Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Phil Spector, Vikram Jayanti & the Truth

In March 2007, and throughout the murder trial, Vikram Jayanti spent a considerable amount of time with Phil Spector, interviewing him for a film project. I'm sure once Spector was charged with murder, there were quite a few people nipping at his heels, wanting an exclusive interview. Even Scott Raab of Esquire Magazine, said, "I've been dogging Spector for years, hoping to write his story." Raab finally did get a day or two with him back April, 2003, before Spector was formally charged. donchais and I can see why Spector would be flattered and willing to talk to Jayanti, since he came to the table with an international reputation as an award winning documentary filmmaker. It's our opinion that Jayanti probably promised Spector that he would get his story out there and that's exactly what he did. The information was published in the September 9th, 2007 issue of the UK's Sunday Daily Mail, magazine section, Live.

donchais and I thought we would take Spector and Jayanti's statements from this article, present them to our readers with facts and other sources in order to give a more balanced perspective.

Here are the first statements by Spector that appear in the article:
I just don't like the idea that anyone thinks that I'm not taking this seriously. Because the judge, every time I go to court, doesn't like me. He's already said that if I made a plea bargain, he'd give me eight years. Because someone died. And he keeps saying that every time I go to court. To the jurors, the first thing out of his mouth, "Remember today we're here because someone died."

Even though I was eight feet away from her when she died, and it can be proved forensically I didn't kill her, it doesn't matter. Somebody died, somebody killed her. That's his frame of reference. That's what he thinks.


I just hope we have a bunch of jurors that listen to the evidence. We haven't told our story in four years. We have a very interesting, abrupt, good, honest, accurate, truthful story to tell that proves beyond any question, any reasonable possibility of a doubt, that it is impossible for me to have been near the deceased when she died
.

Yep. Those are direct quotes. Now let's break it down.

He's already said that if I made a plea bargain, he'd give me eight years.

No, never happened. None was offered and judges don't make plea deals. This is typical SSS, (aka Spector Spin Speak) which means, No one understands my genius. I'm being persecuted. Can Spector point to where in the record Fidler offered him this deal? Maybe Spector is confusing this with his first attorney, Robert Shaprio and his early defense strategy.

Because someone died. And he keeps saying that every time I go to court.

I attended about 90 percent of this trial. Although I did not attend the first day of trial, I was there most days. I did not hear the judge repeat this statement every time Spector came to court.

Even though I was eight feet away from her when she died, and it can be proved forensically I didn't kill her, it doesn't matter. Somebody died, somebody killed her. That's his frame of reference. That's what he thinks.

No, it wasn't proven forensically that he didn't kill her; it was a suggested scenario, the same one the defense presented at trial. There wasn't a single expert on the stand, defense or prosecution who testified that Spector was eight feet away. Spector is forgetting that Dr. Henry Lee didn't take the witness stand. He was conveniently out of the country during the presentation of the defense case. However, James Pex, one of Spector's stand-in blood spatter experts agreed with the prosecution's theory that Spector's "white ladies jacket" had to be within 3-4 feet of Lana when she was killed.

We have a very interesting, abrupt, good, honest, accurate, truthful story to tell that proves beyond any question, any reasonable possibility of a doubt, that it is impossible for me to have been near the deceased when she died.

No, not beyond any question or reasonable possibility of doubt. It's called blood back spatter and it follows the laws of physics. Forensic scientist Dr. Lynne Herold determined the mist-like spray of blood found on Spector's white jacket put Spector within two to three feet of the discharging weapon. Because the droplets found on the jacket were so microscopic, they did not have the mass to travel eight feet.

Spector's experts varied in their view as to "how" that back spatter could have gotten on Lana's jacket, and to when it actually occurred. Each expert presented a different scenario.

Jayanti states in the article that:
Throughout, the prosecution's case has been simple. In their view, Phil Spector, the renowned record producer and reclusive eccentric genius, has a long history of terrorising women at gunpoint.

Five prior bad act (PBA) witnesses, Deborah Strand, Dorothy Melvin, Stephanie Jennings, Diane Ogden, and Devra Robitaille, testified on the stand. Walter Cronkite's daughter was also terrorized at gunpoint. And, Spector didn't limit his power trip with guns to just women. The stories about Spector pulling a gun on John Lennon and Leonard Cohen have been in the press for years. How many other incidents don't we know about? We may not know all their names, but we do know that the prosecution presented at least 14-15 PBA witnesses for trial. This means, that there were "that many people" who had an altercation with Spector where he brandished a gun in their presence or threatened them with a gun in some way.

Readers, give us your opinions! We will continue to deconstruct the myth, but you get the picture! This is just the first installment.

(This entry was written by donchais and Sprocket.)

15 comments:

mControl said...

Here's something that sucks- that 'White Ladies Jacket' was MY Escada vintage 'boyfriend' coat... in Winter white, a gift from my mother... that has a matching skirt I will never wear again. I hate him. Great entry though, as usual.

Muah.

Anonymous said...

Great article! He's SOOOO full of shit.

Mcontrol, sorry about your jacket! That must have pissed you off every time it was shown or referred to. Did he just "borrow" it or did he actually have it tailored to fit him?

Sprocket said...

OMG! Your boss even borrowed your CLOTHES? rotflmao! The mystery of the "white ladies jacket" is finally solved!

mControl said...

He borrowed it- the rat! It is supposed to fit just below your rear... it went all the way to behind the troll's knees!!! And, I still hate him! ;-)

CaliGirl9 said...

Michelle, I bet it looked a whole lot better on you than it did on that little gross troll anyway ...

You should have loaned him the skirt too ;)

Another chapter for your book: My Clothing that Phil Borrowed

Ziggy said...

First of all,,,,,,,,,,,,"Sprocket",,,,,,,,,,I have very much cherished your Past/On-Going efforts with Great and very well done thought provoking commentary's that are always very much appreciated! Your "Insight",,,,,and great blow/by/blow "Court-Side" ana-lisis is so very much Noticed and Understood! (BRAVO!)

The time and dedication for what you do is definitely appreciated coming from an avid (KTLA Blogger) "Court-Watcher" :-) !

What I would like to say,,,,,,,,,,, is that after Phil Spector's smoke-screen of stalling as much as he has been able to get away with,,,,,,,,,Judge Fidler will still gain back the "REINS" and conduct Round #2 in a very professional manner! (The appeal motion to replace Judge Fidler, has been denied,,,,,,,and,,,,,,,,, (I think the "CA Supreme Court" will come back with the same findings!)

However,,,,,,,this may gain more "wasted time" that I think this trial already has consumed?

This is the first time I have blogged on your site,,,,and ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,in the same breath,,,,,,just wanted to give you the "KUDOS" you truly deserve!

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

Your Pal,
Ziggy! :-) !

lucky said...

Do you really believe that just because a deal wasn't offered to Spector "on the record" means that is wasn't offered?

Sprocket said...

I doubt that Fidler made an offer. Prosecution, yes. Off the record? Yes, possible. But Fidler making the offer? No, I don't believe it.

Just my humble opinion, of course.

Anonymous said...

I thought the DA offered Spector 8 years along time ago?

whether or not the deal remains still is open,,,,,,is something I don't know,,,but,,,,,,,it would to be LA's advantage to keep the offer open to save from having to go through Trial#2!

I think Phil would not take this offer anyways,,,,,,,,,,,he seems to be the "Stubborn fighter,,,,,,,,at what ever Cost!

There was an interesting thing one of his son's said in an interview,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"is that Phil would rather spend all the Money he has,,,,,,,,,,,,rather to allow a civil suit,,,(that would most likely come there-after) to take his money anyways!

shari said...

Oh my God, I can't believe the coat was Michelles. What else has this waste of humanity megalomaniac done that none of us will ever hear? Please Michelle, the book can't come fast enough. Sprocket, you have done an awesome job of keeping us up on everything. THX!!!

Sprocket said...

I've followed this case pretty closely. I've got a source I can ask who may know if the DA's office offered Spector 8 years. I'll send off an email tomorrow and I'll let everyone know what the response is.

Anonymous said...

Hi Sprocket!

I looked high and low for anything on the "8 year offer" and was unable to find anything on that subject,,,,even discussions?

Leads me to believe that there never was an offer? Hope you can find out any thing on this? I did find a n Attny blog discussing this subject,,,here is the link!

http://publicdefenderdude.blogspot.com/2007/09/spector-jury-hangs.html

Here is an exerpt,(rather a very interesting comment on DA Offers with this particular case:

"The retrial is going to be as long and tedious as the first one. It's going to be a slog, and it's going to happen. There is no chance that the prosecution is going to offer Spector anything that he will take - it's too politically unpalatable. District Attorney Steve Cooley will look like a fool in public if he gives Spector anything in the single digits, and Spector, at nearly 70 years old, is not going to plead to double digit time. I just can't see this case settling, especially not with a 10-2 for guilty split. If this was one of my cases, we would settle it for about 12 years or so. That's not going to happen in this case."

Thought that helped!

Ziggy~

Anonymous said...

Never let the truth get in the way of Phil Spector's conviction.

The lack of any blood spray on the sleeves of that white ladies jacket indicates he was not involved in Clarkson's death.

donchais said...

That's the great thing about this country - wrong or right, you have a right to your own opinion.

Sprocket said...

We will never know if Spector had back spatter on his hands. He had plenty of time to wash them. We know the gun was wiped down with something moist. Countless trial watcher heard Dr. Lynn Herold's testimony on that issue. Spector's hands, and the gun, would have been in front of e.g. between the source of the back spatter and his jacket sleeve.

Whether or not Spector was offered a plea by the prosecution remains dubious. (Again, judge's don't offer plea deals.) Thank you Ziggy, for your dedicated research on this issue.