Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Phil Spector
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The first criminal case for murder against Phil Spector began in late April 2007, four years after the murder. The delay between the murder and the trial was due to a variety of factors, but two main causes were the detailed investigation by the district attorney's office and the police in the year following the crime, before Phil Spector was charged with murder, and then a switch in prosecutors while the criminal case was pending when the original prosecutor became a judge. Alan Jackson became the lead prosecutor and immediately took control of the After a trial lasting many months, the jury could not reach a unanimous decision, which is required in criminal cases. Ten jurors found Spector guilty of murder; two jurors voted for acquittal. This resulted in a hung jury and a mistrial. The District Attorney's office will retry Phil Spector again on the same charges. The second criminal trial is anticipated to begin in 2008. The Clarkson family's civil lawsuit for wrongful death against Phil Spector cannot proceed until the criminal proceedings come to a definitive end.
Phil Spector was viewed as a musical genius in the 1960s when he produced songs that became incredibly popular and remain so today, forty years later. He introduced what became known as the "Wall of Sound" in the recording studio, which was basically the use of many live instruments creating a multi-layered, loud, and all-consuming background sound to the musician's voice. At the time, this concept was unique and precedent-setting. Spector produced the Righteous Brothers, the Ronettes, Tina Turner, the Beatles, and John Lennon, among many others. But, by the early 1970s, Spector's career faded and he largely disappeared from the limelight until the murder of Lana Clarkson in 2003. The criminal trial has highlighted Phil Spector's passion for guns and gunplay, with several women testifying that he threatened them with a gun when he was in a drunken state, alone with them, and attempting to seduce them or force them to spend the night. When each woman resisted and tried to leave, Spector would fly into a rage, pull out a gun, and threaten them. It is clear what occurred that horrible night in February 2003 when Lana Clarkson decided to go with Phil Spector from the House of Blues, where she worked, to his "castle" in Alhambra. Lana was likely trying to build what she viewed as a solid contact in the music and entertainment world, while Spector had other thoughts on his mind. Spector's driver took them back to Spector's home and waited outside for further instructions. Inside, after some drinks and conversation, Clarkson had had enough and was sitting on a chair near the front door with her purse over her shoulder getting ready to leave when Spector became enraged and pulled a gun on her, threatened her, and shot her in the mouth. (Spector kept many guns in his house, and had one in a dresser by the front door.)
Los Angeles lawyer John Taylor and the law firm of Taylor & Ring, along with co-counsel Rod Lindblom, are committed to obtaining justice on behalf of Lana Clarkson and her mother and sister. We will aggressively pursue the wrongful death case against Phil Spector until every stone has been unturned, every asset found, and justice has prevailed. Please click on the documents below which are related to the case against Phil Spector. Read the complaint filed in the wrongful death civil lawsuit against Phil Spector. Read the Los Angeles Daily Journal article on the filing of the wrongful death lawsuit against Phil Spector. Read the Associated Press article following the mistrial Photo of Clarkson family and lawyers John Taylor and Rod Lindblom entering court during the criminal trial
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John C. Taylor of Taylor & Ring represents the family of Lana Clarkson, the actress who was killed by music producer Phil Spector in February 2003 while she was at his home in Alhambra, California. Taylor & Ring filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Phil Spector in early 2005. That lawsuit is on hold until the criminal case against Phil Spector ends with either a conviction or acquittal.
trial when it began in 2007.
The plaintiff in the civil case is Lana's mother, Donna Clarkson. Lana was also survived by her sister, Fawn. Lana was never married and did not have any children. Lana was a successful actress in Hollywood and, far more importantly, was a wonderful, loving person. As she reached age 40, the roles were not coming her way like they used to, and she was attempting to connect and network with key entertainment figures in Hollywood by working in the VIP lounge at the House of Blues. Unfortunately, it was there that she met Phil Spector.
Lana was killed instantly. Spector then walked outside in his drunken state and said to his driver, who was waiting just outside, "I think that I just killed somebody." In fact, Phil Spector had killed a lovely young lady who had no idea that Phil Spector was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode on a female companion who wanted nothing to do with him romantically.
