Phil Spector has broken his silence about the shooting of a B-movie actress at his California mansion, saying she had drunkenly "kissed the gun" and killed herself.
In an interview to be published in Esquirethis week, the music producer denies knowing 40-year-old Lana Clarkson.
Spector, 62, was arrested hours after the February shooting and released on €600,000 bail.
He says the victim was already drunk when he met her at the Hollywood House of Blues club where she worked as a hostess.
He agreed to take her to see his 10 bedroom home in the Los Angeles suburb of Alhambra, where he said she committed suicide, according to Spector.
The actress was found dead in the foyer of Spector's "Pyrenees Castle", north east of Los Angelos.
Police received a call from inside the producer's home.
Legendary rock and pop record producer Phil Spector worked with the Beatles, Ike and Tina Turner, and The Ramones. He also worked on solo albums by John Lennon and George Harrison, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
PA