In a speech reminiscent of the one he gave at the first trial, Jackson briefly described the killing of Clarkson at Spector's mansion and displayed photos showing her in life and death. One image showed her body slumped in a chair with blood all over her face.
Jackson also recounted the statement of a chauffeur who told of Spector emerging from the house saying: "I think I killed somebody."
Jackson delivered his statement before a packed courtroom, with Clarkson's mother and sister seated in the front row. Spector wore a black pinstriped suit and white tie and was accompanied to court by his wife, Rachelle, and a bodyguard.
The defense's opening statement was expected later in the day. In Spector's first trial, the defense argued the 40-year-old Clarkson became despondent over her fading career and killed herself.
Most of Jackson's opening statement dealt with a long line of women stretching over 30 years who he said were threatened with death by a gun-wielding Spector.
He showed photos of five of them interspersed with quotes from their previous testimony, profane voicemail messages left for them by Spector and, in one case, a video excerpt from the testimony of a witness who has since died.
In that footage, Diane Ogden pointed a finger at her head and testified that Spector held a gun to her face. "He said he was going to blow my brains out," she testified.
It's been a year since the jury in Spector's first trial deadlocked 10-2, with the majority favoring conviction.
There were no witnesses to the shooting, and Spector didn't testify in that trial.
Spector invented the recording technique known as the "Wall of Sound" and produced such anthems as the Ronettes' "Be My Baby" and Ike and Tina Turner's "River Deep-Mountain High."
