Judge gives Spector jury broader choice

LOS ANGELES, March 20 (UPI) -- Jurors in the Los Angeles trial of music producer Phil Spector can convict him of manslaughter if they do not think he's guilty of murder, a judge said Friday.

Judge Larry Paul Fidler said that neither defense nor prosecution versions of the death of Lana Clarkson suggest involuntary manslaughter, the Los Angeles Times reported. But he said jurors might place a different interpretation on the evidence presented during the trial.

Clarkson, an actress, was shot in Spector's home six years ago. The defense says that she took her own life, the prosecution that Spector shot her.

In 2007, another jury was unable to reach a verdict on second-degree murder, splitting 10-2 in favor of conviction.

Doron Weinberg, Spector's lawyer, argued against the judge's decision, saying that there is "not a shred of factual or legal support" for manslaughter.

Deliberations are expected to begin next week.

Clarkson, a model and actress, was best known for her work in Roger Corman movies like "Deathstalker" and "Barbarian Queen II." Spector is best known for developing the "wall of sound" and for his work in the 1960s.