Article from the Washington Post about his life here. A longtime law professor and one of the main drafters of the RICO law.
From the article: “Mr. Blakey could speak at length about ancient Greek philosophy or the geology of the Grand Canyon, and had a boyish enthusiasm for art and history that led him to collect miniature medieval castles, gargoyles and religious paintings, and to acquire a full suit of armor and a replica sarcophagus. (He told his grandchildren there was a mummy inside.)
He was also well-versed in old Hollywood movies, a fact that fueled speculation as to whether he had named his landmark racketeering law after a gangster character, Rico, in the 1931 movie “Little Caesar.”
Update: NYT obit here. He was born in Burlington, NC.