The $1 Million Legal Circus: 7 Shocking Updates On Phil Spector's Celebrity Attorneys And Where They Are Now

The murder case against music producer Phil Spector remains one of the most sensational legal dramas of the early 21st century, not least because of the revolving door of high-profile defense attorneys he employed. Spector, the eccentric genius behind the "Wall of Sound," cycled through a cast of legal superstars, from the O.J. Simpson trial’s Robert Shapiro to mob lawyer Bruce Cutler, before his eventual conviction for the 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson. As of today, the legacy of this legal circus endures, with the key figures having moved on to new, often equally dramatic, chapters in their careers—from high-stakes defense work to quiet retirement and major business ventures.

This article dives deep into the careers of the lawyers who defended and prosecuted Spector, exploring the controversies that plagued his defense team and revealing their current professional lives, years after the legendary producer died in prison in 2021. The sheer star power and internal drama of Spector's legal defense team—often referred to as a "legal circus"—became a storyline as compelling as the trial itself, forever linking these attorneys to one of Hollywood's most tragic and bizarre crimes.

The Legal Dream Team That Became a Nightmare: Key Attorneys and Their Biographies

Phil Spector’s defense was a rotating cast of celebrity lawyers, each bringing a massive reputation and a unique, often theatrical, style. The sheer number of attorneys involved became a major point of media fascination and an entity in the case's history. Here is a look at the most prominent figures who either defended Spector or successfully prosecuted him.

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• Robert Shapiro: The Bail Attorney and Lawsuit Target
  • Born: September 2, 1942, Plainfield, New Jersey.
  • Role in Spector Case: Represented Spector at his arraignment and secured his $1 million bail after his arrest for the murder of Lana Clarkson in 2003.
  • Noteworthy: Shapiro is best known as a key member of the "Dream Team" that successfully defended O.J. Simpson in his 1995 murder trial.
  • Controversy: Spector later filed a lawsuit against Shapiro, seeking the return of his $1 million retainer fee, claiming Shapiro took advantage of him.
• Bruce Cutler: The Gotti Lawyer and First Trial Lead
  • Born: April 29, 1948, Brooklyn, New York.
  • Role in Spector Case: Lead defense attorney for Spector’s first murder trial in 2007, which ended in a mistrial.
  • Noteworthy: Cutler gained national fame for successfully defending mob boss John Gotti in three separate trials. His aggressive, theatrical style was a hallmark of the first Spector trial.
  • Controversy: Spector dismissed Cutler just before closing arguments in the first trial, reportedly due to Cutler being absent for several weeks to tape a TV show, Jury Duty.
• Leslie Abramson: The Brief but Fiery Addition
  • Born: October 6, 1943, Queens, New York.
  • Role in Spector Case: Briefly represented Spector in 2004, taking over from Robert Shapiro.
  • Noteworthy: Abramson is famous for her fierce defense of the Menendez brothers in their sensational parricide trials in the 1990s.
• Doron Weinberg: The Conviction Attorney (Retrial)
  • Role in Spector Case: Lead defense attorney for Spector’s second murder trial (retrial) from 2008 to 2009.
  • Noteworthy: Weinberg is a respected criminal defense attorney based in San Francisco. He was the lawyer who argued the "suicide defense" that Lana Clarkson shot herself.
  • Post-Verdict: After Spector's conviction for second-degree murder, Weinberg publicly stated, "I don't think justice was done today."
• Alan Jackson: The Prosecutor Who Won
  • Role in Spector Case: Lead prosecutor for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office in the retrial that led to Spector's conviction.
  • Noteworthy: Jackson was praised for his methodical and effective prosecution, successfully countering the defense's suicide theory.

The Legal Strategy: Suicide Defense and Expert Witness Wars

The core of Phil Spector's defense across both trials revolved around the controversial "suicide defense." The defense team argued that Lana Clarkson, a struggling actress, was depressed and shot herself in Spector's Alhambra mansion in 2003. This defense was a desperate attempt to create "reasonable doubt" in the minds of the jury.

To support this theory, Spector's attorneys relied heavily on a team of high-priced forensic pathologists and ballistics experts. This use of expert witnesses became a legal battleground, with the prosecution, led by Alan Jackson, successfully challenging the defense's scientific claims. Jackson's cross-examination of the defense's star forensic pathologist was particularly devastating, accusing the expert of tailoring his testimony for Spector’s defense.

The drama extended beyond the courtroom, as Spector's unpredictable behavior and his constant shuffling of legal representation undermined any consistent strategy. The dismissal of Bruce Cutler, a high-profile lawyer known for his work with John Gotti, before the closing arguments of the first trial was a stunning move that signaled the chaos within the defense camp.

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Where Are They Now? The Post-Spector Lives of the Legal Stars

The Spector case was a career-defining moment for everyone involved. While Spector died in prison from natural causes in 2021, his former attorneys and the successful prosecutor have continued their professional journeys, often in the public eye. Their current activities provide a fresh, modern context to the infamous trial.

1. Robert Shapiro: The Entrepreneurial Lawyer (Now)

While his early involvement with Spector was brief, Robert Shapiro's current career trajectory is arguably the most successful outside of the courtroom. After the O.J. Simpson trial, Shapiro co-founded the successful online legal technology company, LegalZoom. He remains a prominent figure in both civil and criminal law and an active entrepreneur. His business interests now overshadow his brief, controversial representation of Spector, though the $1 million retainer fee lawsuit remains a footnote in his high-profile career.

2. Leslie Abramson: The Quiet Retirement (Now)

Leslie Abramson, known for her fiery and passionate courtroom style, has largely withdrawn from the public eye. Her high-profile career, which included the Menendez brothers and a short stint with Spector, has concluded in a quiet retirement. According to the State Bar of California, her legal license is currently listed as inactive. She is reported to be living a low-profile life in Monrovia, having retired from the high-stress world of celebrity criminal defense.

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3. Alan Jackson: From Prosecutor to High-Profile Defense (Now)

The prosecutor who secured the conviction against Spector, Alan Jackson, has since transitioned to private practice. Jackson now works as a partner at a prominent criminal defense firm, Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP. In a twist of fate, the former Spector prosecutor is now a sought-after criminal defense attorney, recently profiled for his involvement in the high-profile Karen Read defense trial. This shift from successful prosecutor to defense counsel highlights his versatility and continued relevance in major American legal cases.

4. Doron Weinberg: The Veteran Defense Counsel (Now)

Doron Weinberg, the lawyer who took on the difficult task of the retrial and ultimately saw his client convicted, continues his work as a respected criminal defense attorney in Northern California. While he has kept a lower profile than his celebrity defense counterparts, Weinberg remains a veteran practitioner in the field, often taking on complex and challenging cases. His final, defiant statement after Spector's conviction—that he did not believe justice was done—encapsulated the contentious nature of the entire legal process.

5. The Judge: Larry Paul Fidler’s Legacy

Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler presided over both the first mistrial and the second trial. His management of the case was often scrutinized, particularly his handling of the jury instructions and the technical forensic evidence. Judge Fidler's career is now forever linked to the Spector case, a trial that tested the limits of celebrity justice and complex forensic testimony in the modern era.

The Phil Spector murder case remains a powerful study in the pitfalls of celebrity justice, where the drama of the defense team often rivaled the facts of the crime. The shifting alliances, the theatrical courtroom battles, and the ultimate conviction underscore the intense pressure and high stakes faced by every attorney involved. The current lives of these legal figures—from the entrepreneurial success of Shapiro to the new high-profile defense work of Jackson—show that while the Wall of Sound creator is gone, the echoes of his legal saga continue to resonate in the American legal landscape.