The former star of ’70s detective show Baretta, Robert Blake, was acquitted of all charges for the alleged murder of his wife, Bonny Lee Bakley. Blake was accused of shooting Bakley in the couple’s car outside a restaurant in May of 2001. The couple had been married less than six months at the time. Blake was also accused of attempting to hire someone to kill his wife; the jury voted 11 to 1 to acquit Blake and the judge dismissed the charge. ABC News reports:
The 71-year-old [Blake] dropped his head, trembled with emotion and sobbed heavily as the verdict was read. He hugged his lawyer and later almost fell while reaching for a water bottle. Bakley’s adult daughter sobbed quietly in the back of the courtroom.
Outside the courthouse, Blake thanked his lawyers and private investigators, saying “this small band of dedicated warriors saved my life.” He also described the financial toll the case had taken on him. “If you want to know how to go through $10 million in five years, ask me,” he said. “I’m broke. I need a job.” At one point, Blake asked someone in the crowd for something to remove his electronic monitoring bracelet. He then bent down and cut off the device.
Bakley was over two decades Blake’s junior at 44 years of age at the time of his murder. Blake was facing a life sentence, as prosecutors did not seek the death penalty. A grand irony was in the works if a conviction came to be: Blake’s character on the show Baretta used the catchphrase “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.”
Nathan Novak at 7:53 pm
Justice has been done … what a bum rap Barretta was set up with! Good on him!
Comment by Ray Tharp — March 16, 2005 @ 8:40 pm