New testimony in Phil Spector’s murder trial

Things aren’t looking good for record producer Phil Spector. He is on trial for the 2003 murder of Lana Clarkson. A visit to the court room from coroner Louis Pena revealed new evidence that Lana Clarkson’s death could be a murder and not a suicide. Pena says that the barrel of the gun may have been forced into actress Lana Clarkson’s mouth, explaining the bruise on her tongue.

"The bruise is very unique and is consistent with blunt-force trauma. Something struck the tongue," Pena said. Pena also said that the bruise was made before Clarkson was shot. "If the barrel of the gun, a steel weapon, was placed in the mouth with some force, could that have caused the bruising on the tongue?" asked prosecutor Alan Jackson. Pena answered "Yes."

Gruesome pictures were also shown to the jury as evidence that the death of Lena Clarkson was not a suicide. Pena also gave a vivid description of what the death was probably like. "She's gonna lose consciousness," Pena said. "She won't be able to move her arms. All the arm movement up here including out to the fingers, everything's just gonna go. Wherever she's at she's going down, bottom line. Respiration ... will cease. Heart rate may still go a little bit but not very long, but it could go. The blood pressure will drop pretty rapidly after that, after the shot. All brain functions will cease. She'll not talk. She'll not scream. She won't cry."

Phil Spector was a prominent songwriter, musician, and record producer. He worked with many famous artists such as the Beatles, Ike and Tina Turner, and the Ramones. Spector was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 as a non-performer.