watch Court TV So You Don't Have To (06/19)

WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY In the first half of the day, we heard more ballistics evidence, including an in-depth look at gunshot residue procedure. At this point, the defense's claim that Lana Clarkson committed suicide has been deemed "preposterous" by Court TV analysts. After a brief intermission where Judge Filder threw out a mistrial request, Spector's former lawyer Sara Caplan took the stand regarding her role in an evidence-theft allegation. To every question, Caplan sobbed the phrase "I cannot answer the question in light of the constitutional and ethical principles I have previously cited" and found herself in contempt. She was ordered to prison starting this Friday. After leaving the stand, Spector was seen nodding appreciatively to Caplan, who bit a major bullet for her ex-client.

IS THIS GOOD OR BAD FOR SPECTOR Good. Caplan is saving Spector from some potentially incendiary testimony. Also, the prosecution taught the jury words like "recoil" and "muzzle flip," but it's all been "overkill."

HAIR & WARDROBE UPDATE Spector and a tie officially celebrated their one-week anniversary, as Phil donned a black pinstripe suit, cerulean shirt, and mustard tie/handkerchief combo.

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Song Stories

“Help Me”

Joni Mitchell | 1974

Joni Mitchell wrote and recorded this song for her album Court and Spark, but she had to switch from her regular band to make the song sound exactly the way she wanted. "I had attempted to play my music with rock & roll players," she told Rolling Stone. "They’d laugh, 'Awww, isn't that cute? She's trying to teach us how to play.'" Mitchell switched to a jazz band, Tom Scott’s L.A. Express, and scored the biggest hit of her career in the process.

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