March 26, 2008 18:52

Judge in Spector trial denies prejudice

Larry Paul Fidler rejects defense claims

The judge in the Phil Spector murder trial is facing accusations of prejudice and bias from Spector's defence team, it is being reported.

Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler has signed a declaration saying he was not prejudiced against Spector, after the defence filed a motion to have him removed from the retrial.

Phil Spector went on trial for murder last summer, but it ended in a mistrial after the jury could not decide on a verdict.

He was accused of killing actress Lana Clarkson at his Alhambra, California mansion in February 2003.

Spector's legal team filed the motion last week saying the judge was biased because he placed a gag order on Spector's wife and another witness, as well has creating a new instruction for the then-deadlocked jury.

A retrial date has not yet been set.

--By our New York staff.
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