Actress' death the focus at Spector retrial

LOS ANGELES -- A prosecutor on Wednesday portrayed musician Phil Spector as a man who repeatedly threatened women with guns and could become "very sinister, very violent and very deadly" when he was drunk.

Prosecutor Alan Jackson took aim at the defendant during his opening statement in Spector's retrial on a murder charge in the 2003 death of actress Lana Clarkson. Spector is accused of shooting her after she resisted his sexual advances.

In a speech reminiscent of the one he gave at the first trial, Jackson briefly described the killing of Clarkson at Spector's mansion and displayed photos showing her in life and death.

Jackson also recounted the statement of a chauffeur who told of Spector emerging from the house saying: "'I think I killed somebody.'"

The defense opening statement was expected later in the day. In Spector's first trial, the defense argued the 40-year-old Clarkson became despondent over her fading career and killed herself.

Most of Jackson's opening dealt with a long line of women stretching over 30 years whom he said were threatened with death by a gun-wielding Spector.

It's been a year since the jury in Spector's first trial deadlocked 10-2 with the majority favoring conviction.

There were no witnesses to the shooting and Spector didn't testify in that trial.