Spector deliberations halted again

Jury deliberations in Phil Spector’s Los Angeles murder retrial have been halted a second time due to a panelist’s illness, officials said.

The music producer’s 5-month-long retrial went to the jury late last month. 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.

Spector’s 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.

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

The Los Angeles Times said Thursday’s early dismissal of the jury was the second time the court has halted deliberations because of a sick juror.

Due to the illnesses and court holidays, the jury has deliberated about 27 hours since it was charged with deciding the case, the Times said.