the jury didn't want to believe two witnesses who said Blake asked about having his wife killed, yet they believed Blake, who left his gun back at the restaurant....
know, how many men leave their guns?.......
Difference is:
"D'oh. I forgot my gun. Just call me dumb"
"Blake asked us to kill his wife. We didn't tell the cops. Blake's wife was murdered. We didn't tell the cops. The cops questioned us. We still didn't tell the cops. Later we told the cops. Just call us slimeballs"
We can all identify with the first. The second: not so much.