SPECTOR'S LAWYER URGES JURORS TO DISCOUNT DRIVER'S TESTIMONY

Last updated: Thursday, March 26, 2009

SPECTOR'S LAWYER URGES JURORS TO DISCOUNT DRIVER'S TESTIMONY

Record producer PHIL SPECTOR's defence lawyer has urged jurors in the mogul's murder retrial to disregard his former chauffeur's testimony, suggesting the Brazilian is confused by what he heard following the death of actress LANA CLARKSON.

Driver Adriano DeSouza maintains Spector told him "I think I killed somebody," as the producer fled the scene of Clarkson's death in 2003, but in his second day of closing, attorney Doron Weinberg argued the chauffeur misheard his ex-boss, and therefore his testimony is tainted.

Weinberg asked jurors, "How do you know it wasn?t 'Call somebody?'"

He claimed investigators encouraged DeSouza to stick to a version of the statement supporting their belief that Spector was guilty, and he felt obligated to stick by it, because his future immigration status was under threat.

Weinberg states, "I don?t mean (he was) intentionally lying. I mean (he was) trying to satisfy the authorities, who he is depending on to stay in this country."

Spector?s attorney maintains depressed Clarkson shot herself in the foyer of Spector's Alhambra, California mansion.

The jury was handed the case for deliberation.

Spector faces a minimum of 18 years behind bars if he's convicted of second-degree murder.

His 2007 murder trial ended when jurors were deadlocked in favour of Spector?s conviction.

Source: WENN

| Thursday, March 26, 2009

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