Blake Pleads Not Guilty to Murder

Before actor Robert Blake pleaded not guilty Thursday to killing his wife, he spoke to reporters for the first time since he was released from jail two weeks ago, thanking the judge who set his bail for “saving my life” and calling himself the “luckiest person you will ever meet.”

Inside the courtroom at his formal arraignment, Blake, who looked stronger and said he had gained 12 pounds, entered a not guilty plea to murder, two counts of soliciting murder and conspiracy, and waived his right to a speedy trial to give his lawyer more time to investigate the case.

Attorney Thomas A. Mesereau Jr. said he plans to ask the judge to appoint a special master to oversee forensic testing of police evidence by a defense expert.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Darlene Schempp ordered Blake and co-defendant Earle S. Caldwell back to her Van Nuys courtroom on June 19 for a pretrial hearing on motions, including a routine defense motion to dismiss the case.

The former “Baretta” star is accused of fatally shooting Bonny Lee Bakley, 44, nearly two years ago as she sat in his car near the Studio City restaurant where they had dined. He also is accused of soliciting two stuntmen and conspiring with Caldwell to kill her. He faces life in prison if convicted.

Outside the courthouse, the 69-year-old actor told reporters that he has been eating and sleeping a lot since he walked out of Men’s Central Jail on March 14, after being held without bail for 11 months. A condition of his release on $1.5-million bond was that he be placed under house arrest and hooked up to an electronic monitor device to ensure that he remains at home.

“I believe in the system,” he said during the impromptu news conference. “I am standing here in front of you and that is proof that this is still America and it still works.”

Blake did not answer a question about whether he had seen his youngest daughter, Rose, but said his family was “safe and healthy and happy.”

He thanked Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and his staff “for doing their best to keep this old, busted-up cowboy on the right side of the dirt.” And he credited Judge Lloyd M. Nash, who presided over his preliminary hearing, with “saving my life,” apparently for setting bail.

“I am the luckiest person you will ever meet if you live to be a million,” the actor said. “I’ve had everything there is to have in life. If I was going to check out, it wasn’t going to be with any great regrets, but I’m glad I didn’t.”