Jury requests a VCR

As jurors returned to deliberations in Phil Spector's murder trial yesterday, the record producer's defense filed a motion asking the judge to give the panel more guidance to clarify controversial new instructions he issued last week to help break a deadlock. In a hearing outside the jury's presence, Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler listened to arguments on the motion and told attorneys he would think about it, but gave no indication how he would rule. Amid the developments, the jury sent a note asking for a VCR, which was sent into the room during afternoon deliberations. It was not known what the panel wished to view. Spector, 67, is charged with second-degree murder in the Feb. 3, 2003, death of actress Lana Clarkson, 40, from a gunshot fired in her mouth. (AP)

A federal judge sentenced Hollywood director John McTiernan to four months in prison yesterday after refusing to allow him to withdraw his guilty plea to a charge of lying to the FBI about his association with disgraced private eye Anthony Pellicano. Judge Dale S. Fischer gave the director of such films as "Predator," "Die Hard," "The Hunt for Red October," and "The Thomas Crown Affair" until Jan. 15 to turn himself in. McTiernan's lawyer said he would appeal. McTiernan, 56, also was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine. When he entered his plea last year, McTiernan said he lied when he told an FBI agent the only time he used Pellicano's services was during his divorce. In actuality, he said, he hired Pellicano to wiretap Charles Roven, a producer who had worked with him on the 2002 box-office flop "Rollerball." (AP)

Political satirist Jon Stewart, host of the popular mock cable TV newscast "The Daily Show," will interview Bolivian President Evo Morales on the program tonight, Comedy Central announced yesterday. The guest spot by Morales will mark only the second appearance on the Emmy-winning show by a sitting head of state, following Stewart's interview a year ago of Pervez Musharraf, president of Pakistan. Bolivia's leader, a staunch critic of the Bush administration, is in New York to attend the UN General Assembly. In a first for "The Daily Show," Stewart will conduct his interview of Morales through an interpreter, a network spokesman said. (Reuters)

Special administrators in Aiken, S.C., appointed to look into the handling of James Brown's estate told a judge yesterday that a former trustee may have misappropriated up to $7 million of the late soul singer's money. The judge agreed that Brown's heirs could pursue those claims and ordered the ex-trustee to pay $370,000 back to the estate, on top of $350,000 the man repaid last month. State Circuit Judge Jack Early gave David Cannon, who has resigned as co-executor of Brown's will, 10 days to repay the additional $370,000 and 20 days to pay $30,000 for attorney fees and to produce other documents. (AP)

Ashley Wheater, an alumnus of the Joffrey Ballet, is returning to the troupe as its artistic director, taking over for cofounder Gerald Arpino, who assumed an emeritus role this summer. Wheater, longtime ballet master of the San Francisco Ballet and also a former dancer with the Royal Ballet, became the company's artistic director yesterday. (AP)

'He shall go by the name of Donovan Rory MacDonald Gallagher and he will be a legend. Give thanks and praise.' Noel Gallagher of the rock band Oasis, in a text message to friends and family over the weekend to announce the birth of his son.