DA Calls Blake Jurors ‘Incredibly Stupid’

Comments (16)

The Associated Press

Published: March 24, 2005

LOS ANGELES—District Attorney Steve Cooley said the jurors who acquitted actor Robert Blake of murder are “incredibly stupid.”

The county’s top prosecutor also was blunt about his opinions of Blake.

“Quite frankly, based on my review of the evidence, he is as guilty as sin. He is a miserable human being,” Cooley said Wednesday, noting that prosecutors presented a strong case.

One juror said Cooley is upset simply because he lost a big case.

“To hear him say we aren’t a smart jury is sour grapes,” said Chuck Safko. “They didn’t have a good case. Their case was built around witnesses who weren’t truthful.”

On March 16, jurors acquitted Blake of first-degree murder in the May 4, 2001 killing of his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley, who was found shot in a car outside a restaurant where the couple had dined.

Blake’s attorney, M. Gerald Schwartzbach, said Cooley’s attack on jurors is inappropriate and “small-minded.”

___

Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com

"If you want a sure way of getting out of jury duty when Cooley is on the case is just remind the judge of his remarks regarding other jurors!"
-> Posted by johnboy / Mar 25, 2005

"It wan't the OJ case. There wasn't a ton of DNA or any other physical evidence. The Prosecution had a weak case, and "demonize the victim" is another phrase for there being legitimate argument that the victim had a lot of potential enemies. The Prosecution had a weak case and they failed to convict. Heck, remember the other person Bonny Lee Bakely had been tied to was that Brando kid who had killed his sister's husband with a handgun (and gotten a wrist slap for doing so, so he was back out.) There was a prior gun murderer who she was tied to....."
-> Posted by Jersey Dave / Mar 24, 2005

"Who would want to spend time on a jury when a DA denigrates them like this? Would it be out of line for the Judge to ask him to publicly apologize to them?"
-> Posted by Merci / Mar 24, 2005

"Those IDIOTS gave themselves away on a KFI-radio interview when they DEFENDED Blake's outrageous behavior in the press conference when he told a reporter to "SHUT-UP". It's one thing to defend YOURSELF but another thing when you defend the accused murderer like he was a family member or a client. It's OBVIOUS they connected with the CELEBRITY murder and felt nothing for the victim."
-> Posted by Don Duncan / Mar 24, 2005

"The DA is right -- the Blake jury was as stupid as they get. They fell for the "demonize the victim" defense tactic and they let a cold-blooded murderer off the hook. Just read the comment the juror makes here: there were "witnesses who weren’t truthful." A smart juror might question the credibility of the witnesses, but would never say witnesses weren't truthful - the juror couldn't possibly know for sure. This jury was as stupid as the OJ jury."
-> Posted by Tired of Dumb Juries / Mar 24, 2005

"The Golden Liberal A-Holes are why I left California 38+ years ago. Over the years it has gotten even worse by all accounts. If we would have utilized the works of the "Hanging Judge" there would be a lot less crime and fewer prisoners on Death Row."
-> Posted by PB Walker / Mar 24, 2005

"Obviously the DA's spelling ability did not help with the case and is it just me or did he seem a bit touchy?"
-> Posted by joe schuessler / Mar 24, 2005

"Thank GOD for jury nullification."
-> Posted by R H / Mar 24, 2005

"So, will the "innocent" Blake follow in OJ's footsteps and spend the rest of his life "looking for my wife's killer(s)"?
Just what's being done now as a follow-up by the authorities?
Does the case remain open? Are the police renewing their investigations? Something or someone certainly appears to own the title of "stupid" here in soem respect! Just curious."
-> Posted by long memory / Mar 24, 2005

"I think the DA needs to apologize. DA's have incredibly thin skin at times because they are so used to winning. If they have a bad case, they settle. But to insult the jury is no less excusable than insulting the judge--they decided that the prosecution's case was crappy. Cooley had a bad case but refuses to acknowledge that his opinion was not shared by the jurors. Hey, I want a DA that will go after the bad guys, but at least be professional when you lose."
-> Posted by LA Atty / Mar 24, 2005

""Loses" is spelled with one "o" genius. And as for the pot calling the kettle black, the prosecutor has no way of accurately judging the jury's intelligence during voir dire. The purpose is to weed out jurors who, either because of blatant prejudice or other, more latent factors, might be unable to view the case objectively. The prosecutor presented the best evidence he had, but unfortunately you can't please the liberal Californians with a golden a-hole."
-> Posted by CountyDA / Mar 24, 2005

"This verdict is the first good thing to come from L.A."
-> Posted by Bob Smith / Mar 24, 2005

"I have only seen one really dumb jury and that was at the OJ Simpson trial."
-> Posted by PB Walker / Mar 24, 2005

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black- didn't he help choose them? He should see his doctor about his case of "Foot in Mouth" syndrome. Symptoms include inability to face reality."
-> Posted by John Laux, Jr. / Mar 24, 2005

"The score is clear: Stupid-1 Smart-12 Cooley looses!"
-> Posted by joe schuessler / Mar 24, 2005

"The score is clear: Stupid-1 Smart-12 Cooley looses!"
-> Posted by Joe Schuessler / Mar 24, 2005