Phil Spector Appealing Murder Conviction

Entertainment Weekly ^ | 3/12/10 | Kate Ward

[nickcarraway]

According to BBC news, the legal team behind Phil Spector is appealing his murder conviction, citing judicial error and prosecutorial misconduct. The 148-page appeal claims Spector — who pleaded not guilty to the murder of actress Lana Clarkson in 2003 — did not receive a fair trial, since prosecutors used testimony from five acquaintances to damage the producer’s image. (The women claimed Spector held them at gunpoint in different incidents dating back to the 1970s.) The brief also claims the trial’s judge allowed lawyers to insist that Spector “had a history and propensity of violence against women and thus should be convicted based on his bad character and evil propensities.”

Spector was sentenced to 15 years to life for second-degree murder in May 2009. He was given four additional years for personal use of a gun.

[samtheman]

He was given four additional years for personal use of a gun.

WTF is that?

[Paladin2]

Extra penal spending by the Governator.

[Slings and Arrows]

How the hearing would go in a sane world:

“Ms. Clarkson still dead?”

“Yes...”

“DENIED!”

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

"...the trial’s judge allowed lawyers to insist that Spector 'had a history and propensity of violence against women and thus should be convicted based on his bad character and evil propensities.'"

And the problem is...?

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, as you have seen, it is entirely believable that Spector killed his victim, because you have heard the testimony of five women he had held at gunpoint and performed acts of violence upon. This, in addition to the physical evidence, establishes a pattern of conduct. This time, however, he crossed the line, and this time his victim won't be testifying anywhere."

How does that infringe upon his right to a fair trial? I really don't see it.

[Poe White Trash]

Perhaps his lawyers are testing a variation of the “Polanski defense.”

[Moonman62]

did not receive a fair trial, since prosecutors used testimony from five acquaintances to damage the producer’s image.

How can that be damaged?

GUILTY!

[smalltownslick]

“damage the producer’s image.”

Yeah, right. Ha ha ha ha ha!

[SamAdams76]

How’s that “wall of sound” working out for him now?

[cookiedough]

Maybe it was arguably a pattern of conduct from too long ago.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“He was given four additional years for personal use of a gun.”

Let me fix that,,,,
“He was given four additional years for personal misuse of wigs.

[packrat35]

Lana Clarkson

[bigbob]

They better keep him locked up, cuz dey do run run...

[infowarrior]

How’s that “wall of sound” working out for him now?

Metamorphed into "walls of stone, and bars of steel", it seems...

the infowarrior

[Frantzie]

In a really sane world - Phil’s “Wall of Sound” would have been the dropping of cyanide pellets in the gas chamber or the crackling of Old Sparky.

[Carry_Okie]

Funny, I thought he was appealing the conviction because the conviction was unappealing.

[a fool in paradise]

The women claimed Spector held them at gunpoint in different incidents dating back to the 1970s.

Despite the long hair, Joey Ramone and John Lennon aren't chicks.

[nickcarraway]

You wouldn’t believe how much being imprisoned crimps your ability to force women into playing Russian Roulette.

[reaganaut]

citing judicial error and prosecutorial misconduct

- - - - - - -
prosecutorial misconduct??? IIRC, this is the case where the DEFENSE team had their forensic scientist (famous Asian guy) tamper with evidence which ended up tanking the scientists’ career.

Defense misconduct would get more traction.