Spector Trial Jury Selection Begins

Mar 19, 01:52 PM

Current Headlines: A pool of 300 prospective jurors gathered in the Los Angeles courthouse Monday, as jury selection began in the murder trial of music producer Phil Spector.

Spector is charged with murder in the death of actress Lana Clarkson, who was fatally shot in his Los Angeles-area mansion.

Opening arguments are expected to begin April 30 for the trial that could last up to three months, The Los Angeles Times said.

The trial will be televised, making it the first televised Los Angeles criminal proceeding since the O.J. Simpson murder trial in 1995.

Spector pleaded not guilty in the shooting and has been free on $1 million bail since his February 2003 arrest in the death of the 40-year-old Clarkson, who starred in low-budget films, including Barbarian Queen and Amazon Women on the Moon, and had minor television roles.

Spector has given conflicting statements about what happened after Clarkson joined him at his home for a drink, documents showed. Spector has made conflicting statements about events, first telling police he accidentally shot her, then saying Clarkson took a revolver from him and committed suicide.

If convicted, Spector faces up to life in prison.