by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright April 19, 2002
All Rights Reserved.

urrounding Robert Blake's Hidden Hills estate, the Los Angeles Police Department finally arrested the retired Hollywood actor for the May 4, 2001 shooting death of his 44-year old wife Bonnie Lee Bakley—curiously, 3-days after Police Chief Bernard C. Parks lost his bid for reappointment. Last May, detectives decided not to jump the gun, pursuing the most costly investigation in LAPD history. On the evening of May 4, Blake dined with his wife at Vitellos Restaurant, a haunt tucked away in the chic East Valley suburb of Studio City. That evening, Blake parked on a quiet, tree-lined residential street about a block from the restaurant. According to his attorney Harland W. Braun, he walked his wife back to the car, opened her door, and told her to wait while he returned to Vitellos to retrieve his handgun that "slipped out of his waste-band." When he returned to his car, Blake found his wife slumped over in the passenger's seat, bleeding from a bullet wound to her head. He then ran to director Sean Stanek's home, banged on his door and urged him to call 911. Blake then returned to Vitello's where he told owner Joe Restivo "My wife, she got hurt or we got mugged or something . . ." suggesting that he was the victim of a violent crime.

     On the night of the murder, Braun leapt into action, whisking Blake off to an undisclosed hospital to manage his "high blood pressure," intercepting all media inquiries and diverting attention to farfetched theories. At the time, Braun demonized Bakley as a low-life, conning lonely hearts for her nude pictures and promises of sex. He guessed that any one of Bakley's swindled customers could have harmed her, prompting Blake to carry a concealed weapon on the night of the murder. While Bakley was no angel, arrested for drug possession in 1989, accused of pornography trafficking in 1991 and prosecuted for passing fake IDs in 1997, Braun's theories stretch the imagination. When they didn't fly, he speculated that a dangerous neighborhood burglar might have killed Bakley while she sat in the car, strangely reminiscent of Johnnie Cochran's mysterious "ski-capped man in the dark alley"—something so improbable that it's insulting. Two days after the murder, LAPD detectives found the murder weapon discarded in a dumpster, a few blocks from the murder scene.

     Here's where it gets interesting. In the trash bin, police found a German-made WW II-vintage Walther P-38, 9mm, clip-loading semiautomatic handgun worth, conservatively, over $1,000, not the typical murder weapon tossed by Mafia-style hit-men—though the serial numbers were scratched off. When Police searched Blake's home, they found a cache of gun collectables replete with ammunition. Detectives reportedly found a box of 9mm ammo with several rounds missing, matching the ammo used in the murder weapon. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the police recovered the missing serial numbers tying the murder weapon to Blake. On the murder night, Braun insisted that Blake returned to the restaurant twice, once before the murder "to retrieve his lost handgun," and then after the murder to get help. Vitello's owner Joe Restivo said last May that Blake only returned once, after the murder. Neither he nor any other employee saw Blake return to "retrieve his missing gun," placing Blake's alibi in doubt. They only saw him return in a panic after the murder telling Resitivo, "My wife, she got hurt, or we got mugged or something . . ." inconsistent with Braun"s prior statements.

     "The Bonny Lee Bakley case is solved," said Chief Bernard C. Parks, at an April 18 press conference at Parker Center. "Robert Blake shot Bonny Bakley," LAPD spokesman Capt. Jim Tatreau told reporters. "The motive was Robert Blake's contempt for Bonny Bakley and the marriage he felt was forced upon him," establishing a credible reason for the homicide. Blake's bodyguard Earle Caldwell was also arrested as an accessory to murder. Parks expects the DA to formally charge Blake on April 22 with first-degree murder with one special circumstance—lying in wait—that could net him the death penalty. Parks thinks Caldwell will be charged with one count of conspiracy to commit murder. Nearly one year later, the LAPD finished its investigation, arresting Blake and Caldwell. At the time of the murder, the Police didn't buy Braun's theories, yet made no arrests, sparing the "rush to judgment" charged by Robert Shapiro and Johnnie Cochran during the O.J. fiasco. Unwilling to make the same mistake, the LAPD lined up all their ducks before hauling Blake and Caldwell into custody.

     Bakley family attorney Cary W. Goldstein expressed satisfaction at Blake's arrest. "The family has stated all along that Robert and Earle were the individuals they believe responsible for Bonny's death," though Braun vigorously disputes the charges. "I believe the real killer is out there," Braun told reporters after Blake's arrest. Before discussing options, Braun said he needed to review the LAPD's 35,000-page case leading to Blake's arrest and expected filing. Last May, Braun raised more suspicion, appearing on the scene immediately after the murder. Insulating Blake from the media, Braun intercepted all questions, promising that Blake would eventually speak out. No one ever heard from the 68-year-old '70s TV star, best known for playing the street-savvy cop Tony Baretta. Before her body cooled, Braun disclosed Bakley's checkered past, including arrests and slimy behavior. Like Cochran's dark cocaine underworld, Braun urgently diverted attention to Bakley's nefarious past. With Blake's alibi falling apart, Braun went into overdrive.

     While the LAPD now claims to have significant physical and circumstantial evidence, the best evidence against Blake is watching his attorney spin like a top. Since the night of the murder, Braun floated an armada of theories. When Braun reviews the LAPD's 35,000-page case and his theories get shot down, he will no doubt change tactics and begin attacking the LAPD. Blake won't roll over anytime soon. He has all the resources to mount a vigorous defense. With new, tough Los Angeles County DA Steve Cooley looking to restore his department's credibility, Braun faces a tough fight. No new theories can erase Braun's statement that Blake returned to the restaurant to retrieve his handgun. Since no one saw Blake return, his alibi at the time of the murder remains questionable. Telling Restivo that ". . . we got mugged or something . . ." also doesn't match Braun's account that Blake returned to his car and found his wife shot dead—certainly nothing about Blake getting "mugged." Even savvy attorneys need to play their cards close to the vest. With Braun already tipping his hand, it's not going to be easy.

About the Author

John M. Curtis is editor of OnlineColumnist.com and columnist for the Los Angeles Daily Journal. He's director of a Los Angeles think tank specializing in political consulting and strategic communication. He's author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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