The Phil Spector Trial: We Watch Court TV So You Don’t Have To (08/16)
WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY? ? Dr. Michael Baden was back on the stand to face cross-examination from the prosecution’s Alan Jackson. With the prosecution barely touching the surface of Baden’s mishandled testimony about Lana Clarkson‘s fatal gunshot wound, the epicenter of Wednesday’s session focused on how Baden’s appearance for the defense may represent a huge conflict of interest. By now, everyone in the courtroom is aware that Baden is married to Phil Spector defense lawyer Linda Kenney-Baden, who is currently out of court due to a viral illness. Jackson alleged that Baden wasn’t an unbiased witness, and had hatched a plan with his wife to come up with a theory to help prove her client innocent. Baden strongly disagreed, adding that if he truly felt Spector was guilty, he wouldnt have told his wife to join the defense team. Baden is a seasoned trial pro, but even he couldn’t mask his fake naivety when he told Jackson he doesn’t even know what the term ‘conflict of interest” means.
IS THIS GOOD OR BAD FOR SPECTOR? Both. While the whole husband/wife thing seemed suspicious from the start, the testimony that Baden sneaked in Tuesday (about how Lana Clarkson’s spine wasn’t completely transected by the bullet that killed her, leaving her open to post-gunshot movement) will have a positive aftermath for Spector.
MEANWHILE, OUTSIDE OF COURT: Dr. Werner Spitz, who testified earlier for the defense, will retake the stand to agree with Baden’s recent forensic epiphany. In fact, it seems this claim has altered the entire defensive playbook: They revealed they would call at least five more witnesses instead of resting their case with Baden. Both sides were expected to rest this week; now, it’s looking like we have at least another week’s worth of witnesses.