Homicide: Los Angeles – What happened to Phil Spector?

Dick Wolf’s Homicide docu-series has returned with a number of case files in Los Angeles, with one in particular sparking much discussion – Phil Spector.

For the uninitiated, Wolf is best known for producing some of the most famous police procedural and legal dramas, including his Law & Order franchise. So, it only makes sense that he would set his sights on the true crime realm. 

Using his knowledge of the criminal world, Wolf created an anthology docu-series for Netflix, kicking off with Homicide: New York, which tells the stories of the city’s most notorious murder cases, as described by the detectives and prosecutors who cracked them.

Next up is the City of Angels, with Homicide: Los Angeles arriving on the streaming service this week. Episode 1 delves into the high-profile case of Phil Spector, but before we go any further, let it be known that some may find this content distressing.

Who was Phil Spector?

Phil Spector was a legendary American record producer and songwriter known for his revolutionary “Wall of Sound” production technique, which helped to transform pop music in the 1960s. 

Born in the Bronx, New York, in 1939, he moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, where he became a dominant figure in the music industry, co-founding Philles Records at the age of 21.

Spector went on to produce iconic tracks for artists like The Ronettes, The Crystals, and The Righteous Brothers, and worked with legends such as The Beatles and Ike & Tina Turner.

As for the Wall of Sound, developed by Spector at Gold Star Studios with assistance from engineer Larry Levine, this method involved layering multiple instruments and voices to create a dense, orchestral-like quality. 

Spector employed a meticulous process of multitrack recording, where each instrument and vocal part was recorded separately on individual tracks. This allowed him to meticulously control the balance and blend of sounds during mixing.

Another hallmark of the Wall of Sound was the extensive use of echo and reverberation, achieving grandiose, cavernous sound that filled the space and enhanced the depth of the music.

Ultimately, Spector’s influence shaped the sound of contemporary pop and rock music, earning him a reputation as a pioneering musical genius. However, his legal troubles would later overshadow his career.

What did he do?

Spector was convicted for the 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson at his home in Alhambra, California. 

As is revealed in Homicide: Los Angeles, Spector invited Clarkson back to his mansion, known as the Pyrenees Castle, after they met at the House of Blues. 

Although Clarkson had made a name for herself in a number of sword-and-sorcery flicks and B-movies, she took up a job as a hostess at the LA celebrity hotspot for extra income.

CCTV footage showed Clarkson leaving with Spector that night, appearing to help him into his car as he was described as being very intoxicated.

Nili Hudson, Clarkson’s friend, explains, “She didn’t go because she was interested in him romantically. There wouldn’t have been anything intimidating about going to have a drink with Phil Spector. He was 5 ft 6 in to her 6 ft tall. 

“She took care of herself… this is Hollywood, let me tell you, networking is highly valuable.”

Spector’s driver, Adriano De Souza, would become a key witness for the prosecution. According to his accounts, he transported Clarkson and Spector back to his home in the early hours of February 3, 2003.

When De Souza heard a commotion from inside the castle, he went up to the door, which opened up to reveal Spector with a gun in his hand and blood on his white jacket. 

The driver claimed Spector said, “I think I killed somebody.” Fearing for his own life, De Souza ran and called Spector’s manager before notifying the police. 

Spector tried to spin it to claim Clarkson took her own life, embarking on a series of interviews with the media. In July 2003, he told Esquire that Clarkson had “kissed the gun” and it was an “accidental suicide.”

However, there was plenty of evidence – from the blood spatter to the way in which the gun had been angled in Clarkson’s mouth – to suggest she had been murdered. 

After the medical examiner ruled the death as a homicide, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office initially wanted more time to file criminal charges. 

As said in the Netflix docu-series, the office had been badly burned by the OJ Simpson case – however, there was pressure from the media to take the case to court. 

In March 2007, when the murder trial began, a number of women came forward as witnesses to claim Spector had pointed a gun at them and threatened to kill them. 

According to those who knew him, this wasn’t a surprising fact, as he was known for using intimidation tactics and even holding people hostage at his home. 

Rob Fraboni, Lana’s friend and music producer, says in Homicide: Los Angeles that it has “more to do with who’s in control. If you have real power, you don’t need a gun.”

What happened to him?

In April 2009, the jury found Spector guilty of second-degree murder over the death of Clarkson. The following month, he was sentenced to 19 years behind bars, before dying in a prison hospital in January 2021, aged 81.

Following a mistrial in September 2007, Spector faced a second trial in 2009. Deputy District attorneys Truc Do and Alan Jackson secured the second-degree murder conviction, describing Spector’s behavior as a “pattern.”

Although the defense contended Clarkson’s death, throughout the legal proceedings, Spector’s eccentric behavior and tumultuous personal life were heavily scrutinized. 

Following the guilty conviction, he was sentenced to 19 years in the California State Prison system. On January 16, 2021, Spector died in the California Health Care Facility due to natural causes.

Who is Alan Jackson?

Alan Jackson is a prominent California attorney known for his role in high-profile trials, having first joined as a new DA in 1995, the year of the OJ Simpson murder case.

Jackson’s earned a reputation for his incisive courtroom skills over the years, playing a significant role as a prosecutor in Spector’s 2009 retrial. 

As he says in the Netflix doc, at stake was justice for Clarkson’s family. But there was also a subtext: “The LA DA’s office had not won a high-profile case in 40 years. Even though there was pretty significant evidence that the celebrities were involved in criminal activity.”

In a 2007 Vanity Fair feature on the case, the outlet described Jackson as a “big new star in the Los Angeles district attorney’s office,” adding: “His opening statement was a work of art. 

“At an evidentiary hearing, his questioning of the renowned forensic scientist Dr. Henry Lee, who became a household name during the OJ Simpson trial, was tough and courteous. This guy is so smart and knows the law so well.”

Jackson went into private practice in 2012, going on to represent disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein in his rape trial and actor Kevin Spacey in a sexual assault case, the charges of which were later dropped. 

Where you may also recognize his name from is the recent Karen Read trial, which blew up on TikTok and continues to garner a feverish debate. 

The case centers around Boston police officer John O’Keefe, who was found dead in the snow in January 2022. His girlfriend, Read, was put on trial for the murder in April 2024, which resulted in a mistrial on July 1 after the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. 

Jackson served as Read’s attorney during the trial, with Homicide: Los Angeles viewers spotting the connection. 

“I’ve been virtually begging anyone watching the Karen Read case unfold to go look back at the Phil Spector trial,” said one X/Twitter user. “Alan Jackson was epic as the prosecutor in that case. He’s in Episode 1 of Homicide Los Angeles… Go watch.”

Another wrote, “I thought I’d have a night off from watching Karen Read trials, recaps etc. Switch on Netflix and hey Alan Jackson… Here you are again on the Netflix Homicide Los Angeles ‘Phil Spector’ case.”

A third added, “Oh god lol. I’m just finishing the Phil Spector Netflix episode with Alan Jackson.”

Homicide: Los Angeles is streaming on Netflix now. For more true crime, take a look at the best serial killer documentaries, who Smegma is in relation to the Sherri Papini case, and where Janie Lynn Ridd is now.