December 20, 2007 17:55

Phil Spector sues former attorney

Producer alleges attorney failed to adequately defend him in murder trial

Phil Spector has filed a lawsuit against the former attorney who once represented him in his murder trial.

The famed producer is seeking a refund of the $1 million fee he paid to attorney Robert Shapiro, according to a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles yesterday (December 19).

Spector alleges that Shapiro's work on the case was inadequate and may have led prosecutors to file formal charges against him, reports the Associated Press.

He also alleges that the attorney cheated him and used their personal relationship to enrich himself.

A year following Spector's 2003 arrest, he fired Shapiro and hired a new legal team.

This is the second time Spector has filed suit against Shapiro. He dropped the previous suit in 2005 with the stipulation that he would have the option of suing again at a later date. Shapiro denied Spector's claims in the first lawsuit, arguing that his work was "impeccable".

Spector's murder trial ended in a mistrial earlier this year after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict. He is accused of murdering actress Lana Clarkson in 2003.

Spector is due to be retried next year.

--By our Los Angeles staff.
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