Jurors in Spector trial reach impasse

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The foreman of the jury in Phil Spector’s murder trial said Tuesday that the panel is at an impasse, and the judge told lawyers he was considering allowing the panel to consider a lesser charge.

The juror told Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler the panel was split 7 to 5, but he did not indicate which way it was leaning.

The judge asked if there was any way he could help, including re-reading specific instructions or clarifying instructions, or even having attorneys re-argue part or all of the case.

“At this time I don’t believe that anything else will change the positions of the jurors,” the foreman responded.

Polled individually, some jurors agreed with the foreman and others disagreed. One suggested further instruction about reasonable doubt.

The record producer is charged with second-degree murder, and the judge previously ruled that the panel would decide only that charge and not consider lesser charges. The judge, however, told the attorneys that he was reconsidering and believed he might have cause to instruct the jury to consider involuntary manslaughter.

The judge, amid discussions with lawyers, told jurors he wanted them to take a break and sent them home with instructions to return today.

“Just set the case aside for the rest of the day,” the judge told them.

The defense immediately asked for a mistrial, but the judge denied it on grounds that three jurors indicated further instructions may help. If the deadlock persists and a mistrial is declared, prosecutors would have three options: seek a new trial of Spector, pursue a plea bargain or drop the charges.

Spector, 67, is charged in the Feb. 3, 2003, shooting of actress Lana Clarkson, 40. The case went to the jury Sept. 10. Spector and his lawyers looked grim as they left court; Clarkson’s family members appeared sad as they left.