The strange defense of Phil Spector: He's scary

Since his murder retrial began a month ago, Phil Spector has heard himself described as a gun-obsessed boor with a mouth filthier than a truck stop restroom and mood swings as sharp and scary as a dagger.

Surprisingly, this ugly portrait came courtesy not of prosecutors -- although they've offered their own unflattering character sketch -- but from the legendary music producer's own lawyer. In a strategic change from his first trial, which ended in a hung jury last year, the defense has acknowledged abusive, dangerous and unstable behavior by Spector and even provided jurors with details of such episodes.

The approach, his lawyer says, is the only way to combat what the defense considers the most damning evidence against Spector in the fatal 2003 shooting of actress Lana Clarkson: the testimony of five women who say he terrorized them with guns under similar circumstances.

"The alternative is allowing the jury to believe Mr. Spector hates women and women only," his lawyer, Doron Weinberg, told an L.A. County Superior Court judge in November.

Read the rest of the story here.

--Harriet Ryan

Photo: Spector appears for a September '05 hearing. Nick Ut/Associated Press.

Comments

[rose]

this man is crazy and should be found guilty he did kill her and try to clean it up anyone can she that he just plays with peoples heads and gets away with it get it over with fry him and be done

[MIchael in Merced]

"rose" - gee what an intelligent and well-articulated view. How do you come by this knowledge oh wise one?

That's the problem with these Internet news site blogs: no one has to take any responsibility for the stupid things they write.

[sandra]

i agree with rose. this man at best has a split personality. i hope justice is served

[JC]

Rose is right on. This dark personality told his driver that he thought he
just . . knocked someone off. And the women in the first trial that told how
he threatened and abused them at the point of a gun.

I guess we make excuses for this Jerk because he has an oily fat check book
and the victim that violently lost her life was a woman and . . a decent human
being that didn't deserve to be brutally murdered.

[Jim]

Seems like the man had everything. money, fame talent, a beautiful wife, the Beatles on speed dial. But he may go to prison because of greed and paranoia.

A tragic end.

[rpj22]

So the fact that he is a belligerent bully to both men and women is supposed to make it less plausible that he finally killed someone?

[Sebastian Tunch]

If get away with it, that'll be it for my faith in humanity.

[Marjorie in Ft.Worth]

Phil Spector has anger management issues. It is part of who he is. He has been under psychiatric care for years. He admits to taking medication for depression,he obviously drinks with his meds. All that, and add guns in to the equation and it could make for tragic circumstances easily. He lost control. I think he did it, maybe not on purpose, but he did it. I think he was smashed on booze and pills, got angry when Lana wanted to spit. He lost control of the situation and now he needs to pay the price. It does not matter if the victim is male or female. This is about a short little old man with a huge ego and mental issues who abuses alcohol and pharmaceuticals. He killed someone while being smashed. I know what I think he deserves. Don't do the crime if you don't want to do the time. Phil's money matters or he would have been in prison years ago. Let's get on with it , shall we? Of course, I am from Texas and our prison system is tough. Phil, if convicted in my state could have ended up on death row. I wonder what he would order for his last meal...

[liz]

hey give phil a break, he is not guilty that lana clarkson was clearly a gold digger and a loser. take it easy leave him a lone clearly he needs some peace in these stressful times he is currently undergoing.

[ELLEN]

OH PLEASE, WE ALL KNOW CELEBRITIES GET SPECIAL TREATMENT. LOOK AT OJ. BESIDES, IN CALIFORNIA YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH MURDER, JUST DON'T LIGHT THAT CIGARETTE.