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CNN Live Today
Blake Attorney Says Stuntmen Just Seeking Spotlight
Aired April 25, 2002 - 10:33 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now the latest on the Hollywood murder mystery involving Robert Blake. The actor's attorney says that two Hollywood stuntmen are seeking the spotlight now in a roll that could cast them as star witnesses in the murder case. Here is Charles Feldman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When former "Baretta" star Robert Blake was arrested, charged with murdering his wife, it was alleged he first tried to enlist two hit men to do the job. Those two potential hit men are now cooperating with the police and are expected to testify against Blake, who prosecutors say shot and killed Bonnie Lee Bakley himself. Now Blake's attorney says he knows who the two are, two veteran Hollywood stuntmen the actor paled around with.
HARLAND BRAUN, ATTORNEY FOR ROBERT BLAKE: A lot of this is just people he'd hang around with. He'd tell them about how this woman is ruining his life, and how -- what a difficult situation this is. And he said some of these guys would make comments to him like, "Why don't you kill the bitch," or something like that.
FELDMAN: But Blake's lawyer says his client never tried to hire them to kill his wife.
BRAUN: Maybe someone's taking some of those casual comments and massaged them into the role of a lifetime. And the question is why didn't they call the police if this happened?
FELDMAN: One of the stuntmen is Gary Mclarty. Back in the 80's, Mclarty worked on the "Twilight Zone" motion picture. He testified in court after actor Vic Morrow and two children were accidentally killed on the set while filming a stunt.
Mclarty would not talk with us about the Blake case. The other stuntman, Ronald "Duffy" Hambleton, could not be reached for comment.
(on camera): Blake's attorney probably summed up the latest twist in this case best. He said, "This is a Hollywood case: in Hollywood, truth is fantasy, fantasy is truth."
Charles Feldman, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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