US:The barrel of a gun may have been forced into actress Lana Clarkson's mouth, bruising her tongue before the gunshot that killed her, a coroner has testified to producer Phil Spector's murder trial.
Dr Louis Pena told the Los Angeles court it was the first time he testified about the bruise, which was not mentioned earlier in the case.
The testimony was offered to undermine the defence claim that Clarkson placed the gun in her own mouth and pulled the trigger in an act of suicide. "The bruise is very unique and is consistent with blunt-force trauma. Something struck the tongue," Dr Pena told the court.
Asked whether the bruise was made before the shot that killed Clarkson, Dr Pena said it was.
"If the barrel of the gun, a steel weapon, was placed in the mouth with some force, could that have caused the bruising on the tongue?" asked prosecuting lawyer Alan Jackson." Yes," said Dr Pena.
Spector (67) denies murdering Clarkson (40), on February 3rd, 2003, after she agreed to accompany him to his suburban mansion from her job as a hostess at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip.
Jurors were shown graphic photos of the damage done to Clarkson's face and the inside of her mouth. Dr Pena gave a powerful description of the moment that the actress died. He said the gun was in her mouth and the recoil from the shot shattered her top front teeth.
Dr Pena also testified that there were bruises on Clarkson's right arm and wrist and described two of the bruises as "significant". - ( AP)