The murderer and musical genius: How Phil Spector killed actress – and why daughter is ‘trying to clear his name’

Published

2 years ago

January 8, 2023

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Two years after the death of music producer and convicted killer Phil Spector, a controversial bid to clear his name is understood to be under way.

Widely lauded as a musical genius for his work with the likes of The Righteous Brothers, Tina Turner and The Beatles, Spector spent his final years in prison after he was found guilty of murdering actress Lana Clarkson.

The 40-year-old was shot dead at Spector’s sprawling California mansion, known as the Pyrenees Castle, in February 2003, in an incident that sent shockwaves through Hollywood and beyond.

Spector – who died in prison aged 81 after contracting COVID – always maintained his innocence, claiming Clarkson had “kissed the gun” and shot herself at his property.

It is a version of events that the producer’s daughter still believes to be true, according to the directors of a new Sky documentary.

The four-part series delves into the lives of Spector and Clarkson and examines the notorious murder at his home.

Nicole Spector agreed to be interviewed for the programme, in which she claims her father was “easy prey” for prosecutors, and that evidence heard at his trial made it “immediately clear that he couldn’t have pulled the trigger”.

“She feels very strongly that Lana took her own life and she believes the forensic evidence supports that,” director Sheena Joyce tells Sky News.

“I don’t know that she will ever change her mind on that.”

Nicole remains “angry” and “devastated” that her father spent more than a decade behind bars for a crime she believes he didn’t commit, says Joyce.

And Spector’s daughter is “trying to get the Innocence Project (which works to clear people wrongly convicted of crimes) to get behind the case and exonerate her father”, according to the documentary maker.

Revisiting the evidence

During Spector’s first trial – which ended with a hung jury – and his subsequent retrial, when he was convicted of murder, defence lawyers had argued that there was “no physical evidence” that Spector pulled the trigger of the gun that killed Clarkson.

“There were no fingerprints found (on the gun). There was no DNA on the gun. He had no gunshot residue on him,” Spector’s trial lawyer Linda Kenney Baden tells the documentary. She also highlights the apparent lack of blood on the white jacket that Spector was wearing on the night of Clarkson’s death.

Don Argott, who directed the documentary with Joyce, says the pair “kept an open mind” about Spector’s conviction as they pored over transcripts, documents and video evidence shown at his trial.

But both filmmakers believe the jury’s verdict was correct at Spector’s retrial.

“I think it’s ludicrous to think (Lana Clarkson) walked into a stranger’s house, rooted around in (Spector’s) things, found a gun and shot herself in the face,” says Joyce.

“We did look at the forensic evidence and it does not exonerate Phil Spector.

“(Nicole’s) going to hold on what she needs to hold on to.

“For us, it’s very clear that Phil Spector did it.”

“I can’t change Nicole’s mind,” Argott adds.

“She has her truth and that is the thing she holds on to. It’s not for me to say it’s wrong or take away from it.

“I do think she does have a hard time reconciling the beautiful man her father was to her… with the portrayal of him as a murderer. She can’t get there.

“She is holding on to elements in the investigation that she thinks are the smoking gun that exonerate her father, and that’s where she’s at.”

The Innocence Project said it could not comment on whether it was involved in an attempt to exonerate Spector, while his daughter Nicole also declined to comment when approached by Sky News.

‘B-movie actress’ label

As well as exploring the murder itself, the documentary looks at the media coverage at the time of Clarkson’s death which repeatedly referred to her as a “B-movie actress”.

She had a string of film and television credits, appearing in cult 1980s movie Fast Times At Ridgemont High and opposite David Hasselhoff in Knight Rider.

When she met Spector for the first time on the night she was killed, Clarkson was working as a hostess at the House of Blues club on Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip.

Joyce says the description of Clarkson as a “B-movie actress” was “shorthand for disposable”.

“Putting a moniker like ‘B-movie actress’ before her name somehow suggests she was desperate, she had it coming, she was asking for it,” the director says.

“It’s a very quick way to paint a narrative about someone.

“It was important for us to make sure that Lana was not just a footnote in the Phil Spector story.

“We wanted her to be a fully fleshed out character.”

Clarkson’s mother Donna is interviewed in the documentary but Joyce admits she had “quite a few reservations” about taking part.

“It’s hard sometimes for people to see the upside of participating in something like this,” she says.

“They’re talking about the most painful thing that has happened to them.

“And they’re setting themselves up for disappointment and ridicule. It’s ripping open old wounds.

“It was important for us that she understood that we really wanted to flesh (Lana) out as a real character and not a footnote in the Phil Spector story.

“It took some convincing but eventually she trusted us and I do feel we did right by her.”

How Phil Spector was convicted of Lana Clarkson’s murder

Phil Spector met a friend for dinner in Los Angeles on the evening of 2 February 2003 where multiple witnesses reported he was drinking heavily.
Later that evening, he took a waitress to the House of Blues on LA’s Sunset Strip where he was introduced to actress Lana Clarkson, who was working as a hostess at the venue.
Spector invited Clarkson to his mansion in Alhambra, California, and the pair were driven there by his driver Adriano De Souza.
In the early hours of 3 February 2003, Mr De Souza said he heard a noise from inside Spector’s property and the producer opened the door with a gun in his hand and said: ‘I think my boss killed somebody.’
Police officers arrived and found Ms Clarkson’s dead body slumped in a chair with a single gunshot wound to her mouth.
Spector was arrested and initially told police ‘the gun went off accidentally’, before later saying Ms Clarkson had killed herself.
Spector’s televised trial began in March 2007 but the jury failed to agree a unanimous verdict.
A retrial – which was not televised – began in October 2008 which resulted in Spector being convicted of murder. He was jailed in May 2009 for at least 19 years.

‘Musical genius’ who committed ‘heinous crime’

Some of the media coverage around Spector’s death was criticised at the time, with the BBC apologising for a headline which described the convicted killer as “talented but flawed”.

Joyce says “a lot of people are probably upset with us that we acknowledge his musical genius” in the documentary.

“He was a murderer, he did a heinous crime. He abused women for decades. That is absolutely true,” the director says.

“He was also a musical genius. One does not negate the other, but you can’t really reconcile the two.”

Spector was just 17 years old when he had a top 10 hit in the US, performing with the Teddy Bears on their song To Know Him Is To Love Him.

However he was best known for his role as a producer, working with some of the biggest stars in music and creating his “wall of sound” recording technique, with its dense, layered effect.

A millionaire by the time he was 21, Spector produced hits for the likes of Ike and Tina Turner, The Ronettes, The Righteous Brothers, Cher, Bruce Springsteen and The Beatles, producing the band’s final album Let It Be. He also worked with John Lennon on Imagine.

The 1965 song You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’, which Spector co-wrote, is listed as the record with the most US airplay in the 20th century.

Asked whether it’s possible to listen to Spector’s music now without thinking of his murder, Joyce says: “It’s a hard question – how do you separate the art from the artist?

“Can you separate the art from the artist? It’s not a question we have a clear answer for. Everyone’s line is different.

“I think it’s easier for people to still listen to the music of Phil Spector because he wasn’t the singer – he was the man behind the scenes.

“I can’t imagine Christmas without his Christmas album.

“That being said, while he was a genius music producer, he abused women and murdered someone and you can’t separate that.

“There’s no clear answer and I think everyone has their own line.

“Do we not watch Harvey Weinstein-produced films because of the monster he is? Everyone’s line is going to be a different.”

Spector is available to watch on Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW.

Entertainment

Glastonbury 2025 line-up revealed

Published

5 hours ago

March 6, 2025

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The 1975 and Olivia Rodrigo will be among the stars headlining Glastonbury Festival this year, it has been announced.

Glastonbury organisers have revealed the line-up for this summer’s event, taking place between 25 June and 29 June, after months of speculation.

The 1975 will take to the iconic Pyramid Stage on the Friday to headline, then Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young will perform on Saturday and Olivia Rodrigo on the Sunday.

Other big names performing include British pop sensation Charli XCX, rapper Loyle Carner electronic group The Prodigy.

The announcement comes after Sir Rod Stewart was booked for the Sunday teatime legend slot and Young was confirmed as a headliner earlier this year.

Young’s announcement in January came amid some confusion, as he had days before told fans he was pulling out of the festival because the BBC’s involvement was a “corporate turn-off”.

The Canadian singer-songwriter later said this decision was down to “an error in the information I received”.

The 1975 will be headlining for the first time, having made their Glastonbury debut in 2014.

The Cheshire band, known for hits such as Somebody Else and Chocolate, have regularly made headlines due to the antics of frontman Matty Healy.

Glastonbury, which takes place at Worthy Farm in Somerset in the summer, has worked closely with the BBC – its exclusive broadcast partner – since 1997.

Appetite for the esteemed festival saw standard tickets sell out in 35 minutes in November.

They cost £373.50 plus a £5 booking fee, up £18.50 from the price from the 2024 festival, and were sold exclusively through the See Tickets website.

The date for the resale – where tickets not fully paid for are put back up for purchase – is set for some time in spring.

The headliners last summer on the iconic Pyramid Stage were Dua Lipa, SZA and Coldplay, who made history as the first act to headline the festival five times.

2026 is likely to be a year off for Glastonbury, with the festival traditionally taking place four out of every five years, and the fifth year reserved for rehabilitation of the land.

Entertainment

Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX BRIT Awards appearances spark hundreds of Ofcom complaints

Published

21 hours ago

March 5, 2025

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Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX BRIT Awards appearances spark hundreds of Ofcom complaints

Ofcom received 825 complaints over the Brit Awards, with the majority relating to Sabrina Carpenter’s raunchy performance and Charli XCX’s outfit, the media watchdog says.

US pop star Carpenter, 25, sported a red sparkly military-style blazer dress for her performance at the awards show on Saturday night, paired with stockings and suspenders for a rendition of Espresso.

The song was mixed with a Rule Britannia mash-up, as dancers in military parade dress followed her.

She then switched to a red sparkly bra and shorts for her next song, Bad Chem, which she performed alongside dancers in bras and shorts while sitting suggestively on a large bed.

Carpenter later received the global success award at the ceremony, and was also nominated in the international artist and international song of the year categories.

But much of the buzz on social media surrounded her performance, which took place before the 9pm watershed.

Ofcom said some of the complaints were also aimed at British pop sensation Charli XCX, who dominated the night by winning five awards, including album of the year.

Some viewers took issue with her outfit – a black see-through dress.

The singer addressed the concerns during her acceptance speech for artist of the year, saying: “I heard that ITV were complaining about my nipples. I feel like we’re in the era of ‘free the nipple’ though, right?”

Carpenter paid tribute to the UK in her acceptance speech, saying: “The Brits have given me this award, and this feels like such an insane honour in a very primarily tea-drinking country… you really understood my dry sense of humour because your sense of humour is so, so dry. So I love y’all more than you even understand.”

Entertainment

Why is Noel Clarke suing The Guardian?

Published

1 day ago

March 5, 2025

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Actor Noel Clarke begins his High Court libel case against The Guardian’s publisher today.

Clarke, 49, is suing Guardian News and Media (GNM) over a series of articles it published about him in April 2021.

They were based on the claims of 20 women Clarke knew “in a professional capacity” who allege his behaviour towards them amounted to sexual misconduct.

Clarke, known for his roles in the Kidulthood trilogy and Dr Who, “vehemently” denies “any sexual misconduct or wrongdoing”.

What will the trial cover?

Clarke is suing GNM for libel, sometimes also referred to as defamation.

It’s a civil tort – not a criminal offence – defined as false written statements that have damaged the person’s reputation. This means Clarke can seek redress or damages but no one will face charges or prison.

Clarke claims the articles The Guardian published in 2021 altered public opinion of him, damaged his reputation, and lost him work.

He said after the allegations emerged: “In a 20-year career, I have put inclusivity and diversity at the forefront of my work and never had a complaint made against me.

“If anyone who has worked with me has ever felt uncomfortable or disrespected, I sincerely apologise. I vehemently deny any sexual misconduct or wrongdoing and intend to defend myself against these false allegations.”

The Guardian is defending the claim on the basis of truth and public interest.

It said in its statement: “Our reporting on Noel Clarke in 2021 was based on the accounts of 20 brave women. After we published our first article, more women came forward.

“At trial, 32 witnesses are set to testify against Mr Clarke under oath. We look forward to a judge hearing the evidence.”

The trial will only focus on liability – not the amount of damages to be paid if Clarke is successful.

The actor tried and failed to get the case struck out in January, with his legal team saying it had “overwhelming evidence” of “perversion of the course of justice”.

His lawyers told the High Court three of the journalists involved in the articles had “deliberately and permanently” deleted messages, which meant he could not get a fair trial.

Lawyers for GNM told the court there was “no adequate evidential basis” for Clarke’s application for a strike out and said it sought “to smear Guardian journalists and editors without any proper justification”.

The trial, which will be presided over by judge Mrs Justice Steyn, is expected to last between four and six weeks.

What has happened since the articles were published?

A month before the articles about him were published in April 2021, Clarke received BAFTA’s outstanding contribution to British cinema award.

However, once the allegations against him emerged, he was suspended by the organisation and the prize rescinded.

His management and production company 42M&P told Sky News they were no longer representing him and Sky cancelled its TV show Bulletproof, starring Clarke and Top Boy actor Ashley Walters as the lead roles.

ITV also decided to pull the finale of another of his dramas, Viewpoint, following the Guardian articles.

The Met Police looked into the allegations against Clarke for any potential criminal wrongdoing, but in March 2022 announced they “did not meet the threshold for criminal investigation”.

Clarke filed the libel claim the following month and has attended several of the preliminary hearings in person.

He says he has faced a “trial by media” – and that the ordeal has left him suicidal and in need of professional help.

‘Rising star’

Clarke made his TV debut in a revived version of Auf Wiedersehen Pet in 2002.

Soon after he played Mickey Smith in Dr Who and Kwame in the six-part Channel 4 series Metrosexuality.

He wrote and starred in the film trilogy Kidulthood, Adulthood, and Brotherhood, which were based in west London, where he grew up, and explored the lives of a group of teenagers given time off school after a bullied classmate takes their own life.

It was a box office success and eventually saw Clarke given BAFTA’s rising star prize in 2009.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.