Phil Spector Trial: Elmer Fudd, shotguns and regrets

By Stone Martindale May 15, 2007, 2:16 GMT

Kathy Sullivan delivers witness testimony during the Phil Spector murder trial at Los Angeles Superior Court in Los Angeles, California on 14 May 2007. Spector, 67, is accused of shooting actress Lana Clarkson on 03 February 2003. EPA/PAUL BUCK

A waitress testified today in Phil Spector's murder trial, and described him as "fatherly", but also said he had escorted her and a friend out of his mansion while carrying a rifle or shotgun, reported Court TV.

Witness Kathy Sullivan said she "thought it was silly" at first for Spector to walk them to a car with a gun, and that he "looked like the cartoon character Elmer Fudd" when he descended his stairs replete in plaid with the shotgun in hand.

waiter from Dan Tana's restaurant

Sullivan said "it was the funniest picture in the whole wide world" but also testified that once away from the surreal scene, she noted, "I'm so glad we're out of there."

Spector is on trial for the murder of B actress Lana Clarkson in his mansion. Clarkson died of a gunshot through the mouth in the early hours of Feb. 3, 2003. Spector's defense claims she shot herself.

Four other women have since testified variations of the same story: Spector threatened them with guns too.                         

Spector

Sullivan worked in a restaurant Spector frequented. She testified that in 1997 or 1998 she and another waitress named Susan who had become friends with Spector took food and wine to his home, and spent the night there in separate rooms.

She said the next morning as they were about to depart, Spector left them in the foyer and returned carrying a long gun. Sullivan said she asked Spector what the weapon was for.

"He said, 'Protection,'" she testified.

Sullivan claimed the gun was never pointed directly at them.

During the live testimony on Court TV, Sullivan agreed with defense attorney Roger Rosen's descriptions of Spector as "mannerly and paternalistic."

"You said it seemed to you and Susan that Mr. Spector got a kick out of you," Rosen said.

Sullivan recounted that Spector would humor her musical aspirations by listening to their songs.

"Well, Susan and I were pretty crazy and we were working on a lounge act," she said. "And we would go up to Phillip's house and she would bring her guitar and we would do some of our numbers for him, which were clearly terrible.

"And he would sit there very nicely, just sort of nodding, and at the end of it he wouldn't tell us to shut up. He would simply say, 'Have you thought about this song?' and he would lead us to something else.

"It was just very kind and something like a dad would do when he saw his kid's ballet recital."