Jury Selection Begins in Phil Spector Murder Trial

Jury selection began Monday in the murder trial of rock music legend Phil Spector, best known for the "wall of sound" production technique and for writing such hit songs as "Be My Baby," "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" and "Da Doo Ron Ron." Spector is accused of murdering a B-movie actress in the entryway of his home four years ago.

The actress - Lana Clarkson - was shot in the face on February 3, 2003. Clarkson, best known for acting in Roger Corman films, was working at the House of Blues as a hostess at the time. Friends say she went home with Spector that night and was not seen alive again.

According to prosecutors, Spector put the gun in Clarkson's mouth and fired, but defense attorney Bruce Cutler says the death was an accidental suice. "He didn't shoot this woman," Culter says.

The case has a long history already, and Monday was but the first small step. After Clarkson was found dead in Spector's mansion, Spector was booked on suspicion on murder and released on $1 million bail. One month later, police officials say that had discounted suicide as the cause of death, at the same time Spector was emailing friends and saying the shooting was "an accidental suicide."

Near the end of 2003, on November 20, Spector was officially charged with murder. He pleaded not guilty. In February of 2004, Spector fired his defense team and hired another. In May of 2004, it is revealed that the coroner's report says the actress "might have fired the gun inside her mouth."

Three months later, the replacement defense team quits en masse, and Cutler takes over, immediately asking for additional time for him to prepare.

Over a year later, the prosecutor was appointed to a federal judgeship and the trial was once more delayed. This was in December of 2005.

Monday, more than four years after the death, more than 300 people filed into the courtroom to begin jury selection. After two days, lawyers will take a one-month break to go over potential jurors, who will be individually questioned on April 16.