Robert Blake not Guilty
 

Wow.

I didnt follow the trial but my wife said several choice 4 letter words.

Big day for famous trials in California.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A jury acquitted tough-guy actor Robert Blake of murder Wednesday in the shooting death of his wife four years ago, a stunning verdict in a case that played out like pulp fiction.

The jury also acquitted Blake of one charge of trying to get someone to kill his wife, but deadlocked on a second solicitation charge.

The 71-year-old star of the 1970s detective drama "Baretta" dropped his head, trembled with emotion, and let out several deep breaths after the verdict was read.

The jury of seven men and five women delivered the verdicts on its ninth day of deliberations, following a trial with a cast a characters that included two Hollywood stuntmen who said Blake tried to get them to bump off his wife.

Blake had faced life in prison; prosecutors did not seek the death penalty.

Blake was charged with shooting 44-year-old Bonny Lee Bakley to death in their car outside the actor's favorite Italian restaurant on May 4, 2001, less than six months after their marriage.

I apologize to any African-Americans I may have offended several years ago after the OJ verdict. It is now clear to me that all California jurors, black or white, are fucking morons.

Wow, whats next. Michael Jackson will get a not guilty verdict? Can anyone properly proscecute a case in California?

wtf? It seems clear that color has something to do with justice in California. Green.

So for those of us who didn't follow the trial, what was the actual evidence against the guy? I remember reading that they had essentially no evidence (eye-witnesses, DNA, forensics, etc) that linked him to the crime. What made the case a slam-dunk?

Nothing. Think about it. Most THINK did it. But what are the instructions? "Beyond a reasonable doubt"

Would you lock someone up forever because you THINK they did something, but had virtually no evidence? That's a big burden.

seems like MJ is headed in the same direction.

Doesn't hurt that the MJ's accusser's mom is a frickin golddigger

Yes, seems like there's a fairly large difference between "I think he did it but I'm not stunned by the verdict" and "I can't believe the jury didn't convict him given all the evidence".

I still think I'm firmly in the latter camp on the OJ trial, but I don't know nearly enough about Blake's case.

Amazing - a verdict from California that I actually agree with.....
As someone mentioned, maybe I think he did it, but from what was reported at the trial, there wasn't enough evidence for 'beyond a reasonable doubt'

I think he did it, but as it's been stated, there was scant evidence against him.

Question: They only charged him for 1st Degree Murder. He was found not guilty on that charge, but is the state still able to charge him for 2nd Degree Murder or is all murder-like offense now off limits?

I think that this was the states one chance regarding this crime. I think that the state can choose to put him on trial for just the first degree murder or first degree murder and the lesser included offenses (murder 2, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide) If the lesser included offenses are included in the charge, then the jury can pick among those crimes to convict on. It is a strategy call for the DA.

They messed up with not throwing in the "aiding and abbeting" charge(sp). The one that says that while you did not necessarily do it personally, you may know who did it, and may have even helped them out.

I knew he was goingto get off when they announced the hung jury on the lesser charge. Either way it went, that meant acquittal.

The evidence they had wasn't that great, and the 2 guys he supposedly attempted to pay to kill her were scumbags who were obviously disregarded by the jury. However, his motive was extremely strong. Plus, they had no other legit suspects (not that that's necessary for the defense to demonstrate, but it helps). Still, none of that overcame the lack of physical evidence, I guess.

I expect MJ and Phil Spector to be free men by the end of 2005.

I think the turning point is when the prosecution made him try on the gloves and they didn't fit.

That guy is a fruitcake.

He certainly is "out there"

I haven't watched any of the trial, but how often do non-scumbags accept murder for hire payments?

Only a couple of times, but I'd never take one from Barretta. I'm afraid of birds.