US:Sara Caplan, a former lawyer for Phil Spector, was formally held in contempt on Monday for refusing to testify about what she saw when defence experts searched the music producer's home, where Lana Clarkson's body was found.
In a hearing lasting about 20 minutes, Los Angeles county superior court judge Larry Paul Fidler ordered that Ms Caplan be sent to jail until she was ready to testify before the jury in the Spector murder trial. He stayed the sentence, however, to allow the attorney time to appeal to a higher court.
After Ms Caplan was sworn in and took the stand, deputy district attorney Alan Jackson asked the first of several questions that Ms Caplan said she could not answer because of her role as Spector's former attorney.
"I have great respect for this court, for the constitution of the United States and the state of California, and the ethical obligations of attorneys in this state," she said.
Judge Fidler then ordered her to jail without bail but delayed the sentence until Friday to allow time for an appeal.
Ms Caplan was part of the defence team that searched Spector's Alhambra mansion shortly after Ms Clarkson was found shot dead on February 3rd, 2003. Spector (67) is charged with the murder of Ms Clarkson (40), an actress and hostess at the House of Blues where Spector met her hours earlier.
Ms Caplan, in an evidential hearing, testified that she saw forensic scientist Henry Lee pick up a small piece of white material, which the prosecution claims is part of an acrylic fingernail from Ms Clarkson's hand. The prosecution contends that the material supports its case and that the defence erred in taking it from the scene.
Mr Lee has repeatedly denied that he took anything from the scene. After the evidential hearing, Judge Fidler said he found Ms Caplan more credible than Mr Lee and ruled that the jury should hear from Ms Caplan directly. That decision placed Ms Caplan in the position of becoming a key prosecution witness against her former client, Spector.