Authorities recover computer stolen from Blake defense lawyer

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ A laptop computer that was stolen from the home of Robert Blake's attorney and contained information about the former ``Baretta'' star's murder case turned up at a pawn

Tuesday, December 14th 2004, 7:24 pm

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ A laptop computer that was stolen from the home of Robert Blake's attorney and contained information about the former ``Baretta'' star's murder case turned up at a pawn shop, and two young men were arrested on suspicion of burglary, authorities said Tuesday.

Police said the two suspects, ages 18 and 19, had no known connection to the murder trial but an investigation was continuing. They pawned the computer and other items for about $100 within hours of the theft, police alleged. Arraignment was set for Wednesday.

Two weeks ago, the judge in the case delayed opening statements until Dec. 20 at defense attorney M. Gerald Schwartzbach's request because of the Dec. 1 theft.

An attorney appointed by the court to oversee the police investigation of the break-in said the computer had not been tampered with and there was no violation of attorney-client privacy.

Schwartzbach said he was ready to proceed with the case.

Blake, 71, is charged in the 2001 shooting death of his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, whom he had married months earlier when DNA tests showed he was the father of her baby daughter. He is free on $1.5 million bail.