Lana Clarkson
Step into the true story of Lana Clarkson's death at the hands of music producer Phil Spector, and the chaotic trial that ensued.
Actress Lana Clarkson, best known for starring in the 1985 fantasy adventure genre film The Savage Queen and other B-movies, had dreams of success in Hollywood, but those dreams came to an abrupt end on February 3, 2003, when she died at the hands of famous record producer Phil Spaight.
Investigators soon discovered that Lana, who was 40 years old at the time, died in Phil's mansion in Alhambra, California, and was shot in the mouth. But Phil, 62, was not the one to call the police, and his driver called the police.
When police arrived, Phil initially said the misfire was "accidental." He then claimed Lana committed suicide at home, but investigators soon discovered that he was not telling the truth.
This is a tragic story about the murder of Lana Clarkson, who Phil Spaire tried to use his fame and fortune to escape punishment for his crimes.
Who is Lana Clarkson and Phil Spaister
Pictured above: Lana Clarkson starred in the 1985 fantasy adventure film The Savage Queen.
Born on April 5, 1962 in Mayor Beach, Los Angeles, California, Lana Clarkson has been entertaining her family by reciting nursery rhymes and playing masquerade games from a very young age. Growing up, she became interested in acting.
By the late 70s of the 20th century, Lana had some small roles in TV shows and movies. According to her website, in the early 80s of the 20th century, she appeared in films such as the romantic comedy "Open American School" released in 1982 and the romantic comedy "Blind Date" released in 1987, but her most famous role was Queen Amizea in the 1985 fantasy film Queen of Barbage.
However, after that, her acting career began to stagnate. At the beginning of the 21st century, she decided to take her work in a new direction, that is, to engage in stand-up comedy. Unfortunately, she was reported to have suffered a serious fall in 2001 and took months to recover from the painful wound.
In early 2003, to make ends meet, Lana accepted a job at "House of Blues" on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard. It was there that she met future murderer Phil Spaister.
Young Phil Spaifer, 1970
Phil's fame had waned by then, but he is still widely remembered as one of the most famous music producers of the sixties and seventies. Perhaps most notably, he produced The Beatles' last album, Let It Be It in 1970, and John Lennon's solo album Imagine in 1971.
Although Phil is hailed as a genius and visionary, he also has a dark side. According to the Daily Express, John Lennon himself spoke openly about Phil's "problems" in the studio: "Phil is very conceited, he thinks of artists like a film director thinks of actors, nothing more than a pile of rubbish... Canned food that you take up and push down. ”
In February 2003, when Phil first found Lana at House of Blues, Lana had no idea who Phil was. In fact, Lana mistook Phil for a woman at first, until her boss explained Phil's true identity and VIP status at the venue. Management then ordered Lana to treat Phil "like gold."
When Lana left work, Phil convinced her to go home with him for a drink. Unfortunately, a few hours later, Lana died.
The inside story of Lana Clarkson's tragic death
Pictured above: Photos of the death scene where Lana Clarkson was shot, shown at Phil Spaight's murder trial.
Phil's driver, a Brazilian student named Adriano de Souza, picked up Phil and Lana from the House of Blues in a limousine that night, and Adriano took them to Phil's 33-room mansion in Alhambra, California.
Phil and Lana entered the house and Adriano was waiting for them outside, but about two hours later, Adriano suddenly heard a gunshot. Soon after, Phil came out of the mansion with a gun in his hand, and he is said to have said to Adriano: "I think I killed someone." ”
Adriano was startled and watched Phil retreat into the house, he quickly called Phil's manager, but he heard the sound of an answering machine, and then he dialed 911. According to the New York Post, he said to the 911 operator: "Hello, my name is Adriano, I'm Phil Spaifer's driver, I think my boss killed someone, can you send a car?" ”
The police arrived at the house where the accident occurred and saw a horrific scene.
Lana Clarkson
According to the Guardian, investigators soon found Lana's body inside the mansion, lying on a fake Louis XIV chair. Lana's mouth was smashed, blood was splattered all over her face and neck, and she had a 36-caliber Colt gun under her leg.
As the police investigated the scene, Phil rambled to the police: "The gun went off, she worked at the House of Blues, it was a mistake, I don't understand what happened to you guys." I'm sorry this happened, I don't know how it happened. ”
According to Vanity Fair magazine, it wasn't until Phil was taken into the Alhambra police station that he began to say that Lana committed suicide. While Phil's claims were patently untrue, it took many years for the court to finally find that he had murdered Lana.
Phil Spaiard's murder trial
As shown above: Phil Spaith is on trial for the death of Lana Clarkson.
At first, Phil didn't seem to be prosecuted for Lana's death. Despite his initial arrest, he was released on $1 million bail, and stories of Lana's "suicide" quickly circulated in the media. In September 2004, Phil was charged with second-degree murder, according to History.
His first trial in 2007 was nothing short of spectacle, with Phil appearing in court, with a variety of wild haircuts, dressed in unusual clothes, often accompanied by a group of bodyguards. He also made a series of eye-catching remarks, even telling a reporter: "She kissed the gun." ”
In court, Phil's team tried to portray Lana as a depressed, out-of-date actress who committed suicide with Phil's gun. The defense also claimed that blood stains on Phil's shirt indicated that he was too far away from Lana to shoot her.
But prosecutors have produced a wealth of evidence, including convincing testimony from multiple women who said they and Phil had a terrible experience. Eventually, five women appeared in court claiming that Phil had threatened them with a gun when they tried to leave Phil's home or hotel room.
Lana Clarkson
However, in Phil's first trial, the jury was deadlocked 7-5. Even after further consideration, only 10 of the 12 judges favoured his conviction, leading to the annulment of the trial on 26 September 2007.
Phil's second trial, which began in October 2008 and ended in April 2009, was noticeably moderated. The messy hair and entourage are gone. He entered the courtroom with only a bodyguard and his new wife, Rachelle, who was much younger than him. He has only one lawyer, not a large legal team.
Without the frivolity of the first trial, Phil's already unreliable arguments began to show more holes. The history of him threatening women with guns is brought up again. The photo of Lana slumped in a chair and dying makes the story of "suicide" seem completely ridiculous.
Experts at trial also explained that suicidal people rarely commit suicide on impulse and almost never commit suicide in the homes of strangers. In addition, Lana did not show suicidal tendencies. She even bought a few pairs of shoes a few days ago, which is not the kind of thing that suicide contemplators usually buy.
Phil Speth
Phil's attorney, Doron Weinberg, sought to claim that the prosecution's allegations were based on circumstantial evidence and that the possibility of suicide remained, CNN reported. But in closing his case, prosecutor Truc Do insisted Phil was a very dangerous man and a man who liked to play Russian roulette with women.
In the end, a second panel of jurors convicted Phil of second-degree murder. Soon after, he was sentenced to 19 to life in prison. Phil eventually died on January 16, 2021, while serving his sentence at the age of 81. The cause of death was reported to be complications of novel coronavirus pneumonia.
To this day, Phil's lengthy trial remains controversial because many believe he should have gone on trial sooner rather than later for the murder of an innocent woman. Gen Rosenbluth, a law professor at the University of Southern California, said: "If it weren't for Phil Spaith spending a lot of money, a trial like this would never have lasted so long. When there is so much evidence against the accused, the case usually does not go to trial. ”