LOS ANGELES – A judge decided Thursday to order a hearing in actor Robert Blake's murder case for next Monday to address a Supreme Court ruling in the case, a court spokesman said.
"It is not a bail hearing and it is not a hearing to determine if there will be a bail hearing," said Kyle Christopherson. "It is a hearing to address the Supreme Court ruling."
The order from Superior Court Judge Lloyd Nash came on the heels of a decision by the California Supreme Court ordering Los Angeles County authorities to prove why Blake should not be given an immediate bail hearing while he awaits trial for the murder of his wife.
Wednesday's order indicated that unless authorities show adequate reason, a bail hearing should be held sooner than the preliminary hearing set for Nov. 13. Nash said earlier that he would not rule on the bail issue until after that hearing which will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to hold Blake for trial.
Blake is accused of murder, conspiracy, solicitation to murder and the special circumstance of lying in wait in the fatal shooting of wife Bonny Lee Bakley, 44, on May 4, 2001, outside a restaurant where they had just dined.
He married Bakley after she gave birth to his daughter Rose in June 2000.
The 69-year-old actor, one-time star of the Baretta TV series, has been held without bail since his April 18 arrest.
He is accused of a capital crime, for which bail can be denied, and for which conviction can result in the death penalty in California. But prosecutors have already said they don't plan to seek the death penalty if Blake is convicted.
As a result, Blake's attorneys contend there is no reason to deny bail.
Blake has offered to post $1 million bail, the same amount he already posted to bail out his bodyguard and co-defendant, Earle Caldwell, who is charged with conspiracy to murder.
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