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

Police investigating historical sex offence allegations against Russell Brand understood to have handed file to CPS

Published

3 hours ago

November 2, 2024

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Police investigating historical sex offence allegations against Russell Brand have handed a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), it is understood.

A statement from the Metropolitan Police said: “Following an investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches and The Sunday Times in September 2023, the Met received a number of reports of sexual offences from women in London and elsewhere in the country.

“A file of evidence has now been passed to the CPS for their consideration.

“As part of the investigation, a man in his 40s has been interviewed by officers under caution on three separate occasions.

“These interviews related to a number of non-recent sexual offences which are alleged to have taken place both in and outside of London.

“Officers continue to support the CPS as part of their investigation.”

Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, whose team is leading the investigation, said: “We have a team of dedicated officers providing specialist support to the women who have come forward.

“We are committed to investigating sexual offences, no matter how long ago they are alleged to have taken place.”

Brand has denied the allegations against him and said his relationships were “always consensual”.

Entertainment

Queen Elizabeth II will appear in Paddington 3

Published

10 hours ago

November 2, 2024

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Queen Elizabeth II will appear in Paddington 3

The late Queen Elizabeth II will make a brief appearance in the new film Paddington in Peru.

It follows her skit alongside the world-famous bear in a short film for her 2022 Platinum Jubilee celebrations, just months before her death.

Now, a photo of Queen Elizabeth II and the marmalade-loving bear will appear in the third instalment of the Paddington movie franchise.

After the late Queen died aged 96 on 8 September 2022, many tributes left outside her residences featured nods to the bear and her skit with him.

Her latest Paddington appearance via photo came “with the consent and agreement of the royal household,” Ron Halpern, head of global productions at France’s Studiocanal, told Variety.

Rosie Alison, a producer on the film, also told the publication: “[The royal family] were actually very happy for it to happen.

“But we don’t like to make a big deal of it, because Paddington’s obviously a very modest fellow.”

In the original video for her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the pair had afternoon tea together in Buckingham Palace, during which the late Queen whipped a marmalade sandwich out of her bag, telling Paddington: “I keep mine in here – for later.”

An apparent fan of film and TV, she also appeared with Daniel Craig in a James Bond-inspired sketch to mark the start of the London Olympics in 2012.

The latest Paddington movie takes the Brown family to Peru, as he visits his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears.

Getting into unexpected adventures in the Amazon rainforest and on mountain peaks, they also encounter a joyful nun, played by Olivia Colman, and a daring riverboat captain, played by Antonio Banderas.

The returning cast includes Ben Whishaw voicing Paddington, alongside stars including Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton (voicing Aunt Lucy), Hugh Bonneville and Emily Mortimer.

Paddington Bear was created by author Michael Bond in 1958 after he was inspired by the plight of refugee children arriving in the UK.

The beloved bear went on to star in more than 100 books, inspiring multiple TV adaptations and a film franchise.

Paddington In Peru will be in cinemas on Friday 8 November.

Entertainment

Scottish comedian Janey Godley dies aged 63

Published

10 hours ago

November 2, 2024

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Scottish comedian Janey Godley dies aged 63

Scottish comedian Janey Godley has died a month after she moved to a hospice for end-of-life care, her agent has said.

The 63-year-old, who found viral fame with her dubbed imitations of Nicola Sturgeon’s COVID-19 news briefings during the pandemic, had announced last month that she was receiving end-of-life care for terminal cancer.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our client Doctor Janey Godley on 2nd November,” her agent said on Saturday.

“Janey died peacefully in the wonderful Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow surrounded by her loved ones. She will be hugely missed by her family, friends and her many fans.

“She will be remembered for her legendary voice overs of Nicola Sturgeon during the pandemic, her hilarious and outspoken comedy, but most of all for just being ‘Janey’.”

‘We got her longer because of all the support’

Her daughter comedian Ashley Storrie announced the news on social media, writing: “We got her longer because of all of the support and the love in the world.”

She said in a short video: “I believe in my heart of hearts that she felt every bit of love you sent to her. And I think it kept her going.

“I think genuinely we got her longer because of all of the support and the love in the world. But that’s it over now. So, thank you once again and bye.”

She also revealed Godley had been awarded an honorary degree from the University Of Glasgow.

Ms Sturgeon, the former first minister, wrote on X: “Janey Godley truly was a force of nature, and one of the funniest people I have ever known.

“I was able to visit her in the hospice a couple of weeks ago and though she was fragile, she still had me in stitches.”

She added: “A bond was forged between us in the darkest days of COVID when her famous voiceovers of my daily briefings went viral. In the toughest of times, she made people laugh – and that was precious.

She did more that (sic) that though. In managing to project the serious public health messages of my briefings to a much wider audience than I would have managed alone, she helped save lives.”

Paying tribute, Scottish First Minister John Swinney wrote on X: “Very sorry to hear of the death of Janey Godley.

“She brought joy and laughter on many occasions when we needed it most. My condolences to her family. May she Rest in Peace.”

That infamous Trump sign

In September, Godley cancelled her autumn tour titled Why Is She Still Here? due to her stage four ovarian cancer, which had been treated over the last few years, but had returned with added complications.

At the time, Godley said it was “devastating” to be facing the end of her life, adding “but we all come to an end sometime”.

She also joked: “I don’t know how long I’ve got left before anybody asks. I’m not a TikTok.”

In 2016, Godley went viral after protesting at Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf resort with her infamous “unwelcome” sign (Godley’s sign used slightly spicier language).

She then went on to gain attention during COVID times, voicing videos of Ms Sturgeon’s health briefings and became friends with the former first minister.

Overcoming adversity

Born into poverty in the East End of Glasgow in 1961 to alcoholic parents, Godley left school aged 16 with no qualifications.

She revealed both she and her sister had been abused by an uncle as a child, for which he served a two-year sentence.

After 15 years running a pub with her husband during the 1980s and 1990s, she began her stand-up career in 1994, going on to co-present BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends, as well as fronting BBC Radio 4 series The C Bomb.

She also appeared on shows including Have I Got News For You, the Scottish soap opera River City, and crime drama Traces.

Never shying away from joking about the darker side of life, in 2023, she won the inaugural Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.

Godley wrote her debut novel in 2022, a murder mystery titled Nothing Left Unsaid set in 1970s Glasgow. Warmly received, celebrity fans included TV chef Nigella Lawson who said it was so good, she read it in two sittings.

A fierce supporter of Scottish independence, Godley was also a vocal advocate of transgender rights, she continued campaigning on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community up until her death.

She leaves behind her husband of 44 years, Sean Storrie, and her daughter.