Phil Spector

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At 16, Singer Launched Ronettes With 'Be My Baby'
At 16, Singer
Launched
Ronettes With
'Be My Baby'
obituary
Jan 12, 2022 7:30 PM CST

At 16, Singer Launched Ronettes With 'Be My Baby'

Ronnie Spector was 'the voice of a million teenage dreams'

(Newser) - Ronnie Spector, who led the Ronettes to pop stardom in the 1960s with a series of hits including "Be My Baby," died Wednesday. She was 78 and had cancer, her family said. "Her joyful sound, playful nature, and magical presence will live on in all who knew,...

Murderer Phil Spector's Defense Argument Debunked
Researchers Debunk
Phil Spector's Defense
new STUDY
Jul 3, 2021 12:25 PM CDT

Researchers Debunk Phil Spector's Defense

His lawyers claimed lack of blood spatter proved his innocence, but new studies cast doubt

(Newser) - Crime shows make blood-spatter analysis look foolproof, as easy as seeing flecks of blood and knowing from which direction an assailant fired a gun. But the reality is far trickier , as new research inspired by the 2003 murder of actor Lana Clarkson shows. The late music producer Phil Spector was...

BBC Apologizes for Headline on Phil Spector Story

Referred to him 'talented but flawed,' with no reference to murder conviction

(Newser) - The BBC has apologized for a headline it posted about the death of Phil Spector. When news broke of Spector's death over the weekend, the news organization quickly posted a headline that read, "Talented but flawed producer Phil Spector dies aged 81." However, complaints soon followed, with...

Famed Music Producer Ended Life an Inmate
Famed Music Producer
Phil Spector Dies an Inmate
obituary
Jan 17, 2021 11:00 AM CST

Famed Music Producer Phil Spector Dies an Inmate

Spector built the Wall of Sound before being convicted of killing actress

(Newser) - Phil Spector, the groundbreaking music producer who developed the Wall of Sound in the early 1960s and was convicted of second-degree murder in 2009, has died. Spector had been hospitalized with COVID-19 a month ago, then improved enough to be taken back to a California prison, TMZ reports. He was...

Phil Spector Has New Look in Latest Mugshot

Rock producer turned 80 in prison this week

(Newser) - Phil Spector, legendary music producer and convicted murderer, turned 80 on Thursday—and he is almost unrecognizable in a new California Department of Corrections mugshot, CNN reports. The bizarre wigs—and the haunted look—he sported during his two trials for the murder of Lana Clarkson are gone. Instead, Spector...

New Photos Reveal Prison's Toll on Phil Spector

Music producer shifted to facility for sick inmates

(Newser) - Two newly released photos of Phil Spector show the toll of age and prison on the once flamboyant music legend. The most recent photo shows a bald, somber-looking 73-year-old Spector staring straight into the camera on Oct. 28, 2013. An earlier photo of a smiling Spector is dated July 24,...

Writer Dominick Dunne Dead at 83
 Writer Dominick 
 Dunne Dead at 83 
OBITUARY
Aug 26, 2009 7:08 PM CDT

Writer Dominick Dunne Dead at 83

(Newser) - Dominick Dunne, the best-selling author who covered some of the past two decades’ highest-profile trials for Vanity Fair, died today at 83; his son, actor Griffin Dunne, told the magazine bladder cancer was the cause. Dominick Dunne served in World War II and produced TV shows and feature films before...

Charles Manson Reaches Out to Spector in Prison

(Newser) - Charles Mason has reached out to former music producer Phil Spector, sending the actress-killer fan mail in the California prison they now share, reports the New York Post. Manson, a mediocre musician before he turned cult leader, sent Spector a note via a guard that he wanted to meet and...

Phil Spector, Unveiled
 Phil Spector, Unveiled 
Jun 10, 2009 9:26 PM CDT

Phil Spector, Unveiled

(Newser) - What a difference a wig—or lack of one—makes. California released the prison mug shot of Phil Spector today, revealing him to be a rather ordinary looking bald guy, the Daily News reports. The renowned music producer, always seen in public (and court) with a very full head of...

Wife Breaks Silence on Spector

Rachelle says she's not a trophy wife

(Newser) - She was muzzled by a court order during her husband’s trial, but now that Phil Spector has been convicted of murder, Rachelle Spector is free to talk to the media. The 28-year-old tells the Los Angeles Times she’s no trophy wife—“I don't take anything from my...

Spector Sentenced to 19 Years to Life

(Newser) - A Los Angeles judge today sentenced Phil Spector to 19 years to life in prison in the 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson. The legendary music producer, whose first trial in the case ended in a mistrial, plans to appeal, KTLA-TV reports. Spector, 69, listened impassively as he drew...

Spector's Kid Seems as Crazy as Spector

Memoir pitch reveals sordid details about dad's 'lady' friend

(Newser) - Phil Spector’s son had as interesting an upbringing as one might imagine. In his memoir proposal, the Post reports, Louis Spector recalls a night involving “a bottle of wine, a Playboy magazine," and one of dad’s “lady” friends: “That night I lost my innocence,...

Jurors' Rapport Swung Spector Conviction: Lawyers
Jurors' Rapport Swung Spector Conviction: Lawyers
analysis
Apr 15, 2009 10:20 AM CDT

Jurors' Rapport Swung Spector Conviction: Lawyers

Lack of 'persnickety' people helped retrial avoid second deadlock

(Newser) - Twelve agreeable jurors made all the difference between Phil Spector's two murder trials, lawyers from both sides tell the Los Angeles Times. The jurors who this week voted unanimously to convict heard the same evidence as the jury that deadlocked in 2007, prosecutors and the music legend's lawyer say, but...

Spector Guilty of 2nd-Degree Murder

(Newser) - A Los Angeles jury today convicted eccentric music producer Phil Spector of second-degree murder in the death of actress Lana Clarkson, the Los Angeles Times reports. Spector, 69, faces at least 18 years in prison for killing 40-year-old Clarkson, who was found with a gunshot wound to the mouth in...

Closing Arguments Begin in Spector Retrial

Music producer could get lesser manslaughter charge

(Newser) - Attorneys begin closing arguments today in the second murder trial of music producer Phil Spector—proceedings which drew little attention after a media frenzy surrounding the first, which ended with a hung jury, the AP reports. Spector, 69, faces a second-degree charge in the 2003 death of actress Lana Clarkson,...

I Like Ike, Says Spector, But I Hate His Enemies

Eulogy takes aim at Tina, Oprah, others

(Newser) - Phil Spector gave an impromptu and rambling—but highly entertaining—eulogy at pal Ike Turner's funeral in which he took potshots at Tina, Oprah, Whoopi, and even Eric Clapton, Fox News reports. Spector glorified Turner—“Ike could play circles around Eric Clapton and Eric knew it”—and vilified...

Spector Still Wants His $1M Back
Spector Still Wants His
$1M Back
Dec 20, 2007 4:03 PM CST

Spector Still Wants His $1M Back

Facing murder trial No. 2, producer sues attorney No. 1

(Newser) - As the state of California cranks up a second murder trial for Phil Spector, the producer is suing his first attorney for the $1-million non-refundable retainer he paid after his 2003 arrest in the death of actress Lana Clarkson. Spector claims that Robert Shapiro conned him into handing over the...

Spector's Cash His Best Defense
Spector's Cash His Best Defense
Sep 27, 2007 1:22 PM CDT

Spector's Cash His Best Defense

It was money, not celebrity, that aided the producer’s case

(Newser) - Phil Spector’s money mattered more than his celebrity in convincing two jurors of his innocence in this week’s mistrial on second-degree murder charges. Several jurors had never heard of the record producer—so it was his ability to hire a pricey team of lawyers, forensic experts, and private...

Spector Walks After Mistrial
Spector Walks After Mistrial
Sep 26, 2007 7:00 PM CDT

Spector Walks After Mistrial

Judge declares mistrial as 2 jurors hold out against majority

(Newser) - Jurors announced a 10 to 2 deadlock in the Phil Spector trial today after more than 2 weeks of deliberations, sparking the judge to declare a mistrial. The jury was split more evenly a week ago, and did not reveal the position of its 2 holdouts. As Spector went home,...

Spector Judge Threatened in Myspace Post

Police probe message as jury deliberates in murder trial

(Newser) - Police are investigating a Myspace web posting which contained an implied threat to the judge in the murder trial of comedian Phil Spector, reports the Los Angeles Times. "The evil judge should die" read the post on a page credited to "Official Team Spector."  The message...

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