Prosecutors did not present sufficient evidence to convict Phil Spector for the murder of B-movie actress Lana Clarkson, defense attorneys for the rock legend said on Friday.
”This case exemplifies reasonable doubt,” attorney Linda Kenney-Baden told the nine-man, three-woman jury, which is expected to begin deliberations on Monday.
Spector (67) known for his innovative recording technique and for his work with famed artists like The Beatles, Tina Turner and Cher, is on trial for the 2003 murder of Clarkson, the 40-year-old star of films such as Barbarian Queen and Amazon Woman on the Moon.
His defence has said Clarkson killed herself in Spector’s foyer, hours after the two met at a nightclub where Clarkson worked as a hostess.
The prosecution contends the 1960s music mogul put the gun in Clarkson’s face and either pulled the trigger or shot her by accident.
In its final rebuttal, prosecutors cited the testimony of Spector’s driver, Adriano DeSouza, who said Spector confessed to him the night of Clarkson’s death by saying: ”I think I killed somebody.”
Kenney-Baden said DeSouza does not speak English well and could have misunderstood what Spector was saying.
Earlier in the trial, prosecution witnesses testified that Spector had a history of brandishing guns at women after drinking.
The defence argued that events in the past have no bearing on what happened in the early morning hours of February 3 2003, when Clarkson died.
”We don’t convict people in this country because we don’t like them,” Kenney-Baden told the jury.
If convicted, Spector could face life in prison with the possibility of an additional 10 years for the use of a firearm. – Reuters