Phil Spector was convicted in 2009 of murdering actress and waitress Lana Clarkson in 2003, and was sentenced to 19 years in prison. He appealed against his sentence early in 2012 but the appeal was unsuccessful, so unless the situation changes he is expected to come out in 2028.

Spector was a famous music producer and songwriter in the 1960s, working with names like John Lennon and writing for bands like the Ronettes (in fact at one point he was married to the lead singer of the Ronettes). Over the years there were a number of scandals about his behaviour, especially with women, and rumours of violence. As early as 1994 he was accused of threatening a woman with a gun when she refused to go up to his room with him, and at the trial several women testified to similar attacks. This was his second trial as an ealier one was declared a mistrial and closed in 2007.