Phil Spector’s often-absent lead lawyer, Bruce Cutler, announced Monday that he is leaving the music producer’s murder case because of “a difference of opinion between Mr. Spector and me on strategy.”

Cutler made the announcement as the trial resumed for what was expected to be the last day of testimony. It wasn’t immediately clear if he quit or if Spector fired him.

Cutler had been absent from the trial for many weeks so he could appear on a syndicated TV show. He told Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler that he was prepared to return and do the closing arguments for Spector, but now, Culter said, “there’s nothing I can do for Mr. Spector. I can no longer effectively represent him.”

The judge asked Spector if everything that Cutler said was accurate.

“That is correct,” Spector answered in a raspy voice.

Defense attorney Roger Rosen has stepped in as lead lawyer.

Spector, 67, is charged with killing actress Lana Clarkson in his Alhambra mansion on Feb. 3, 2003, a few hours after she went home with him from her job as a nightclub hostess. The defense maintains that Clarkson, 40, was depressed and shot herself.

With the defense nearing the end of its rebuttal case, the judge has said he expected testimony to end Monday. Final arguments are set for Sept. 5.

Credit: AP