When it comes to his murder confession, Phil Spector wants a do-over.
The lawyer for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame producer is asking a Los Angeles judge to toss a confession Spector reportedly gave to police in which he owned up to killing B-movie star Lana Clarkson, arguing that whatever Spector said didn’t matter since he didn’t have his meds.
In a defense motion filed with the Los Angeles County Superior Court and obtained by the Los Angeles Times Wednesday, attorney Bruce Cutler claims his client “was experiencing symptoms of withdrawal from his medications, which could include hallucinations, forgetfulness, serious fatigue, and/or slurring” when he was being interrogated by investigators.
Spector, famed for his “Wall of Sound” recording techniques and production work for the Beatles, Ronettes and the Righteous Brothers, is accused of shooting Clarkson at his suburban Los Angeles mansion on Feb. 3, 2003. He has pleaded not guilty and is free on $1 million bail.
Per court documents, the 64-year-old pop mastermind was taking a bevy of prescription drugs at the time, including: Prevacid, which helps control stomach acid; the antidepressants Loxitane and Prozac; Neurotonin, which treats seizures and acts as a pain reliever; Klonopin, also for seizures; Topamax, for migraines; and Tetracycline, an antibiotic.
Authorities and witnesses also say Spector had been drinking at the House of Blues, where he met Clarkson.
Cutler says that after Spector was taken into custody for questioning, his “requests for this medication were either refused or ignored by Alhambra police officers.” Therefore, Culter reasons, whatever Spector might have said should be taken with a grain of salt.
Prosecutors say that after police took him into custody, the music maven copped to the crime. “I’m sorry this happened,” he purportedly said. “The gun went off accidentally.” According to transcripts of the interrogation, two officers heard him utter the incriminating statements.
Bolstering the case against Spector was grand jury testimony from his driver, Adriano De Souza, who called 911 the morning of Clarkson’s death and told the dispatcher Spector admitted to the shooting.
“I think my boss killed somebody,” De Souza said, according to transcripts of the call. The chauffeur also said he saw Spector brandishing a gun.
Later, however, Spector changed his story, telling a magazine interviewer that Clarkson accidentally shot herself when she “kissed the gun” as he watched.
Prosecutors have until Oct. 21 to file their response to Cutler’s motion, which also asks Superior Court Judge Larry Fidler to bar evidence related to Spector’s history of misdemeanor weapons convictions, including wielding a firearm in public, and to keep jurors from hearing about 14 guns confiscated from Spector’s residence.
Cutler declined to comment on the new motion Thursday, as did Deputy Los Angeles District Attorney Douglas Sortino.
The trial is expected to get underway as early January, though an official date has not been set. Pretrial motions are scheduled to kick off Oct. 27.
Credit: E! Online