Judge issues Phil Spector jury new instructions

The jury in the Phil Spector trial has still not reached a verdict despite new instructions from the judge aimed at ending the deadlock.

Deliberations resumed yesterday following a two-day hiatus after the panel said it was split 7-5 over a verdict, without saying which way it was leaning.

The Los Angeles superior court judge Larry Fidler refused to declare a mistrial after seven days of deliberations in the six-month trial.

The 67-year-old music producer faces a sentence of 15 years to life in jail if he is convicted of murdering the actress Lana Clarkson by shooting her through the mouth at his Los Angeles home in February 2003.