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American Morning

Interview with Cary Goldstein

Aired April 19, 2002 - 08:13   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The arrest of actor Robert Blake comes nearly a year after his wife was shot outside a restaurant in Studio City, California. Police say Blake offered no resistance when police took him into custody yesterday.

He and his wife Bonny Lee Bakley had been married for six months at the time of her killing.

And joining us now in Los Angeles on behalf of the late Bakley, Cary Goldstein, the attorney for Bakley and her family.

Thank you for getting up to us, getting up for us at this ridiculous hour of the morning.

CARY GOLDSTEIN, ATTORNEY FOR BAKLEY FAMILY: Good morning. You're welcome.

ZAHN: Cary, we know that he was very surprised about the arrest. Were you tipped off about this arrest?

GOLDSTEIN: Well, we weren't tipped off, but we suspected that it was about to come down. The police indicated that apparently some of the more recent rounds of media had revealed some inside information that was spooking some of the witnesses. So maybe that pushed it. Either that or they were just ready to go.

ZAHN: What do you mean inside information that spooked witnesses?

GOLDSTEIN: Well, I believe that some of the information regarding Blake having contacted a couple of individuals offering them money in exchange for murdering Bonny was information that certainly the police and the D.A. didn't release. But the people who were talking with the police about it were concerned that that had leaked out.

ZAHN: Yes, because...

GOLDSTEIN: That may have moved it forward. Either that or they were just ready to go.

ZAHN: Yes, because the police chief said yesterday that there was physical and "significant circumstantial evidence," but he gave no details at all. Apparently the investigation covered more than 900 items of evidence and more than 150 witnesses. What do you think will be the most critical piece of evidence the police have?

GOLDSTEIN: Well, I really at this point don't want to discuss the evidence because the man is charged. But what I can tell you is I think they're hitting the nail on the head when they speak about motive. Robert Blake didn't want Bonny in his life. He didn't want to pay child support to her. He didn't want to be married to her. He wanted her out of the picture but he wanted the child. And he succeeded in doing that. I doubt that he's going to get away with murder, though.

ZAHN: Well, let's talk about the strategy his lawyer has used in the past, and it is clear that he was very comfortable raising questions about your client's past, Bonny Lee Bakley, some of her business deals, some of her run-ins with the law. What do you expect to encounter in the courtroom?

GOLDSTEIN: Well, sure, they'll continue bashing the victim and I hope America stands up and offers some backlash to it. But anything that Bonny ever did that may have been illegal was penny ante stuff. There was never anything that she was ever involved in which would motivate somebody to murder her. It's a diversion. It's preconditioning perspective jurors, sending the subtle message that she had it coming, which, you know, of course I find quite offensive. There's nothing Bonny ever did in her lifetime that justifies her having been murdered.

ZAHN: And I know you say that the public should prepare itself for this display of bashing the victim. How do you plan to defend her and her past?

GOLDSTEIN: My intent is to remind everybody who Bonny really was, that she was, in fact, a good, decent person. I liked Bonny. You know, I don't condone any criminal activity that she may have been involved in, but she was supporting a lot of people with her business. She did what she knew best. She had a tough background growing up. She would give work to people who needed employment, who were hard on her luck. She would help the family. It's just, this was her business. And, again, none of it was evil spirited. It was basically, it appeared to basically be a hustle of some sort, but nothing that would motivate someone to murder her.

ZAHN: Cary, have you had any contact with Bonny Lee Bakley's family since the arrest of Robert Blake?

GOLDSTEIN: Oh, certainly. Certainly.

ZAHN: And what do they say?

GOLDSTEIN: Well, they're pleased that we're moving forward, that we've taken a step in the direction towards finding justice and they'll find some closure. But it's also a difficult time for them because they're reminded of the fact that their family member was murdered, the sister, the mother, the daughter. They're all concerned that -- well, they're not concerned. They're mourning the fact that Bonny is gone and she'll never be back. They're also very concerned about the fact that they've had little, almost no contact with Rose, the child, since Bonny's death, and we hope to remedy that soon.

ZAHN: Yes, we're looking at a picture of Rose now, who actually attended her mother's funeral with Robert Blake and his family. And I know when I spoke with Marjorie, Bonny Lee Bakley's sister, in the past she talked about this being the most outrageous thing her family was subjected to, because she said that most of what Robert Blake said at this funeral site, at this grave site, was just simply lies.

GOLDSTEIN: Well, I think about it...

ZAHN: A final thought about that this morning?

GOLDSTEIN: Well, think about this. Here's the man who most likely is going to be convicted of having murdered her and there he is burying her holding his child. When I saw his face, I could tell at that moment that he was as disingenuous as it can get. I think it's a tragedy that he blocked the family from attending the funeral in the way he did and then he gets to attend.

ZAHN: If he's convicted, do you think her family would want the death penalty for him?

GOLDSTEIN: It's difficult to say at this point. I haven't broached that subject with the family. They're Christian people. I don't know that they have the spirit of vengeance in them, but we'll find out as time passes.

ZAHN: All right, Cary Goldstein, again, thank you for joining us.

GOLDSTEIN: Thank you.

ZAHN: And I know you haven't had much sleep. Appreciate your getting up so early for us this morning.

GOLDSTEIN: Thank you.

ZAHN: Joining us from Los Angeles.

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