Robert Blake, an actor famous for his roles in movies and TV shows, was charged with his second wife’s murder in 2001.

Bonny Lee Bakley, Blake’s wife, was found shot in the head after the couple had dinner at an Italian restaurant in California.

Investigators found an unregistered handgun in a nearby dumpster, which was identified as the weapon that fired the shots that killed Bakley.

A year later, Blake was charged with his wife’s murder.

During the trial, prosecutors claimed that Blake attempted to hire two men to kill Bakley, but they declined his offer.

Two stuntmen testified in court, alleging that Blake offered them money to kill Bakley.

The defense argued that Blake couldn’t have killed Bakley as he had no gunshot residue on his hands.

“Bonny was shot twice, Robert had no gunshot residue on him. The conclusion is he never fired that weapon,” Blake’s attorney, Gerry Schwartzbach, said.

After 12 weeks, Robert Blake’s trial ended with his acquittal. The jury deliberated for nine days before coming to a conclusion.

The jurors didn’t believe the statements of the two stuntmen who testified that they were solicited for murder.

The defense was able to poke holes in the witnesses’ credibility, as they both admitted to using drugs that could have caused delusions.

On the charge of murder, Blake was acquitted because there was no forensic evidence that could prove that he was the one who fired the gun that killed Bakley.

Furthermore, there were no witnesses who could say that Blake was near his vehicle when Bakley was shot.

The prosecution couldn’t prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Blake paid someone to murder his wife or that he had done the deed himself, which was the reason why he was acquitted.

However, Blake’s civil trial was different from his criminal trial. In civil trials, there is no “beyond the shadow of a doubt” benchmark required.

Blake lost his civil suit by a vote of 10 to 2, and the court ordered him to pay $30 million to Bakley’s four children: Glenn Paul Gawron, Holly Lee Gawron, Jeri Lee Lewis, and Rose Lenore Sophia Blake.

Blake’s appeal cut the sum in half to $15 million, but he was forced to declare bankruptcy as a result.

Despite this verdict, Blake maintained his innocence for the rest of his life.

Robert Blake died of heart disease at the age of 89 in 2023.

His acquittal had been controversial, and many people still had doubts about his involvement in his wife’s murder. However, his defense attorney, Schwartzbach, claimed that Blake was a victim of public opinion.

“This case became an exercise in how to prosecute in the court of public opinion, how to trash a man who is a celebrity, how to have people assume guilt without the burden of proof that is required in court,” Schwartzbach said.

The case had been a sensation when it occurred, with people fascinated by the sordid details of a Hollywood star accused of murder.

Despite the acquittal, Blake’s reputation was forever tarnished, and many people still associate him with the crime.

The case remains an example of how high-profile trials can grip the public’s attention and shape the perception of the accused.