Music producer Phil Spector, jailed for murder of actress, dies at 81

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Category: Human Interest

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. go on to (do something) / goʊ ɒn tʊ / (phrasal) – to continue doing something after completing something else
    Example:

    After graduating from high school, Mary went on to study engineering at college.


  2. be diagnosed (with something) / bi ˈdaɪ əgˌnoʊsd wɪð / (idiom) – to have an illness or disease formally identified
    Example:

    James was diagnosed with high blood pressure last year.


  3. prison cell / ˈprɪz ən sɛl / (n) – a small room inside a prison where a prisoner is kept
    Example:

    The small prison cell was cold and dark.


  4. sentence / ˈsɛn tns / (n) – a punishment given by a judge to someone who was found guilty of a crime
    Example:

    The man was given a ten-year sentence for robbing a bank.


  5. sheriff / ˈʃɛr ɪf / (n) – an official whose duty is to make sure that the law is obeyed in a county or town  
    Example:

    My son wants to be a sheriff when he grows up.


Article

Read the text below.

Rock producer Phil Spector, who changed the sound of pop music in the 1960s with his “Wall of Sound” recordings and was convicted of murder in 2003, has died at age 81 of COVID-19, according to authorities and media reports Jan. 17.


Spector produced 20 top 40 hits between 1961 and 1965 and went on to work with the Beatles on Let It Be, as well as with Leonard Cohen and the Righteous Brothers.


He was diagnosed with COVID-19 four weeks ago and transferred to a hospital from his prison cell, where he had been serving a 19 years-to-life sentence for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson, the Daily Mail newspaper said.


The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said Spector’s official cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner in the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. (Reuters)


This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • In your opinion, what types of crimes deserve a life sentence (ex. murder, scams that steal people’s life savings)? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you feel that any crimes deserve the death penalty? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think that prisons have a responsibility to protect all prisoners from COVID-19 right now? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Were you surprised to read that someone so famous was convicted of murder? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Should celebrities get any special treatment in prison for their safety? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • When celebrities get out of jail, do you think it’s okay for them to continue their previous careers, or should they leave the public spotlight forever? Why? Discuss.