package python-imaging 3.1.2-0ubuntu1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 1

[vsxd]

not sure, error popup was on screen after waking up from a nap.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: python-imaging 3.1.2-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-66.87-generic 4.4.44
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-66-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.5
Architecture: i386
Date: Thu Mar 16 00:02:46 2017
ErrorMessage: subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-08-17 (210 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 16.04 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release i386 (20160420.1)
PackageArchitecture: all
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.18.4ubuntu1.1
 apt 1.2.19
SourcePackage: pillow
Title: package python-imaging 3.1.2-0ubuntu1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Patrick Martin (patrickmmartin)]

Caused by manual `sudo apt-get upgrade`

I think fixed using

`sudo update-alternatives --config python`

to select Python 2 (my default is python 3.5)

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

I'm not quite sure what happened here but I suspect a local configuration error given that the DuplicateSignature contains the following:

Preparing to unpack .../python-pil_3.1.2-0ubuntu1.1_i386.deb ...
  File "/usr/bin/pyclean", line 63
    except (IOError, OSError), e:

This error would come about if "/usr/bin/pyclean" was run under python3 but the shebang line in /usr/bin/pyclean contains "/usr/bin/python".