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The judge in the murder retrial of Phil Spector has advised the jury they can consider a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter.

Music producer Spector, 68, is accused of shooting dead actress Lana Clarkson at his home in 2003.

The jury in his 2007 trial could not reach a unanimous decision, with the majority favouring a conviction on second-degree murder.

Closing prosecution and defence arguments are scheduled for Monday.

Defence objection

Superior Court Judge Larry Fidler's ruling reverses his decision in Spector's first trial, when he refused to instruct the jury that it could consider voluntary or involuntary manslaughter in the death of Clarkson.

Defence lawyer Doron Weinberg has objected to the ruling, saying it could confuse the jury and that there was "not a shred of factual or legal support" for involuntary manslaughter.

Deputy District Attorney Alan Jackson told jurors at the start of the trial last October that Spector was in a "fit of rage" when 40-year-old nightclub hostess Clarkson tried to leave his home, and that the producer "put a bullet in her head".

Spector's lawyers claim the gunshot wound was self-inflicted.

Nuts, mirrors, Red Bull and fruit are the only things girlband the Saturdays require to keep them happy backstage at a gig.

"I think Red Bull is the most rock and roll thing on there," laughs Frankie.

"We only just started asking for mirrors," Rochelle giggles.

"And that wasn't even us, that was our tour manager."

The five-piece group, who are reduced to a foursome during the interview because Vanessa is not well, are full of enthusiasm for their next single, for two reasons.

First, it is only their fourth single and secondly, the track is for Comic Relief.

"We were honoured to be asked so early on in our career," says Molly.

"We're so happy to do it, and do everything we can to help it. It's amazing we can."

Frankie adds: "We're working the hardest we've ever worked to promote a single because it's so important to us that people go out there and buy it because it's for such an important cause."

In fact, they are so enthusiastic to promote their cover version of Depeche Mode's Just Can't Get Enough, they launch into singing it just before the interview starts.

However, after further questioning, it is not just the charity that is on their minds.

"Everyone keeps asking us, 'Do you feel pressure to get to number one?' says Rochelle.

"There is pressure but we put it on ourselves, as we know the money's needed.

"We don't want to let anyone down - that's the main thing. But there is the fact that for seven years running every Comic Relief single's been number one. So, obviously that's what we want."

'Compliment'

So, there could have been a bit of disappointment all round for the girls when the single only reached number two on Sunday.

However, once the single promotion is over, the group, who only released their debut album, Chasing Lights, last year, are on to bigger things.

"We're going to the US, that's always been the plan," says Frankie.

"But we want to set our place in stone here first, before we go over there, so no one forgets us."

Inevitably the group is often being compared with fellow girlband Girls Aloud, the Saturdays insist there is no real competitiveness between the groups.

The Saturdays reached number two with their charity single

"It's evitable that we will be compared and it's a compliment," Uma says.

"They've been around for a long time, both those bands have been so successful and we're just at the start.

"We don't know how big we're going to be. The fact that people are already starting to make comparisons is really nice for us."

Despite that, Rochelle is keen to point out that although both bands record pop music, their sounds are very different.

"If you listen to our album, I think it kind of speaks for itself," she says.

'Amazingly successful'

"I think people see five girls singing and they automatically think we're going to be the same. But that is part of the job.

"We've just been on tour with Girls Aloud and they've been nothing but nice to us and they're amazingly successful, we always say if we could have a bit of their success we'll be flying so we hope it keeps going well for us."

When asked what it is like to be famous, all four girls start talking at once, insisting they do not yet count themselves as celebrities.

Rochelle, who says she "hates" the word fame admits she finds being recognised in the street strange.

"I was out with my mum the other day and there was a girl staring at me and I was getting really paranoid.

"She was looking at me and talking about me and I felt really bad, thinking I had something on my face."

Brokeback Mountain director Ang Lee is to head the jury at this year's Venice Film Festival, organisers have said.

The Taiwanese-born film-maker, who has won the Italian event's main prize twice, will chair the panel responsible for deciding 2009's award winners.

Lee's Oscar-winning cowboy romance movie won the Golden Lion at Venice in 2005, while Lust, Caution picked up the top honours in 2007.

The festival is due to take place from 2 to 12 September.

'Most successful'

In a statement on the event's website, Lee was praised as "one of the most highly appreciated international film makers".

"He is one of the most successful directors in creating a dialogue between the film-making culture of the East and West," it added.

Lee, who moved to the US in 1978, won the best director Oscar for Brokeback Mountain in 2006, which picked up a whole host of other awards.

His 2001 martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon collected four Academy Awards including best foreign language film.

Lee is currently putting the final touches to Taking Woodstock, a film about the landmark US music festival.

Last year, The Wrestler won the Golden Lion for best film.

Its star Mickey Rourke went on to be the leading contender for best actor at the Oscars, but he lost out to Sean Penn for Milk.