March 19, 2007 10:13

Phil Spector murder trial to begin today

Four years after he was charged of killing actress

The murder trial of Phil Spector is due to begin in Los Angeles today (March 19), four years after he was charged with killing actress Lana Clarkson.

A judge will begin the search for jurors from 300 possible candidates.

Although Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler has ordered that the trial be televised, cameras will not be present for jury selection.

Fidler has ordered potential jurors to appear in court on today and tomorrow (March 20).

The opening statements, which will appear on live television, along with the rest of the trial, are unlikely to begin before the end of April.

Clarkson died from a single gunshot wound in 2003.

Spector denies murder claiming she committed suicide.

The prosecution outlined its basic arguments during pre-trial hearings, claiming that Spector deliberately placed a weapon in the mouth of the actress. It has also been suggested that Spector threatened women with guns before, but was never charged.

One of Spector’s lawyers Bruce Cutler said that the defence would be a straightforward case saying that Spector: “Didn’t shoot this woman".

He said: “Everything in this case in consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. There was no malice, no motive, no intent, no homicide, no crime.”

The record producer is currently free on £510,000 ($1 million) bail but faces a life sentence if convicted, reports BBC News.