Now Spector, the difficult genius whose "Wall of Sound" production technique turned pop songs into mini-symphonies in the 1960s, may spend the rest of his life in prison.
Spector, who would not be eligible for parole until he is 88, showed no emotion before being led away to prison.
Spector's lawyers spent two trials and millions of dollars arguing that Clarkson killed herself while battling depression. They vowed to appeal.
His family seemed as divided as the jurors who had deadlocked at his first trial.
"This is a sad day for everybody involved," said Spector's 28-year-old wife, Rachelle. "The Clarkson family has lost a daughter and a sister. I've lost my husband, my best friend. I feel that a grave injustice has been done and from this day forward I'm going to dedicate myself to proving my husband's innocence."
"I'm torn about this," said Spector's son, Louis. "I'm losing my father who is going to spend his life in jail. At the same time, justice is served."
Superior Court Judge Larry Fidler sentenced Spector to the mandatory 15 years to life in prison, added a four-year enhancement for personal use of a gun and imposed more than $26,000 in restitution fees.
Spector's attorney, Doron Weinberg, asked that his client quickly be transferred from Los Angeles County jail to a state prison.
Weinberg said Spector had surgery this week for precancerous polyps on his vocal cords and correctional authorities are prepared to deal with his multiple medical issues.
"The faster he can get to his ultimate destination, he can get organized and start to live the rest of his life," Weinberg said. "He will be a very high-profile inmate and there's a question of how others will treat him."
In his heyday in the early and mid-1960s, Spector produced dozens of hits, including The Ronette's "Be My Baby," The Crystals' "Da Doo Ron Ron" and The Righteous Brothers' classic, "You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin.'" Spector also worked on the Beatles album "Let It Be" and John Lennon's album, "Imagine."
His "Wall of Sound" used orchestrations and sometimes dozens of microphones to producer a dense, echoing sound that influenced everyone from The Beach Boys to Bruce Springsteen.
But Spector also had a troubled reputation. In the 1970s, he got probation for possessing and brandishing a gun. Singer Leonard Cohen once said the producer held a gun to his chest.
