Phil Spector's retrial 'to proceed'

8:45pm Saturday 16th August 2008

A California court panel has decided that the retrial of Phil Spector on a murder charge can proceed.

A state appeals court rejected a defence request to halt the trial.

The music producer's attorneys had requested a stay of the trial so they could appeal on double jeopardy grounds.

They also wanted assurance that prosecutors would not ask jurors to convict Spector of lesser offences. The court denied both requests.

Spector's first trial resulted in a jury deadlock on second-degree murder.

The 68-year-old is charged with killing actress Lana Clarkson at his home in 2003. His retrial is set for October.