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Phil Spector Sentenced To 19 Years To Life In Prison

5/29/09, 2:44 pm EST

After being found guilty at his second trial for the February 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson, legendary producer Phil Spector was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison today by Judge Larry Fidler, the Los Angeles Times reports. The conviction carried a minimum 15 years-to-life sentence, plus an additional four years for criminal use of a firearm. The 69-year-old producer, who sat stone-faced and unblinking as the sentence was read, also won’t be eligible for parole until he’s 88. For Spector, the Clarkson family and the Los Angeles District Attorney Office, the sentencing marked the end of a legal drama that stretched six years and two trials.

(The Rise & Fall of Phil Spector: Photos from his famed studio sessions.)

In addition to the prison sentence, Spector was also ordered to pay the Clarkson family $17,000 to cover Lana’s funeral expenses, with Spector’s lawyer Doron Weinberg handing the check to Donna Clarkson, Lana’s mother. “All of our plans together are destroyed,” Donna Clarkson said in a statement on behalf of the family. “Now, I can only visit her at the cemetery.”

Spector was also denied a request for a new trial by Judge Fidler, though Weinberg told reporters after the sentencing that his client would once again file an appeal. Spector’s wife Rachelle, who often butted heads with Judge Fidler during the first murder trial, said of her husband after the sentencing, “Obviously, he’s not very happy. I’m going to stand by him and get him out of that awful place so he can come home where he belongs.”

After a hung jury and a mistrial marked the end of Spector’s first murder trial in September 2007, the second trial resulted in Spector being found guilty of second-degree murder in April 2009. Spector was immediately taken into custody as he awaited today’s sentencing. Spector, the mastermind behind the famed “Wall of Sound” recording technique heard on the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby,” was the producer for such classic albums as the Beatles’ Let It Be, John Lennon’s Imagine, George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass and the Ramones’ End of the Century, as well as countless chart-topping singles.

Spector, who also had a sordid history of threatening lovers and musical colleagues with firearms, took actress Lana Clarkson, who was working as a hostess at L.A.’s House of Blues, back to his home on the night of February 3rd, 2003. Clarkson was killed that night of a gunshot wound to the head, and while Spector supposedly told his chauffeur “I think I killed somebody” immediately after the shooting, the producer claimed his innocence while pleading not guilty to murder charges. Spector’s defense team argued that Clarkson was depressed about her struggling career and used Spector’s gun to kill herself. However, the prosecution found enough evidence to convince the jury that Spector was guilty of the murder of Clarkson.

Related Stories:

Phil Spector Photo Gallery
Phil Spector Found Guilty In Murder Retrial, Faces At Least 18 Years In Prison
Rock Daily’s Full Phil Spector Trial Coverage


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Comments

Anonymous | 5/29/2009, 2:57 pm EST

The only ‘Wall Of Sound’ Phil Spector will be making now, will be from the screams of pain at his daily butt rape.

Rock Singer | 5/29/2009, 2:58 pm EST

Is it to late to start dating his wife !!

Annie | 5/29/2009, 3:04 pm EST

Thank God!

bruce merson | 5/29/2009, 3:06 pm EST

phil you still are a great producer to bad you screwed your life up

Pragmatic | 5/29/2009, 4:09 pm EST

Good. That slime ball deserves it.

A Friend | 5/29/2009, 4:43 pm EST

Rest in peace, Lana.

Joe | 5/29/2009, 5:04 pm EST

His recordings sounded awful. I hope music writers eventually stop praising his producing “talent”.

x | 5/29/2009, 5:36 pm EST

Too bad it couldn’t have been a crap producer that was sent to prison. I’d like to see Timbaland or that guy who produced Korn behind bars for what they’ve done to the music industry.

lanas ghost | 5/29/2009, 6:48 pm EST

dont drop the soap phil…..

lanas ghost | 5/29/2009, 6:48 pm EST

dont drop the soap phil…..

lanas ghost | 5/29/2009, 6:49 pm EST

dont drop the soap phil…..

OHKNOWUDIDNT | 5/29/2009, 7:26 pm EST

Dont yall be hatin on my boy Phil! I don’t believe what all these haters got to say. I am just waitin on the video of him playin bingo with ringo to tell us hes no monster and to cop his next album.

iLly | 5/29/2009, 8:06 pm EST

Anonymous rules.

Rip | 5/29/2009, 11:11 pm EST

Creepy, creepy, Phil. I wonder if the other inmates will like him without his wigs?

auramac | 5/30/2009, 3:25 am EST

He produced some of the greatest records in history. Innocent or guilty, they still are. You’d think he pulled the trigger- but he should’ve been splattered with blood. She may not have committed suicide but then again, he might not have pulled the trigger. I think she thought he had a fake gun, and pretended to shoot herself. No suicide, no murder. Thy were both plastered.. and he was in shock.

auramac | 5/30/2009, 3:25 am EST

He produced some of the greatest records in history. Innocent or guilty, they still are. You’d think he pulled the trigger- but he should’ve been splattered with blood. She may not have committed suicide but then again, he might not have pulled the trigger. I think she thought he had a fake gun, and pretended to shoot herself. No suicide, no murder. They were both plastered.. and he was in shock.

deano | 5/30/2009, 7:53 am EST

Die in jail, you rotten SOB.

Edward La Brecque | 5/30/2009, 2:04 pm EST

Spector belongs on Fairfax High School’s Wall of Shame.

Edward La Brecque | 5/30/2009, 2:04 pm EST

Spector belongs on Fairfax High School’s Wall of Shame.

Schaepkens | 5/30/2009, 4:19 pm EST

What a creep

dave.hitplay | 5/30/2009, 4:46 pm EST

i feel sad. he helped created the sound that was rock n roll and now the “crazies” have taken over

wolf | 5/30/2009, 5:25 pm EST

bye wall of sound

Unknown Producer | 5/30/2009, 11:13 pm EST

The creep deserves everything he gets in prison,sure he created that crappy “Wall Of Sound” but that really messed alot of songs up,and the creation of the Wall Of Sound was an accident anyway.

rockfan1a | 5/31/2009, 4:16 am EST

You all were probably too young to have been around when Phil Spector did his thing. He helped create rock, which has morphed into what you listen to today. His music may not be relevant to your generation but it was a major step for mine. Respect the past. Someday when you are old, a young snot nose like you will tell you how your artists ruined what was rock. And you won’t agree or like it very much. So just back off and acknowledge his contribution at the time.

dixie13 | 5/31/2009, 1:48 pm EST

He killed her on purpose and he deserves to die in prison

Anonymous | 5/31/2009, 4:52 pm EST

Just another fitting ending for a rich, mentally unstable misfit. “To bad some one had to die in the process….”

BGinTX | 5/31/2009, 5:26 pm EST

“Oh, but Phil did this; and Phil did that.” Blah…Blah..Blah! Why should a persons past accomplishments (way past) change the dynamics of a murder trail? It should’nt. Period. How many us everyday slob’s would get 3 shots at being found ‘not guilty’ under the same circumstances? Bye Phil and GOOD LUCK.

Anonymous | 5/31/2009, 5:37 pm EST

“Oh, but Phil did this; and Phil did that.” Blah…Blah..Blah! Why should a persons past accomplishments, (way past) change the dynamics of a murder trail? It should’nt. Period. How many of us everyday slob’s would get 3 shots at being found ‘not guilty’ under the same circumstances? Bye Phil and GOOD LUCK!.

Nathan | 5/31/2009, 10:58 pm EST

When all is said and done, Spector’s achievements in music will far outweigh the death of some dumb broad.

Ray | 6/1/2009, 2:24 am EST

Nathan, how nice of you to place Spector’s musical accomplishments above the life of a human being. Get a clue!

Ray | 6/1/2009, 2:26 am EST

auramac, for your next trick, please find the “real killers” in the Simpson/Goldman murders.

Ray | 6/1/2009, 2:29 am EST

rockfan1a, I not only was around during Spector’s period of creating great rock music, I have spent my entire life as a radio broascaster playing those songs. Great as he was, that doesn’t excuse him for his violent behavior (long before the Clarkson murder) and it certainly doesn’t earn him a pass for taking the life of another person. Music is music but life is a gift not to be taken away by anyone.

Nathan | 6/1/2009, 3:11 am EST

Human beings are a dime a dozen and 20 for a quarter in Mexico, good songs are a rare breed indeed.

country | 6/1/2009, 9:27 am EST

It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy, who gives me the creeps

ronnie spector | 6/1/2009, 9:44 am EST

that man’s a piece of doo doo and he will fry in that jail.
muthafu!!a

Grown up | 6/1/2009, 2:01 pm EST

I don’t give a shit if he found the cure for cancer. He killed that woman in cold blood and should be jailed for the rest of his life.

Creating a particular style of music doesn’t excuse shit.

Paul English, Dublin, Ireland | 6/1/2009, 4:53 pm EST

Most of the comments posted here show an appalling lack of Christian charity to Spector. Only God, Phil and Lana know what happened. She is dead. Lord rest her soul. If he did it, he must of course be punished. But your correspondents show great hated and little more. It reflects badly on a great nation. Life is not simple folks, you have a lot to learn.

Concerned Parent | 6/1/2009, 5:39 pm EST

Here we have another example of what all this gangster rap and violence on TV can lead to. I bet if you go back to the night in question, if they had been playing some wholesome music then this would have never happened. When you listen to that snoop deputy dog crap and play violent video games like grand theft turismo, then this is what you get. Tragedy, lord a mercy.

Edward La Brecque | 6/2/2009, 12:59 am EST

Lindbergh flew his way to fame, Joe Louis fought his way to fame,and Phil Spector shot his way to fame. A short, bald guy with a lisp. What a man. Bubba awaits you, Phil. Just don’t put your shorts on backwards.

Yep | 6/2/2009, 10:20 pm EST

Phil Dont Play That

James | 6/3/2009, 1:49 am EST

One commentator rightly claimed many of us are not showing Christian charity to Spector. True, but I’m not christian and I can’t feel anything but hatred for murderers. Spector is obviously guilty. Good to see justice being done.

dlt | 6/3/2009, 7:37 am EST

Phil Spector always was the classic geek. He was always scared, not real secure. Ask Ronnie Spector. Ask Yoko Ono, since you can’t ask John Lennon. Phil Spector thought he was Jerry Lee Lewis, ordering Chuck Berry to the back of the bus.

Jailhouse rock now for Spector, if he’s lucky. Sure, he made some great wreck-kids.

Beware, all you righteous Second Ammendment types

Charles Carreon | 11/1/2009, 2:43 am EST

Spector was a bully who threatened people with guns during his whole life. Someone should have done an intervention long ago, but instead he terrorized a long line of people, including the Ramones. Although I heard Marky now denies it, that was part of the story for so long, everyone believed it was true. That’s one of the big problems with Hollywood — the enabling environment allows monsters to grow — sometimes they kill others — sometimes they kill themselves, like Michael Jackson. There’s a guy who didn’t have one true friend, and Phil Spector obviously didn’t have one, either.

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