Court TV Radio | Message Boards | Newsletters

Updated June 13, 2007, 10:50 a.m. ET
Prosecutors present evidence of sexual conduct between Spector and actress


Phil Spector
Phil Spector, seen listening to testimony Tuesday, claims actress Lana Clarkson killed herself in the foyer of his mansion.
FULL COVERAGE: Phil Spector Murder Case
FULL COVERAGE

LOS ANGELES — DNA evidence indicates sexual contact between Phil Spector and the actress shot dead in his mansion, a sheriff's department criminalist testified Tuesday at the music legend's murder trial.

The forensic scientist told jurors lab tests on a rape kit collected from Lana Clarkson's body showed Spector's DNA on one of her breasts. Further tests showed the material to be "weakly positive" for a chemical found in saliva, he said.(VIDEO)

The witness, Steve Renteria, said he found a small amount of DNA on Spector's genitals that was consistent with the genetic profile of Clarkson. It tested "very weakly positive" for the saliva chemical, he said.

Renteria, however, cautioned that the DNA results from Spector's genitals were not precise enough to say for sure that Clarkson was the donor.

What the music producer and Clarkson were doing in his mansion in the early hours of Feb. 3, 2003, before the shooting is a mystery in the case. Jurors have already heard that the rape kit showed no evidence of sexual intercourse or assault.

Prosecutors have suggested Spector invited Clarkson, whom he had met an hour before, to his suburban estate hoping for a sexual encounter and then became angry when she asked to leave. His defense maintains she was unstable and shot herself.

Previously, the government has elicited testimony that Spector set a romantic scene, dimming the lights, lighting candles and serving alcohol to Clarkson, but it was the defense that brought forth the scientific evidence of a liaison Tuesday during the cross-examination of Renteria, a government witness.

Defense attorney Christopher Plourd asked him to detail the DNA results gleaned from the rape kit and samples taken from Spector's body after his arrest.

Renteria said the material swabbed from Clarkson's breast matched the defendant's DNA, a genetic profile that occurs in one in every 14.8 billion Caucasians, a theoretical population that is more than double that of the entire planet.

The profile on Spector's genitals, however, is much more common, he said. One in 94,000 Caucasians share it, he said.

He also said there was other DNA on Spector's genitals that matched neither Spector nor Clarkson.

Given a chance to question Renteria again, Deputy District Attorney Alan Jackson suggested the results from Spector's genitals may be attributable to "touch DNA" where genetic material is transferred from one person or item to another through brief hand contact.

He also noted that the saliva chemical appeared in sweat among other biological materials and was not proof alone that the DNA came from a mouth.

Spector remained stone-faced during the testimony, although during breaks in the proceeding he talked animatedly with his wife, Rachelle, and laughed with his lawyers.

The 67-year-old faces 15 years to life in prison if convicted.

Renteria also testified about tests on the grip of the .38-caliber revolver that killed Clarkson. Her DNA was present on several areas of the gun. Spector's was not, he said, although one test he performed found a minute amount of male DNA but it was too small to determine the genetic profile.

"All of these markers are consistent with her and inconsistent with Mr. Spector, is that correct?" Plourd asked.

"Yes," Renteria agreed.

Later, under questioning by Jackson, he said the presence of a large amount of Clarkson's blood on the weapon may have hidden Spector's DNA.

"You cannot exclude Phillip Spector?" asked Jackson.

"Correct, or any other male," Renteria said.

Testimony resumes Wednesday when an employee of the coroner's office is expected to take the stand.



Advertisment




|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COURTTV.COM
|
|
|
UTILITIES
|
|
|
|
|
|
COURT TV SITES
|
CORPORATE
|
|
|
|
TM & © 2007 Courtroom Television Network, LLC. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
CourtTVnews.com is a part of the Turner Entertainment New Media Network.
Terms & Privacy guidelines