January 28, 2009 1:50

Phil Spector jury gets permission to tour his mansion

A gurgling fountain could play a key role in producer's defence

The judge in the Phil Spector murder retrial ruled today (January 27) that the new jury can take a tour of the famed music producer's Los Angeles-area home - despite objections by the prosecution.

Prosecutors in the retrial alleged that when the jury in the original trial toured his home, Spector tried to manipulate the noise a made by a fountain in his courtyard to make it seem as though it could have muffled the sound of his voice when he allegedly said, "I think I killed somebody" to his chauffeur.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler rejected the objections, but laid down strict rules for the tour, reports the Associated Press. Defence attorney Doron Weinberg intends to duplicate the scene of the crime where actress Lana Clarkson was shot in 2003.

Spector - the pioneer behind the '60s Wall Of Sound technique - is accused of murdering Clarkson at his Los Angeles mansion on February 3, 2003. Defence attorneys are alleging that she took her own life because she was despondent over her waning career, while prosecution is making the case that Spector shot the actress.

The prosecution rested its case last week, as previously reported. This week, the defence will begin calling witnesses to the stand on the producer's behalf.

--By our Los Angeles staff.
[url="/about"] Find out more about NME.[/url]