Dick Wolf’s new crime series on Netflix, Homicide: Los Angeles, is back for its second season. The first episode focuses on the tragic murder of actress Lana Clarkson in 2003 and the case against music producer Phil Spector. Read on to find out who Phil Spector was and what happened to him.
Phil Spector set records as a music producer in the 1960s
Phil Spector, a famous record producer, was convicted of murdering Lana Clarkson. He started out as a musician in New York City and became known for creating hit songs such as Be My Baby and Da Doo Ron Ron in the 1960s.
Throughout his career, the music producer worked with famous artists such as The Ronettes, The Crystals, Darlene Love, The Beatles, and more. While his career soared, his personal life became troubled with issues such as guns and drinking.
Spector had left the music industry for decades during that period, amid reports that his behavior was “erratic, often with large weapons in his possession and excessive drinking,” the New York Times reported.
Phil Spector invited actress Lana Clarkson to his home
Talented actress and model Lana Clarkson died tragically at the age of 40. She was working as a hostess at the House of Blues when she met Spector, who invited her to his home.
According to the Homicide LA episode, video footage showed Lana helping a drunk Spector into his car. Limo driver Adriano De Souza heard a loud noise from the house and saw Spector holding a gun, saying he thought he had killed someone. De Souza ran away and called 911 in fear.
Spector claimed Lana’s death was a suicide, but evidence and witness testimony at his trial pointed to murder. His first trial ended in a deadlock, but he was found guilty of second-degree murder at a retrial. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2009.
“There’s something special and different about celebrity cases, and Los Angeles has always been a hotbed for such cases,” former L.A. deputy district attorney Alan Jackson said in an interview with Netflix.
Where is Phil Spector now?
Phil Spector died in prison in 2021 at the age of 81 due to complications from Covid-19. He was serving his sentence in California. His life and the Lana Clarkson case are an important part of Hollywood history, depicted in the gripping series Homicide: Los Angeles, now streaming on Netflix.
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