Posted on 03/16/2005 1:39:19 PM PST by Hillary's Lovely Legs
Verdict reached in ROBERT BLAKE CASE- will be live in courtroom 2:30 PST
Judge allowing cameras.
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Former Hollywood star Robert Blake (news) was acquitted of murdering of his con-artist wife, who was gunned down in a the couple's car outside a restaurant where they had just dined.
A jury in Los Angeles also found the 71-year-old star of the hit 1970s television detective series "Baretta" not guilty of solicitation to commit the murder of his wife of six months, Bonny Lee Bakley in May 2001.
The former child star put his head down on the defendant's table and wept as the jury foreman read out the not guilty verdict after a three-month trial and eight days of deliberation by the panel in Los Angeles.
The jury was however deadlocked 11 to one over a third count of solicitation of murder involving former stuntman Ronald "Duffy" Hambleton.
Prosecutors had alleged that the actor shot Bakley -- portrayed as a star-struck scam artist intent on marrying a celebrity -- in the head after two retired stunt doubles refused to do the job for him.
Bakley was killed as she sat in Blake's parked car alone as he returned to a Hollywood restaurant where the couple had just had dinner to pick up a handgun he claimed he accidentally left behind at their table.
The prosecution claimed that Blake wanted the 44-year-old convicted scamster dead because he hated her and wanted to get their baby daughter out of her clutches.
In opening arguments in December, prosecutor Shellie Samuels said Blake regarded the Bakley as "trailer trash" and became obsessed with keeping her and her family away from their daughter, who is now four.
"The victim in this was killed because the defendant wanted sole custody of their child and wanted the baby away from her mother and her mother's family," she told jurors.
Bakley was portrayed in court as a confidence trickster who made her living scamming older male customers through a mail-order sex business and attempting to scam celebrities.
Witnesses in the celebrity trial included two drug-addled former stuntmen and a street thug and part-time actor who claimed to have turned away from crime after finding God.
Thank God for that. Could imagine going to trial over and over again after being found not guilty because you made the DA look like an idiot and he wants revenge. Thank you fifth amendment.
Exactly. There is just no comparison
Wrong they both had BUCKS
Juror says most compelling testimony was by the Dr telling them about the effect of cocaine on a person's behavior and abilities.
They're saying they don't trust drug addicts.
Blakely's character only influenced them a little, but not enough to sway their conclusions.
As long as he doesn't go looking for the "real killer" I can handle that. Can't we just get back to car chases and shark attacks?
Worse, we still have thousands of hours of Jacko coverage coming up... eeek!
How are you so sure he did it? Do you know something we and all the jurors don't know???? Or are you just psychic?
The Peterson trial lasted for several months; one cannot be reasonably expected to post the evidence against Scott Peterson.
If you're interested, why don't you go look it up on the net or on the Court TV web site? The information is readily available.
In more ways than one. The name his mother gave him was Michael James Vijencio Gubitosi, but he acted under the name Mickey Gubitosi, then Bobby Blake, then Robert Blake. He had quite a career as a child actor. Until today, I didn't know he was one of the "Little Rascals"/"Our Gang" group though.
In case you've been asleep for the past hour, he's NOT GUILTY. Why do you think you know more information than the jurors who sat through the entire trial do?
Really?? Seen any of MAWG's posts? Sheesh, can't a person express an honest opinion in peace? Fine, you're a saint and Hildy is evil incarnate. We heard you the first time.
It wouldn't be cool to put Little Beaver in jail.
No such thing anymore! The feds are doing it all the time if the state charges do not stick.
Bucks? Come on, al. lol
It's Evidence.
OJ had a ton more $ than Blake, but all his $ couldn't hide the evidence that showed us he was guilty. He only got off because of the jury - politics.
With Blake, the evidence just wasn't there for us to say Guilty beyond any reasonable doubt.
Was this attorney (MSNBC) this boring during the trial? Defense by talking so slowly people fall asleep?
Oh, now you're pretending you believed he was innocent all along?
Ten minutes ago, you were hoping he'd get away with "offing" her, were you not?
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