Spector jury adjourned until next week

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has delayed deliberations in the Phil Spector murder retrial after a juror came down with the flu.

The famous music producer’s 5-month-long retrial went to the jury last week. Spector faces a minimum of 18 years in prison if convicted of second-degree murder in the 2003 shooting death of Lana Clarkson, an actress and club hostess.

His attorney has maintained that Clarkson could have killed herself in Spector’s Alhambra, Calif., home and that only reasonable doubt is required to acquit his client.

Spector’s first trial ended in a hung jury and was declared a mistrial in September 2007. His second trial began in October.

The Los Angeles Times said a male juror fell ill Wednesday and the judge overseeing the retrial canceled deliberations for the rest of the week.

The attorneys trying the high-profile case finished their closing arguments last week. Since then, the jury has spent only one full day and two half-days attempting to hash out a verdict, thanks to the illness and two court holidays, The Times said.