October 21, 2008 1:19

Phil Spector murder retrial gets underway

Jury selection begins in LA

Jury selection in the murder retrial of famed music producer Phil Spector began in Los Angeles today (October 20).

Approximately 80 potential jurors were narrowed down to 18 at the proceedings in Los Angeles Superior Court. Judge Larry Paul Fidler, who presided over Spector's first trial last year, asked questions to ensure the jurors could be fair and impartial.

"What we do not want...is people with an agenda," Fidler said.

One potential juror revealed that her son had been murdered, and another said he believed celebrities often have an unfair advantage because they can afford attorneys that others cannot.

Spector, 69, appeared in court today in court with his wife, Rachelle, reports the Associated Press.

Spector - the pioneer behind the 1960s Wall Of Sound technique - is accused of murdering actress Lana Clarkson at his Los Angeles mansion on February 3, 2003.

After five months of heated testimony last year, the jury reached a 10-2 deadlock in favour of convicting Spector, which resulted in the judge declaring a mistrial.

--By our Los Angeles staff.
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