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American Morning
Interview with Margerry Bakley
Aired June 14, 2002 - 08:22 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Actor Robert Blake is scheduled to appear in an L.A. court next Tuesday. His lawyer, then, is expected to ask for a reduced charge and for bail for Blake. He's accused in the murder of his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley.
And for Bakley's sister Margerry, this past year has been extremely tough to say the least. She joins live this morning from Knoxville, Tennessee -- Margerry, good morning to you.
I cannot hear you, actually, so I'm going to give it a shot -- super, she is there, and now I can. Margerry, good morning again to you. I apologize for that.
MARGERRY BAKLEY, SISTER OF VICTIM: Good morning to you.
HEMMER: Good to hear you now. Earlier in the week, CNN broke this story about this writer who had accompanied L.A. police to certain interviews with certain witnesses as they continued to investigate the murder of your sister.
What have police told you about where that stands right now?
BAKLEY: Well, the police have not exactly told me anything about that situation, but I have total faith in them. Whatever they did, they did for the right reasons. These men have given up their paid vacations, they have worked weekends and nights, and they are not going to do anything to jeopardize the case. I trust Mr. -- Detective Ron Ito totally.
HEMMER: Your confidence has not been shaken on that matter, then?
BAKLEY: Not in the least.
HEMMER: Harland Braun, the attorney for Robert Blake, has talked this past week about getting the whole matter thrown out. Are you concerned that he could win that fight?
BAKLEY: No, not at all. He spent this last year trashing my sister, trashing me, and now it's the LAPD's turn. Next it will be the the DA's office, and probably the judge. He's just out there trashing everybody.
HEMMER: I mentioned at the outset here there will be a bail hearing on Tuesday of next week in L.A. Are you opposed to Robert Blake walking out of jail until the trial begins?
BAKLEY: Yes, big time. He needs to be right where he's at.
HEMMER: Do you think he's a danger if he were released?
BAKLEY: I think he's a danger to himself, and perhaps even his own children.
HEMMER: Why?
BAKLEY: He's threatened suicide for the last couple of years, that I've heard of.
HEMMER: That you've heard of. Has every said that to you, though?
BAKLEY: No, we don't speak.
HEMMER: No, prior to the incident, though, a year ago, did he ever say that to you?
BAKLEY: No. As I said, we don't speak. We were never speaking. We were never on speaking terms.
HEMMER: You have a Web site that is now set up. Tell me about that.
BAKLEY: Yes. Well, we have this Web site going in order to try to make good out of some of this bad. It's NetHollywood, bonnybakley.com. And when you log on, some of the proceeds that it costs to log on, and to pay for this site, go towards myfriendsplace.com, which is a helping hand for children that live on the streets, who are homeless, who don't know how to establish their lives. This is a wonderful program, and I'm proud to finally be a part of something good, to try to make something good out of this terrible situation.
HEMMER: Margerry, if you go online and sign up, how much do you have to pay?
BAKLEY: I believe it's 9.95 a month, and one fifth of this goes towards myfriend.com, and...
HEMMER: Only one fifth? Twenty percent?
BAKLEY: Right. Well, the rest of it goes towards maintenance fees, taking care of the site, and I'm not real good with those kind of details, but I believe it's all posted on the site where the money goes.
HEMMER: Eighty percent of that fee then has to pay for the maintenance of the Web site? I'm not sure I quite follow that.
BAKLEY: Well, I'm not real good at that stuff either, but I believe it's posted on the site.
HEMMER: Is anyone getting money off of this, Margerry?
BAKLEY: No, only the charity will be getting any money off of this...
(CROSSTALK)
HEMMER: You are solid on that? You or no one else is taking any money from the 9.95 that people have to go and sign up?
BAKLEY: No. No, absolutely not, and I'm just thrilled to finally be a part of something that might make somebody else's life a little bit easier.
HEMMER: How is your family? How is your niece?
BAKLEY: Well, I've only see Rosie once. I'm sure she's doing well, but I would like to see her and find that out myself. The rest of the family, they are holding up as they can. We're all just waiting for the trial now.
HEMMER: Thank you, Margerry. Margerry Bakley this morning in Knoxville, Tennessee.
BAKLEY: Thank you.
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