L.A. prosecutors have finally nailed a celebrity for a major crime now that Phil Spector has been convicted of second-degree murder for the death of actress Lana Clarkson. His first trial had ended in a mistrial but yesterday’s verdict means the 69-year-old legendary record producer should spend at least 18 years in prison for shooting the beautiful, 40-year-old blonde in his sprawling mansion in 2003.

Spector is a weird guy, who wears odd wigs and and unusual clothes. But that’s nothing compared to the court testimony, which stated that he routinely got drunk and picked up young women, brought them home and menaced them with firearms if they tried to leave. The prosecution described Spector as a "sadistic misogynist" who had a three-decade "history of playing Russian roulette with the lives of women" when he was drunk.

In her summation the prosecutor said, "by the grace of God, five other women got the empty chamber and lived to tell. Lana just happened to be the sixth woman, who got the bullet." 


The defense claimed Clarkson, who had met Spector just hours before her death and was found dead of a gunshot fired in her mouth, had killed herself, but the jury didn’t buy it. Especially given Spector’s history.  Clarkson’s mother and sister have filed a civil suit against Spector. His sentencing is set for May 29.