Phil Spector Verdict Watch Day 9

Good morning everyone!

9:20 am: BUZZ! I just logged on and the jurors buzzed. I'm here with Mr. Sprocket. Linda from San Diego is here along with our friend who is studying for the bar. I'll call them, "LS" for law student. The other case is setting up for another pre-trial hearing.

his is the case that is waiting for Spector to end. The prosecutor is Maureen Green and there are three defendants. A mother and son will be tried at the same time, but they will have different juries. The other defendant's case has been severed and that trial will follow this one I believe.

9:25 am: If a verdict is not reached this morning, then in the afternoon, Linda from San Diego has agreed to call my wonderful c0-blogger, donchais with the break time updates. donchais will post the break start and stop times as well as send out the email notices in the event a verdict is reached in the afternoon.

Ah, the severed case will start first and then the case against Valerie Martin will start in late May. I had that reversed.

9:33 am: Pat Kelly from the PIO office is right next to me, keeping me honest. The KNBC reporter Gary is here. The AP reporter came in to get the start time and turned around and left. Harriet Ryan is here. The AP reporter comes back in. The other case is starting. We have to be quiet since they are on the record.

Not all of the defense attorneys are here for the other case. Only five are currently here. I think this is a hearing where the defendants don't have to be here since Fidler took the bench and there are not in the courtroom.

The current hearing is in a bit of a lull. Fidler is reading something at the bench and all parties are waiting. Gary, the NBC reporter tells us that TMZ is reporting Mel Gibson's wife filed for divorce. A loyal T&T reader, Kevin has come down to the courthouse for verdict watch today.

9:42 am: I was wrong. All the defendants just came in. One of the attorneys is speaking now but I don't know his name.

Answering a comment. Once the lunch recess is called (or if the bailiff's "kick us out" a few minutes before ~ basically telling us we have to leave the courtroom that moment) we will be heading down to an appointment in Torrance that was scheduled back in November. This is an appointment for Mr. Sprocket that I would like to attend. However, I told him that IF a verdict is reached this morning and the verdict is to be read in the afternoon I "may" stay to hear the verdict. Mr. Sprocket understands.

9:49 am: If you haven't had a chance to read them yet, ritanita, donchais and CaliGirl9 all have posted entries on other high profile stories in the last two days. Please take the time to drop in on those stories and give them your viewpoint. I've updated the Spector Jury Clock entry with more facts and totals about this case. I'd also like to mention again a blog that has followed the astrological aspects of Spector's retrial, and that's The Aries Point, for those of you who like you read that perspective. There are also some interesting web sites in the "Places To Go" listing on the right. There, you can find a link to Dominick's Diary where you can leave him your well wishes.

Also consider checking out the blogs in the "Blogs I Love & Read" list. There are several there I'd like to talk about. AVOISION is a blog I stumbled upon last year and I just love the creativity of the place. katfish ponders is a fellow blogger who has been attending the Nicholas Sheley hearings and writing about her experiences attending the court proceedings. She also write about other high profile cases. Juror Thirteen is a great place that brings you the latest on several high profile trials as well as searches out cases that are being covered live streaming on the net. There is also a fun and lively chat room.

Sherri enters 106, as well as a few other young clerk looking individuals.

I would also like you to consider dropping in on The Babblings of a Whimsical-Brainpan and read her story about the fire she was in and the rough road she's had to travel ever since. Most of you already know Kim of The Darwin Exception, but for those of you who don't she is one of the wittiest bloggers I know and kept everyone in stitches during her coverage of the first trial.

10:11 am: BUZZ!! The jury is taking a break.

Answering a comment. I'm sort of "joking" when I say the PIO employee is "keeping me honest." What I mean is, she is the one I go to for questions. She gives everyone in the room the answers. She is our liaison with Fidler's clerk, Wendy.

With the above buzz, they have deliberated 51 minutes so far today.

Answering a comment. Well, I hope the CNN mention was a positive one.

10:20 am: BUZZ!! The jury is back on the job.

10:33 am: The hearing for the other case is over and the attorneys are exiting the courtroom. Fidler is still sitting at his bench. He must be reading over something. I'm sorry. There is still one attorney who is packing up. Now he gets up to leave. Fidler may be still on the bench for another case. Ah! Yes. A hearing on another case.

Answering a comment. We have no idea how the eyelashes got on the back of the toilet. We don't know if Lana put them there or if Spector did.

The other hearing is over and Fidler is off the bench. The AP reporter moves to her favoirte seat. The courtroom is empty but for those of us who are sitting on jury watch.

Mr. Sprocket is talking phone networks with Kevin. "LS" is reading the Daily News. There are several attorneys at Wendy's desk. The AP reporter is reading the LA Times and the rest of us are trying to stay awake.

I'd like to thank Paul at CNN for giving T&T a mention in his latest story.

Answering a comment. I did not see any satellite trucks in the parking lot when we walked up from the parking lot.

Answering a comment. I don't know that the jurors put in a lunch request. I think Wendy knows from the various months of working with this jury what they like and don't like.

Answering a comment. I think the lack of media interest is because of several factors. The economy (and lack of resources) as well as the fact that there are no new "facts" being presented. The retrial is like a movie that's being "replayed." That's my take on it.

Now "LS" is reading the Times and so is Kevin. Linda is reading a book. Sherri has stepped outside to make some phone calls, and so did Mr. Sprocket. Although I didn't bring it today, I'm reading Linda Sweetingham's Chemical Cowboys. I'm almost half way through and it's a great book. Although this is not the usual thing we do, but when we are finished we will write a review on it for the blog.

Answering a comment. I spoke to Dianne Ogden's daughter during (I believe) the second day of closing arguments. She was there. I asked her about her mother's death and if I could write about it. She said yes. I've delayed mentioning it because I still haven't found the time to finish writing up all of the closing arguments. She stated that it was just like Heath Ledger's death. An accidental overdose of prescription medications mixed with a cough medicine. Dianne's daughter stated she was not looking forward to having to take the stand again.

11:05 am: The only noise in the courtroom is the loud ticking of the wall clock every minute and the rustling of newspapers being read.

11:13 am: LS has left and Sherri is back, chatting with Linda from San Diego.

Answering a comment. I believe the District Attorney's office would try this case a third time. I just read a news report or a press release, I'm not positive which, where one defendant was tried four times. Understand, that is just my opinion. I've not heard anything officially from the DA's office about that.

Mr. Sprocket returns from the hallway. He's been calling the truck trader magazines since he's looking for a work vehicle.

Reading the plaque on Fidler's bench, he asks me what does he go by? Larry or Paul? I tell him, "Judge Fidler, or your honor" lol! That's not anything those of us in the gallery would know.

11:34 am: I'm in email contact with In Sessions Beth Karas who is checking in with me for updates of the verdict watch. Also, Katie and Lisa are emailing also. They are totally bummed that they cannot be here this week. They are on vacation.

Answering a comment. I don't know anything on how one would/could calculate how much the state has spent. Would they calculate in the state crime lab employees who are paid a set salary on exempt status? That would be the same for the prosecutor's, too. They are paid a set salary and you know that they put in WAY MORE than just an "8 hour" day. Would they calculate in the clerks who helped on the case? I think a 20 million figure for the state is speculation.

Answering a comment. All I can say is, we have to be patient. The jury will do what they are going to do. LS is back.

Answering a comment. Yes, California has the death penalty. The case that Judge Fidler will hear after Spector is finished, two of the defenants are facing the death penalty.

Answering a comment. "LS" is the young individual who is studying to take the bar. They have

11:45 am: BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ! They've reached a verdict!

12:08 pm: I'm in the cafeteria having lunch with Mr. Sprocket. We were asked to leave the courtroom. Wendy indicated to Pat Kelly, the PIO, that the "earliest" they can read the verdict is 2:00 pm PT. She will not know until 1:30 pm.

There was an independent film director (currently in talks with Spector) sitting in the second row alongside the AP reporter. She told one trial watcher that I was "kicked out" of the first trial. That is so false it's laughable. I've never been kicked out of any courtroom. I was falsely accused of talking so loud in the courtroom the jurors could hear, during the first trial. The following court day, Judge Fidler apologized to me on the record. That apology is still up on YouTube I believe. I left following the trial of my own accord, after I was given a press pass.

12:27 pm: The jury deliberated a total of 28 hours and 56 minutes according to my calculations.

12:31 pm: Oops! 28 Hours and 57 minutes.

I'm heading back upstairs to wait in the hallway. If I can find a bench seat, I'll report from the hallway.

Answering a comment. It was NOT the AP reporter who said that. It was the independent director who said that to another trial watcher, NOT Ms. Deutsch.

12:35 pm: A verdict has been reached people. It is not hung. There is a verdict. It is one of three choices. Guilty of 2nd Degree Murder, Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter or Not Guilty. We will know when we know. Please be patient.

12:47 pm: I'm in the hallway outside 106. Now that I've got a good look at this "director" I know who it is. This is the woman who was trying to get Dominick Dunne to write her memoirs. This is the same person who went to Wendy's clerk and falsely accused me of talking to loud in court.

Many reporters have shown up. I'm told by a reporter that KLOS has a remote van parked out in front of one of the other courthouses. I see two of Lana's friends. Harriet Ryan is working on her laptop, along with Peter Hong. Claudia from (I think it's KFWB) a radio station is here. Will there be enough room for everyone who's been waiting?

Miriam Hernandez from Channel 7 is here. There is a still photographer here. The Asian man from the AP. I don't see a video camera yet. Allan Parachini, head of the PIO office is here.

1:03 pm: More and more media is showing up. I have very little battery left so I am going to shut down for a bit. We got moved to the other side of the hallway where there are no outlet plugs and jurors from other courtrooms who are waiting have been moved to the side with outlets. Ahhhggg!!!!

1:05 pm: Steven Mikulan from the LA Weekly is here and razzes me about my trackball because I've never learned to use the built in mousepad.

1:08 pm: A video camera showed up. I do NOT know if there will be a live feed or not. I will try to find out.

1:12 pm: I just spoke to Miriam Hernandez. It's her camera crew that are here. She stated that as soon as they get inside the courtroom, they are going to do a "test" to see if they can send a live transmission. They won't know until they do a test if the technology will work or not.

1:36 pm: I'm inside the courtroom. I'm sitting to Harriet Ryan's right and Steve Mikulan is to my right. Two great report's I really admire.

Please everyone! Let's try to be kind to other posters, regardless of their opinions.

1:41 pm: They are still trying to seat people. Lana's friends are here in the front row. Juror #9 is here. Richard Doyle from the DA's office is in the gallery.

According to one of my readers, supposedly there is a live feed at NBC. I don't know if there is or not. A verdict has been reached. I see Sandi Gibbons from the DA's office.

There's lots of media here that I've never seen before.

1:48 pm: Louis Spector and his companion Frieda arrived. The courtroom on the left is packed now. There are a few seats left I think for Lana's family.

Answering a comment. I am inside the courtroom and I'm plugged into a wall outlet along with Harriet and Steven Mikulan. The PIO staff is tirelessly trying to seat more people.

1:51 pm: Doron Weinberg arrived with his wife and his wife's sister. Spector's #1 fan has been in the hallway since about 12:45 pm and is inside the courtroom sitting on the defense side.

1:55 pm: The bailiff removes the podium from the courtroom. Truc Do, Alan Jackson and Joshua their clerk arrive.

1:58 pm: I didn't see him come in but Donte is sitting on the defense side in the second bench row.

We just hear from the PIO that any interviews will be in Department 100 on the 13th floor. Allan Parachini will be making the pitch to the jury in the hopes they will speak to the press.

Several networks have live feeds up. CNN, MsNBC, NBC.

Jennifer Barringer arrived. Earlier, Steven and I had to scoot down one seat for a sheriff. They are sitting to my

2:01 pm: Spector entered and I missed it.

Rachelle is in the front row. A few members of Donte's family are here it looks like.

Lana's mother and sister are not here yet.

2:04 pm: The courtroom is very quiet.

Another Spector supporter is let into the courtroom, along with Richard Gabriel. They squeeze into the front row on the defense side.

Lana's counsel arrive along with her family. They are trying to squeeze into the front row. This courtroom is packed to the gills.

Counsel, ready for the judge? (Wendy, Fidler's clerk.)

Fider is telling the courtroom he will not tolerate any outbursts. "Please seat the jury and the alternates."

The jurors enter the courtroom. The alternates are led in from another way.

The last juror enters.

Verdict forms are being handed to the bailiff.

Clerk will read the verdict.

GUILTY 2nd Degree Murder!

Find that he personally used a firearm.

The Judge is polling the jury.

Fidler reads to the jurors their final instruction.

Fidler sends them back into the jury room. There are a ton of sheriff's around where Spector is.

Setting a date for sentencing. Weinberg asking to be still released on bail pending sentencing.

Fidler asks to hear from Jackson. People are asking for immediate remand. "Court has to consider the protection of the public," Jackson states. He goes onto mention the pattern of violence of the convict. Jackson mentions his prior convictions and the possibility that he now may flee.

Weinberg now pleads for Spector to remain on bail again. Fidler now speaks and explains his pending ruling. He is agreeing with the prosecutions arguments.

We are told by the bailiff to clear the courtroom. I'm going to go to 13th floor.


The defendant is ordered remanded.

Sentencing Friday May 29th, but Spector has a right to be sentenced before that date. That's agreeable. That's the date, at 11 am:

Spector is led off into the little jail room.

2:35 pm: I'm at the press conference in Department 100 but I only have 1/2 a battery charged. I'm going to shut down for now until which ever jurors come out and decide to speak.

Some trial watchers believed that Spector was heavily medicated; I don't know.

Answering a comment. I am wearing a purple shirt but I'm not outside on the plaza.

2:50 pm: The presser is starting. Weinberg is going to start and some members of the family will be with him.

They changed. The prosecution will speak first. Steve Cooley is with them. Lana's famly is up there with Jackson and Truc. I can barely see between the camera.

Steve Cooley speaks. Justice has finally been done in this case. It took a while. A tremendous team effort. Mentions all the agencies, Truc Do, Alan Jackson, Pat Dixon. Acknowledges the many people who testified to paint a true picture of Phil Spector. Commend the family.

Jackson speaks about this jury verses last jury. "They were close last time." "The second degree conviction was the right thing." "The sentence in this case is mandatory. It's 15 to life, with a minimum. [..] The gun charge adds 3-10 on top of that."

"I feel relief for the family. .... Some closure, but relief for the family." "Today is when the Clarkson family that gets their justice."

Cooley states that they don't track how much their cases cost. "We really do not track."

Alan Jackson states that summing up Spector's motive, it would be "rage."

Cooley said that a third shot would only have happened after a careful review.

(Before they started, the Clarkson family stated they would not answer questions at this time.)

John Taylor will speak. "Family is pleased with the verdict and the trashing of Lana's life will end now. There's no joy here today, it's a tragedy. Because of the ongoing civil case they will not speak."

Some jurors will speak to the press.

Juror 1, 2, 7. and three alternates. We can't hear her. #1 is speaking at the microphones. "We reviewed all the testimony and all the evidence."

"When we went in, everyone went in neutral. And we went through everything piece by piece by piece."

"We went throught everything and everyone discussed. It was very mutual. So we went through everything."

I do want to say that, I think, this entire jury took this so seriously, and I don't think there could have been another set of people who could have listened so carefully. And it couldn't have been more painful. Nothing to do with Mr. Weinberg. She starts to break up, cry. "We tried to evaluate another human being, and it was really difficult.

We went back to look at everything in it's totality. There wasn't one specific things."

A reporter asks about demeanor. "I don't think that Spector had any type of demeanor."

"I don't think anything was more than anything else. We looked at everything in the totality."

That's pretty much it. None of the other jurors that came out want to speak to the press.

Now Mr. Weinberg is going to talk. I'm not pleased to be here. I couldn't disagree with Mr. Cooley more. I have no doubt that the jury did that with complete integrity and honestly."

Believes strongly in Spector's innocence and will appeal. Thinks there are several errors that will be turned over on appeal. We accept the jurys' verdict, they did the very best they could under the circumstances. They did the very best they could. There is enormous pressure to convict."

Weinberg is specifically referring to the 1101(b) witnesses. Once that framework was set it was extremely difficult for Spector to get a fair trial. "Spector took the verdict very stoically."

He just accepted it and we would go from there. "He maintained his composure throughout, even with issues that (defense) didn't agree with." In reference to Spector's speaking, "That was not an issue."

Weinberg adresses the issue of defense experts. "The prosecution had unlimited resources. No one had the responsibility to keep track of their time. [...] When I asked the prosecution witnesses, they said, "We don't know, we're not required to keep track."

Weinberg goes onto the issue of defendants hiring paid experts.

Jennifer Barringer speaks about Spector being a very bright man, and his stoic behavior.

That's it. I'm off to get a ride home.

5:55 pm: I'm home but it appears my hard drive on my laptop has died. I'm on Mr. Sprocket's computer. Be back in a moment for more.

6:31 pm: Well, it looks like when I dropped my computer in the courtroom a few days ago, that's when I probably damaged my hard drive. It finally gave out when I got home this evening. After court, we went directly to look at trucks for Mr. Sprocket. He really wants this truck he test drove this evening. He just left for FRY'S to buy me a new hard drive. I will lose all that was on the desktop but I think I can live with that. Fortunately, I won't have to buy a new computer. It's something that's fixable.

I will be on TALK RADIO ONE tonight at 8:00 pm. And the other news is, Dominick Dunne called me just as we got home. He wanted to know everything, so I gave him a blow by blow of what happened in court. There are people reporting that Rachelle was crying. I was not in a position to see her face so I do not know if that is true or not. What I do have a memory of, is Spector's son, Donte, putting his head in his hands directly after the verdict was read.

Spector was not immediately put in handcuffs in the courtroom. He was led to the door that takes the convict to the holding cell/jail area.

7:04 pm: Out in the hallway around 1:20pm the reporters were gathering. It was getting very busy in that hallway. Not long before, most of Lana's girlfriends were here and I decided I would go over to them to say hello. Maryanne and another girlfriend got up from their seats and hugged me. They thanked me for my reporting on the case. I had to pull away because I was starting to cry, just feeling the weight of the enormity of what her friends had gone through. Everyone was on pins and needles.

Some of you have asked how I feel. I will say that when the verdict was read, it was eerie. It was a relief but at the same time it was quite sad. Spector created so much in the music industry and now that will forever be overshadowed by the fact that he is now a convicted murderer.

CORRECTION! Sentencing is May 29th, a Friday at 11 am.

Answering a comment: Hopefully, I will attend the sentencing.

Answering a comment: Of course it's sad because a bright, much loved woman was killed. That's a given.

8:00 pm: TALK RADIO ONE starts now!