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| Spector trial jury process begins | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Jury selection in the murder trial of music producer Phil Spector has begun, four years after he was charged with killing an actress at his mansion. | |
| The jury will be chosen from 300 candidates in Los Angeles. | |
| But the opening statements, which will be televised live along with the rest of the trial, are unlikely to begin before the end of April. | But the opening statements, which will be televised live along with the rest of the trial, are unlikely to begin before the end of April. |
| Lana Clarkson died from a single shot in February 2003. Mr Spector denies murder, claiming she committed suicide. | Lana Clarkson died from a single shot in February 2003. Mr Spector denies murder, claiming she committed suicide. |
| Clarkson, 40, had been working as a hostess at a venue called the House of Blues at the time. | Clarkson, 40, had been working as a hostess at a venue called the House of Blues at the time. |
| 'No crime' | 'No crime' |
| The prosecution has previously outlined its basic arguments during pre-trial hearings, claiming that Mr Spector deliberately placed a weapon in the mouth of the B-movie star. | |
| They have also suggested he had previously threatened women with guns, but was never charged. | They have also suggested he had previously threatened women with guns, but was never charged. |
| He was behind hits such as Be My Baby by 60s group the RonettesA police officer who was sent to the crime scene is expected to testify that Mr Spector said: "I didn't mean to shoot her - it was an accident." | |
| But one of Mr Spector's lawyers, Bruce Cutler, has said the defence would be a straightforward case of saying that the 67-year-old "didn't shoot this woman". | But one of Mr Spector's lawyers, Bruce Cutler, has said the defence would be a straightforward case of saying that the 67-year-old "didn't shoot this woman". |
| "Everything in this case is consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound," Mr Cutler said. | "Everything in this case is consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound," Mr Cutler said. |
| "There was no malice, no motive, no intent, no homicide, no crime," he told the Associated Press. | "There was no malice, no motive, no intent, no homicide, no crime," he told the Associated Press. |
| Long process | |
| The first stage of jury selection will take two days, with those left at the end of the session given questionnaires to discover any hidden prejudices that may deny Mr Spector a fair trial. | |
| Lawyers will take a month to read the answers before the final stage of selecting the jurors. The jury selection will not be televised, but the main part of the trial will. | |
| The opening statements are expected to begin at Los Angeles Superior Court on 30 April. | |
| Mr Spector is best-known for his so-called "Wall of Sound" technique, employed on songs by the Beatles, the Ronettes and the Righteous Brothers, as well as on his famous album of Christmas music. | Mr Spector is best-known for his so-called "Wall of Sound" technique, employed on songs by the Beatles, the Ronettes and the Righteous Brothers, as well as on his famous album of Christmas music. |
| He has been free on $1m (£510,000) bail but faces a life sentence if convicted. | He has been free on $1m (£510,000) bail but faces a life sentence if convicted. |