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CNN Live Today

Actor Robert Blake Charged With Murdering His Wife

Aired April 19, 2002 - 11:31   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now back to the lead story of the hour, the story that Hollywood is talking about, the arrest of actor Robert Blake for the arrest of his wife Bonny Lee Bakley.

Our Thelma Gutierrez has more now from Los Angeles.

Thelma, good morning.

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, Robert Blake is a veteran actor, now charged with murdering his 44-year-old wife, Bonny Lee Bakley. Police say he will be charged with one count of murder, with a special circumstance of lying in wait and two counts of soliciting murder. Now these charges could make him eligible for the death penalty. It will be up to prosecutors to decide whether or not to seek the death penalty.

Police say that Blake has been at the center of the investigation ever since Bonny Bakley was murdered last May. The murder weapon was a World War II-era German made handgun. Police found the gun in the trash bin a day after the murder. The couple has as two-year-old daughter, Rose. They had had a strained marriage. He married Bonny Bakley after DNA tests revealed that he was the child's father. Bakley lived in a guest house on Blake's property.

Now police chief Bernard Parks says yesterday that no other investigation in the history of the LAPD have required such extensive travel. They travelled to 20 states, interviewing more than 150 witnesses. Blake was processed here at Parker Center. He is being currently held in the hospital ward of men's central jail, where he was transferred a few hours ago. We are told he is in the hospital ward because that is typically where high-profile people are held, but not -- he is not there because is he ill.

Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Thelma Gutierrez, working on this breaking story out of Los Angeles.

Thelma, thank you so much.

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