Blake preliminary hearing pushed back to February

Friday December 06, 2002

By LINDA DEUTSCH
AP Special Correspondent

LOS ANGELES (AP) A judge pushed back Robert Blake's preliminary hearing from Dec. 11 to Feb. 26 although his new lawyers said Friday they would prefer even more time to prepare for the complicated case that alleges the actor murdered his wife.

Attorneys Jennifer Keller and Thomas Mesereau Jr., who recently took over from attorney Harland Braun, said they face the daunting task of studying some 42,000 documents as well 200 to 300 audiotapes before the hearing begins.

In California courts the preliminary hearing is essentially a mini trial to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to go forward with charges against a defendant.

Keller suggested March 31 as a date to begin the preliminary hearing, but Superior Court Judge Lloyd Nash said that was too long a delay and suggested he had been misled about the amount of time it would take new lawyers to prepare.

``If I had been made aware that the preliminary hearing might trail into April I might not have relieved Mr. Braun,'' the judge said.

Braun resigned as Blake's defense attorney because Blake wanted to do an on-camera network television interview.

Blake, who starred in the old ``Baretta'' TV series, is accused of shooting his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, 44, in their car outside a restaurant on May 4, 2001. He was not arrested until April 18. He has pleaded innocent to all charges.

The judge said he was concerned about Blake, who will have been in custody for nearly a year when the hearing gets under way.

``I just can't see continuing to the end of March,'' he said.

Blake was asked if he was willing to waive a speedy hearing. He said yes and agreed to Feb. 26, which finally was arrived at after attorneys compared their calendars.

``Please be ready on that date,'' the judge said. ``We're going to do the prelim. We're going to go forward.''

Blake's lawyers said he is in need of dental treatment and the judge approved his transfer from Men's Central Jail to a clinic at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center where his dentist can work on him.

(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)