Posts on ‘May 31st, 2009’

Phil Spector was sentenced Friday to 19 years to life in prison for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson, who was shot through the mouth in the music producer’s home six years ago. Much of the case hinged on the testimony of five women from Spector’s past who said he threatened them with guns when they tried to leave his presence. A prosecutor called the case “rock solid,” but Spector’s defense attorney said an appeal will assert that the judge erred in allowing the women to testify.

After their sentencing last week, it took less than 24 hours for three of the five defendants in United States v. Holy Land Foundation to file notices of appeal with the 5th Circuit, and an attorney for one of the defendants said all five will appeal. The HLF defendants received a combined total of 180 years in prison on charges that they engaged in a conspiracy to help funnel at least $12.4 million to Hamas through a now-defunct Texas-based Muslim charity, among other things.