Patterico's Pontifications

5/29/2009

Phil Spector Sentenced: 19 Years to Life

Filed under: Crime — DRJ @ 1:58 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Phil Spector has been sentenced in the Lana Clarkson murder:

— 15 years to life for second-degree murder, plus

— 4 years for personal use of a gun, plus

— $16,811 in funeral expenses, $9,740 to a state victims’ restitution fund and other fees.

H/T and thanks to Stashiu3.

— DRJ

12 Responses to “Phil Spector Sentenced: 19 Years to Life”

  1. Spector: But Your Honor, I am 70 years old. I cannot do 19 years.
    Judge: That’s ok. Just do as much as you can.

    (Yes, I am totally ashamed of myself.)

    nk (e71733)

  2. So how much time off for good behavior? And how much of his money can he use while incarcerated for luxuries and bribes? Pity he can’t be bunked with Bubba or somewhat like the whacked out brothers on HBO’s Oz.

    Better still would be Phil forced to play Russian Roulette with himself as target. At least Ronnie Spector thought he was da man for a time.

    aoibhneas (55634c)

  3. No enhanced sentencing for that haircut?

    carlitos (be9241)

  4. Mary Jo Kopechne was not available for comment.

    Ted Kennedy was available but was too busy being hailed as the lion of the senate to respond.

    MU789 (303f04)

  5. I now understand why Penal Code 12022.53(d) and (c) allegations weren’t charged — evidently the prosecution was not proceeding on a theory that Spector discharged the gun intentionally. I remain flummoxed as to why Spector was sentenced under PC 12022.5(a), which calls for a 3,4, or 10 year enhancement for personal use, rather than PC 12022.53(b), which provides for a straight 10-year enhancement. Typically, the .5 allegation is charged instead of the .53 only when the crime in question does not qualify for the .53 enhancement. But second-degree murder does — and I remember seeing a grand jury indictment that charged a .53(b) enhancement.

    I just don’t understand. There must be something I’m missing. But I have no idea what it is.

    Patterico (2c66cd)

  6. If you don’t understand it, there’s no way I ever will.

    DRJ (2901e6)

  7. From what little of the current Spector I heard, I’m guessing the mind of the guy we knew as Spector back in his days won’t be serving the sentence with the remainder of him. It sounds like that mind is simply gone.

    But, more importantly, how many years did his hair get? Honestly, his attorney should have demanded that Phil and his hair be tried separately. No way a jury could avoid ascribing some of his hair’s malice and violence to him.

    bobby b (4baf73)

  8. Some ironic Phil Spector Song titles, given his sentence (there are lots of others):

    … I’ll Never Need More Than This.
    … I Go Wild Inside.
    … I’ll Be Crying Tomorrow.
    … Here I Sit.
    … Laugh Right In My Face.
    … Stumble And Fall.
    … He Loves Me I Can Tell.
    … Be My Boy.
    … Then He Kissed Me.

    And to wrap it up:

    … I Want You To Be My Boyfriend.

    ras (20bd5b)

  9. I think it’s safe to say he will never see the light of day again.

    A truly monstrous and terrifying human being. We should be thankful he was never elected to political office.

    David Ehrenstein (3da226)

  10. Frankly, I can’t believe there’s no enhancement for the strings on Let it Be. Class A Felony if ever one was.

    Kevin R.C. O'Brien (82fba3)

  11. Frankly, I can’t believe there’s no enhancement for the strings on Let it Be. Class A Felony if ever one was.

    I have made exactly that argument before. The problem (as I noted here 5 1/2 years ago) is that the victim emerged, naked and therefore none the worse for the wear.

    Patterico (cc3b34)

  12. I now understand why Penal Code 12022.53(d) and (c) allegations weren’t charged — evidently the prosecution was not proceeding on a theory that Spector discharged the gun intentionally

    Would this not constitute manslaughter instead of murder?

    Was Spector grossly negligent that the act constituted murder instead of manslaughter?

    Michael Ejercito (365b6d)


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