Melvin Belli

[Bently Profile]

Didn't see a definite place to put a Belli thread but not a bad topic for discussion. Was Z serious in his letter to Belli? Did Z seek out other legal counsel? Did Z actually have a sandwich at Belli's house while Belli was away?

Just came across this FBI interoffice memo regarding the bogus call on the Dunbar show. Not sure who is calling Belli a shyster, the woman or the FBI

[Solar Pons Profile]

It's a very short name that is blacked out, is she the one that gave them Eric Weil's name.

It looks more to me like LE did that , must have not been Mel fans.

The Belli call is strange, there are a few suspects with a birthday in January, TLS had a birthdate of 13/1/44, also Ricky Burton had a birthday in Jan also a guy called Griffin Raymond (surname blacked out in report) had a birthday on 11/01/49 he was a patient at Napa State Hospital who was apparently out on a pass that weekend, folks stayed in Vallejo and he had been in the Air Force. There are prob a few more with B'days in Jan. Wonder if it really was their Birthday when they phoned his house.

It would be great if someone could talk to Eric about his supposed calls. When you watch the Dunbar show it is strange how distracted and distant the caller appears to be, was he watching for someone or was someone standing there telling him what to say. I for one echo the sentiments of those that feel that patients would not be allowed free reign of the phone without some kind of monitor. Can you imagine the 911 calls for a start. I do hope they checked out the hospital staff , orderlys and security etc.

I have wrote the Birth dates the way we do it in Britain guys, cause it's easier for me

[morf13 Profile Website]

Wait, wasnt the birthday call supposedly in December?

[Bently Profile]

October 22 for the Dunbar call.

http://www.zodiackillerfacts.com/belli.htm

On another note, the letter to Belli is one of, if not the neatest written of Zs missives. Did he feel Belli was more deserving than the papers? He still manages some of his worst misspellings, can't blame those on a rush job.

[Solar Pons Profile]

The birthday call is supposedly 18th of December which Graysmith states as ALA's birthday, which isn't even the December date on the transmission. This was actually the date of the last FBi transmission and the real date was sometime in January, Michael writes about it on his site.

I'll tip my hat to Bently for the Dunbar date , point is these calls were then supposedly traced to Napa State Hospital and now Eric Weil is the culprit. Tis murky waters if you ask me, I wouldn't like to think of patients in a mental hospital had free phone access, surely there was supervision.

[Bently Profile]

Timeline wise, after committing the Stine murder in October '69 he goes into full swing with his letter campaign in November, bragging about Stine, creating another cipher and announcing his big school bus bombing scheme. Then suddenly in December he writes to Belli, in a new form of politeness and neatness, asking for help. Did something change in his life, did he really have "something inside" driving him? Did some friend or family member urge him to do this? Why did he write this letter so neatly in comparison?

By the following April he was back to his usual sloppy writing, threatening ways, and had possibly abducted KJ in March. So was he seriously looking for help from Belli or was it merely a publicity stunt? Was he ready to confess and plead insanity?

I don't remember where the story of Z stopping by Belli's house and being fed by the hired help came from, can anyone recall?

[Zamantha Profile]

in regards to Z being at Belli's house. This is were I recall reading it. http://www.zodiackiller.com/mba/gzd/753.html
This caught my eye: Quote from enclosed article: was this Skelton that Belli used:Another family feud broke out over "Elmer," the famous skeleton that Belli used in arguing medical malpractice cases. http://www.sfweekly.com/2000-04-12/news ... elli/print

[ddav Profile]

Ive often wondered why Z would choose Belli? he wasnt primarily a criminal lawyer
The two cases zodiac would have known would have been Jack Ruby and Sirhan Sirhan, neither of which turned out very well.
Of course it might just have been he had no inention of using Bellis services but just
saw he was going to be own the show.

[akwilks Profile]

My thought is that by writing Belli, the real Zodiac was trying to get police to think the nutso caller was him, thereby leading them on a wild goose chase.

[Bently Profile]

in regards to Z being at Belli's house. This is were I recall reading it. http://www.zodiackiller.com/mba/gzd/753.html
This caught my eye: Quote from enclosed article: was this Skelton that Belli used:Another family feud broke out over "Elmer," the famous skeleton that Belli used in arguing medical malpractice cases. http://www.sfweekly.com/2000-04-12/news ... elli/print

Thanks Zamantha. All comes back to me now. I actually met Victor, good guy. I don't doubt for a minute what he says is true. Belli, well who knows?

My thought is that by writing Belli, the real Zodiac was trying to get police to think the nutso caller was him, thereby leading them on a wild goose chase.

Very good possibility AK.