Phil Spector retrial expected next year

A murder retrial for Phil Spector is unlikely to take place until September 2008 due to the commitments of the last member of his legal team.

The lawyer in question, Christopher Plourd, is involved in two death penalty cases and is unavailable until the autumn.

Spector’s new lawyer Doron Weinberg says he requires five months to study 10,000 pages of the trial transcripts.

In September a mistrial was declared after a jury failed to reach a verdict following 12 days of deliberation.

The music producer denies murdering actress Lana Clarkson at his Los Angeles mansion in 2003.

According to Deputy District Attorney Pat Dixon, the prosecution want a fresh trial to begin as soon as possible, but have conceded that Plourd’s schedule will make this difficult.

Judge Larry Fidler has set a hearing for March 7 to check on Plourd’s caseload, while a date to determine when a trial will take place has been scheduled for May 22.

Many of Spector’s legal team resigned or were dispensed with after the mistrial was declared with only Plourd remaining in place, reports BBC News.