Age Discrimination in Spector Case Report

In the Jan. 10 story, “Sound of Gunfire Marks the Collision of Two Lives,” the reference to Lana Clarkson’s age as being a death sentence in Hollywood was truly beneath the level of a newspaper such as the Los Angeles Times. It is easily demonstrated as untrue; blonds over 40 such as Heather Locklear, Madonna and many others are happily in the media with amazing frequency. It is also against state and federal nondiscrimination laws in employment; all persons over the age of 40 are protected in employment unless age is a bona fide disqualifier. In Clarkson’s industry, entertainment, it obviously is not. I am disgusted to see The Times stoop so low as to entertain this type of journalism. Clarkson’s age had nothing to do with her tragedy.

E. Sylvia Simpson

Santa Ana

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After reading the article concerning the sordid story about Phil Spector and the death of Lana Clarkson, it would seem to me that the mention of a critical test was missing from your excerpts from the grand jury transcripts. Surely the Alhambra police could not have missed it. I refer to the standard gun-shot residue test that would have provided pretty conclusive evidence of who fired the fatal shot.

Marv Gonsior

Fullerton