Phil Spector's Murder Trial Delayed

Phil Spector appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom to confirm a postponement in his trial. Due to scheduling conflicts between the district's attorney and the defense attorney's, Phil Spector will not be able to start his murder trial on the scheduled April 24th date.

Phil Spector's attorney, Bruce Cutler, is currently involved in a federal case in New York. Bruce Cutler gained notoriety in the 1980s when he successfully represented John Gotti, though Cutler was barred from representing Gotti in 1990, having been alleged of being an "in-house lawyer" for the Gambino crime family.

As for Phil Spector's case, E Online reports "Superior Court Judge Larry Fidler asked the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer if he would agree to the delay, and the defendant responded simply with, 'Yes, your honor.'" As well, Reuters reports that "Los Angeles prosecutors Alan Jackson and Patrick Dixon, meanwhile, are expected to go to trial in May in the case of Michael Goodwin, who is charged with the 1988 murder of auto racing legend Mickey Thompson and his wife"

66 year old Phil Spector stands accused of murdering actress Lana Clarkson on February 3, 2003, in the foyer of his faux-castle mansion in Alhambra, California. Spector maintains that Lana Clarkson committed suicide. As the BBC reports, "Ms Clarkson, who was best known for her role in the 1985 film Barbarian Queen, was working as a hostess at a Los Angeles blues club at the time of her death at the Los Angeles home of Mr Spector."

Phil Spector is currently free on a $1 million bail.

Phil Spector is probably best known for his work with music juggernaut, The Beatles. Spector is credited with developing the "Wall of Sound" recording concept, in which large amounts of instruments are used to create a very full sound. This would include several dozen artists packed into one recording studio. One of the most popular examples of the "Wall of Sound" is the album Let it Be by The Beatles. Of particular note is the composition "The Long and Winding Road" by Paul McCartney, which Spector edited and altered without McCartney's knowledge or consent. By comparison, the recent release of Let it Be…Naked features the album without Phil Spector's technique.

Phil Spector has worked with other highly successful recording artists over the years. His accolades include The Beatles, Leonard Cohen, The Ramones, The Righteous Brothers recording of "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling" and Tina Turner. Spector's work on the "Wall of Sound" has been praised by many artists, including Bruce Springsteen. The Beach Boys considered Spector to be their main source of competition. Another of Spector's other noteworthy appearances included a cameo role as a drug dealer in Easy Rider.

[Additional Sources: E Online, Reuters, BBC]