Blake breaks down at murder trial

Prosecutors wound up their murder case against former TV cop Robert Blake with the actor’s recorded voice – and the real Blake breaking down in tears.

He collapsed in sobs as tapes were played of him talking about his love for the daughter he had with his murdered wife, Bonny Lee Bakley.

The distraught star of TV’s Baretta series was rushed out of the Los Angeles court by his lawyers, his wails resonating from the hallway. He later regained his composure and returned.

Deputy District Attorney Shellie Samuels rested her case after playing tapes from a Blake television interview and audio recordings of Blake talking with an unidentified visitor while he was in jail before being released on bail.

In the recordings Blake referred to Rosie, his daughter with Bakley. The baby was conceived during a casual sexual relationship and was the reason for the couple’s marriage about five months before Bakley was killed.

“What the (expletive) are they going to do to me? … God’s been on my shoulder since I was born. God’s been on my shoulder since Rosie was born,” Blake said in one of the audio tapes.

Another clip quickly followed in which Blake said: “When this (expletive) is over, no matter what happens, they’re going to be all right financially. Rosie is safe. Those monsters will never get her.”

The prosecutor has said “monsters” was a reference to Bakley’s family.

Blake, aged 71, is charged with shooting Bakley, aged 44, as she sat in a car near his favourite restaurant. He said he returned to the car to find Bakley mortally wounded after leaving her briefly to return to the restaurant to retrieve his gun.

The weapon, which Blake says he inadvertently left behind, was not the one used to kill Bakley.

Lawyers for Blake were set to begin his defence today.