Tuesday, 30 April, 2002, 10:34 GMT 11:34 UK Actor Blake sued over death
Robert Blake was in David Lynch's Lost Highway
The four children of the murdered wife of Robert Blake are suing the US actor and his bodyguard for allegedly wrongfully causing her death. They are claiming unspecified damages after Bonny Lee Bakley was shot in the head in Mr Blake's car near a Hollywood restaurant last May.
They feel that justice commands that (they) be compensated for their loss 
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The Bakley's lawyer Cary Goldstein |
Rose Blake, who is only 22-months old and Mr Blake's only child with Ms Bakley, is named as one of her heirs.
The others are Jeri Lee Lewis, the seven-year-old daughter who Ms Bakley once claimed was the daughter of singer Jerry Lee Lewis, and her two adult children from a previous marriage, Glenn Paul Gawron and Holly Lee Gawron.
They say that Mr Blake and bodyguard Earle Caldwell "conspired to kill" Ms Bakley.
The Bakley's lawyer Cary Goldstein said her family suffered "great losses".
 Bodyguard Earle Caldwell has pleaded not guilty
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He added: "They feel that justice commands that (they) be compensated for their loss. "Like any other wrongful death suit, it's for loss of love, affection and financial loss as well."
In their complaint, Ms Bakley's children asked for their case to be heard after Mr Blake's criminal trial is over.
Mr Blake, 68, who is being held in a Los Angeles jail without bail, pleaded innocent last week to charges of murder, conspiracy and solicitation of murder.
Elaborate plan
He faces a sentence of life in prison if he is convicted, after the Los Angeles District Attorney's office decided not to seek the death penalty.
 Bonnie Bakley was shot in her car last May
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Mr Caldwell, 46, pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder. He was freed on Friday after Mr Blake posted his $1m (£686,000) bail.
According to prosecutors there was an elaborate plan to kill Ms Bakley.
Court papers revealed a list of 18 "overt acts" said to have been committed by the two men in plotting the murder.
Prosecutors claim that Mr Blake was unable to find a hit man to do the job and took matters into his own hands.
They say that he shot her to death outside Vitello's restaurant in the Los Angeles suburb of Studio City with a World War II-era German pistol.
He says that he left his wife in a car after they had eaten dinner.
 Mr Blake portrayed a tough cop in Baretta
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Mr Blake said he went back inside the restaurant to retrieve a gun he had accidentally left behind, and when he returned to his car he found Ms Bakley shot dead by an unknown assailant. Mr Blake is best known as the star of the 1970s detective series, Baretta, for which he won an Emmy award.
His last big screen appearance was in David Lynch's movie Lost Highway in 1997.
Thursday, 25 October, 2001, 18:26 GMT 19:26 UK Van seeks apology over affair claim
Morrison says claims were an "outrageous fabrication".
The singer Van Morrison has demanded an apology and retraction from Ulster Television over unsubstantiated claims made on the Kelly show that he had an affair with the American singer Linda Gail Lewis. In a statement Morrison said the allegations were an "outrageous fabrication".
Ms Lewis appeared on the Kelly programme, a weekly chat show on UTV hosted by Northern Ireland personality Gerry Kelly.
Morrison has instructed his lawyers to seek damages from UTV and has threatened to begin court action if he does not get a satisfactory response.
Private life
The Belfast-born singer, who is in a long-standing relationship with Michelle Rocca, recently recorded a top-selling album with Ms Lewis, who is a sister of the legendary rock artist, Jerry Lee Lewis.
Van's girlfriend Michelle Rocca
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In a statement released on Thursday, Morrison said: "Ms Lewis makes these allegations knowing that I am intensely private about my personal life, and in the apparent belief that I would not engage in a public row and that her allegations would gain credence as a result. "For a number of reasons I genuinely hoped that I could maintain a dignified silence in this matter, but I now feel compelled to issue this statement.
"The matter is now in the hands of my solicitors and I do not intend to say anything further in public on the subject."
Morrison's solicitors, Johnsons in Belfast, also claim similar allegations were made by Ms Lewis in the Sunday Independent newspaper last weekend.
Specialist libel solicitor Paul Tweed, a partner in Johnsons, said: "My client has demanded that UTV and the Sunday Independent immediately issue a full and categoric retraction and apology in relation to extremely serious defamatory allegations.
"Mr Morrison will also be seeking substantial damages and we have instructions to issue libel proceedings if we do not receive an immediate and satisfactory response."
Van Morrison wins libel damages 
(3.3 after 174 votes)
