Attempts to Kill Blake’s Wife Are Cited

Hoping to blunt potentially damaging testimony in a wrongful-death suit, a lawyer for Robert Blake introduced into evidence Tuesday a letter written by the actor’s wife in which she alleged that she had almost been killed half a dozen times.

The letter, from Bonny Lee Bakley to her probation officer in Arkansas, was part of a larger effort by Blake’s defense attorney, Peter Q. Ezzell, to shift the focus from his client to others who might have had a motive to kill Bakley four years ago in Studio City.

Bakley, 44, was on probation after being convicted of running a lonely hearts club scam. She was found shot to death May 4, 2001, seated in the couple’s car outside a restaurant where they had just dined.

Her family has filed a civil suit against the star of the 1970s “Baretta” TV series, who was acquitted earlier this year of her murder.

He did not testify during the criminal trial.

Blake, 72, testified Monday that three men, whom he described as undocumented waiters or busboys, saw him return to Vitello’s restaurant to retrieve his handgun.

Blake said he told the men, “I’m cool, I found it.”

But Eric J. Dubin, the lawyer for Bakley’s four children, sought to show that the Emmy-winning actor had changed his story. Dubin repeatedly challenged Blake in a Burbank courtroom Tuesday, asking if he had “any facts” indicating that any restaurant worker would support his alibi.

“Facts?” Blake asked. “I have no facts.”

Dubin also said that until Monday Blake had not mentioned the restaurant workers, who could have played a critical role in exonerating him at his murder trial.

“Do you know anybody who supports your alibi of getting the gun at the time of the killing?” Dubin asked.

“No, except the people at the cash register,” Blake responded.

Blake acknowledged that he erred when he told police that Vitello’s co-owner could verify his alibi. Steve Restivo testified at Blake’s criminal trial that he did not see Blake and could not support his account.

Asked why he gave police inaccurate information about Restivo, Blake responded: “I was wrong. I wasn’t paying attention to details. I was trying to help.”

Blake acknowledged that he also was mistaken when he told police that he ran to three homes to seek assistance after he found Bakley bleeding from the head in his car. On Monday, he testified that he had gone to two houses.

The actor said he felt guilty about Bakley’s death and regretted not “holding her hand” at the hospital.

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Associated Press contributed to this report.