Phil Spector Was 'Demon' After Alcohol Retrial Witness Claims

A witness in the murder retrial of Phil Spector has told a jury that he turned into a “demon” after consuming alcohol.

Dorothy Melvin, manager of comedian John Rivers, dated Spector for four years.

She said the music producer was “a charmer” when “outside of these maniacal episodes” but “when he's drinking, he loses it and becomes a demon.”

Spector is accused of shooting b-movie actress Lana Clarkson at his mansion in Los Angeles in 2003. He denies the charge.

A security guard also told the jury how Melvin had asked him to eject Spector from two Christmas parties because he was allegedly waving a gun.

Spector is best known for pioneering the Wall of Sound recording technique.

His defence lawyer Doron Weinberg told jurors evidence in the trial would show that Clarkson shot herself as a result of her struggling acting career.

The original trial last year resulted in a hung jury. Spector's retrial is expected to last four months.