Try not to be too shocked. Despite the majority of the producer's legal team quitting the case, Judge Fidler has given Phil Spector just less than three weeks to assemble a new legal team for his second trial. The first trial, which was declared a mistrial last week, lasted six months before ending in a deadlocked jury.

This afternoon, the jury officially confirmed that there was only one thing they could unanimously agree on: their inability to agree.



However, Phil Spector is not yet free and clear....

It appears that Phil Spector's young wife, Rachelle, is in the spotlight again. It's amazing how these things work: the woman's husband is dealing with a deadlocked jury in a second-degree

It seemed as if Judge Fidler was finally making a fair call by deciding to not introduce new, lesser charges of involuntary manslaughter in an attempt to break the jury deadlock. But now the legal community is buzzing about controversial instructions he passed on to the jury before he sent them back to deliberate the case....

Judge Fidler, after listening to debate from both the prosecution and defense concerning the possibility of introducing a reduced charge of involuntary manslaughter decided to stick to his original decision. As such, the jury remains deadlocked, 7-5, on the second-degree murder charge.

After a week of deliberation, the jury foreman has told the court Phil Spector's jury is split 7-5 and he does not believe that anything, at this point, will change their point of view. As such, Judge Fidler is considering allowing them to deliberate a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter.

The legendary music producer's fate is in the hands of nine men and three women now.... Meanwhile, both Spector and his wife, Rachelle, were hit with a gag order, and told not to speak to the press until the jury had finished deliberating.

After considering a petition from the defense, Judge Fidler ruled that the jury could only find Phil Spector guilty of a second-degree murder charge when they head off to deliberate.

In what can't be good news for Phil Spector, his attorney, Bruce Cutler, quit the defense team due to an unresolvable conflict over the defense's closing argument. Is he like a rat abandoning a sinking ship? And at what point does this trial become ridiculous enough to be declared a mistrial?

While his trial rages on with various forensics experts arguing whether or not Lana Clarkson lived for a few minutes after the gunshot wound [hence, possibly coughing blood on Spector's jacket], Phil's adopted son appeared on TV and painted a rather ugly picture of his father.

Phil Spector's defense team brought their side of the case to its end as the accused confirmed he would not take the stand. He was never expected to, as the defense had built their case around scientific evidence that they believe shows his innocence. Well, that, and the fact that he'd probably do more harm than good for himself if he took the stand.

Dr. Michael Baden's testimony actually left prosecutor Alan Jackson speechless for a few moments yesterday -- which is phenomenal in and of itself.