Robert Blake is a famous American actor who has now retired. However, he is best known for being accused of murdering his second wife in 2001, standing trial for the crime, and ultimately being found not guilty.
Bonny Lee Bakley, the wife of Robert Blake, was murdered in the back seat of her car in the year 2001. After a year had passed, the Hollywood star was arrested and charged with her murder. Following a high-profile trial, Robert, who is now 84 years old, was subsequently found not guilty of the charges.
In addition, the jury came to the conclusion that he did not employ a third party to carry out the murder of his wife. In spite of the not guilty decision, Robert was found liable in a wrongful death case brought by Bonny’s three children and was sentenced to pay $30 million in 2005.
Is Robert Blake Still Alive?
Robert Blake has not yet passed away and is currently 88 years old. In addition, the actor began working in the entertainment sector for the first time in the year 1939. Robert Blake is an up-and-coming actor who had a lot of potential. Aside from that, Robert is most well-known for his roles in the film In Cold Blood (1967) and the television series Baretta (1970s), both of which were produced in the United States.
Blake began his acting career as a lead in the latter years of Metro-Goldwyn-Our Mayer’s Gang (Little Rascals) short film series from 1939 through 1944. This was the beginning of his career.
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Was He Found Guilty in His Wife Murder Case?
Robert was apprehended for the 2002 murder of his wife. His personal bodyguard was also detained for questioning in connection with the plot. After the estate of Bonnie Lee sued Blake for wrongful death in a California civil court in 2005, the judge sided with the estate and held Blake guilty. It was revealed that Robert had attempted to hire a retired stuntman and another people to murder his wife.
Even though Blake could have been executed for his crime, he entered a not guilty plea. Robert was found not guilty after he was granted bail. The prosecution had no evidence linking him to the murder weapon, and he did not have any gunpowder on his person at the time of the shooting.
A large segment of the public believed that the evidence was insufficient to convict him, and the LA district attorney, Stephen Cooley, blasted the jury as “very foolish” for its verdict.
But Robert still hadn’t made it through the worst of it. The three children of Bakley sued him for wrongful death, and he was judged responsible for their mother’s passing. Initially, he was required to pay $30 million, but that amount was reduced to $15 million in the settlement.
What is His Net Worth?
The American actor Robert Blake has a negative net worth of $3 million at the present time according to Celebrity Net Worth. Unfortunately, in 2001, Robert Blake became himself in controversy when he was charged with the murder of his second wife, Bonnie Lee Bakley. This led to a cloud of suspicion surrounding him.
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The trial proceeded for a number of years, and in the end, he was found not guilty in the year 2005. However, due to the demise of Robert’s wife, he was forced to endure substantial financial repercussions, and he was judged to be at fault in a wrongful death lawsuit that was launched against him in the state of California.
Robert Blake filed for bankruptcy in 2006, not long after the court ordered him to pay a settlement of $30 million to the estate of Bonnie Lee. This occurred shortly after the court ordered him to pay the settlement. In 2010, the state of California put a lien on the actor’s property, trying to collect unpaid back taxes totaling $1,110,878.
According to the reports, Robert also has a significant sum of outstanding legal fees. In light of these ongoing financial difficulties, Blake entertained the idea of getting back into the acting business. On the other hand, at the age of 85, he declared that he felt “half-dead” and that he would not be returning to the Hollywood industry.
A Glimpse of His Acting Career
Robert made his acting debut in the film “Bridal Suite” at the tender age of six. Following this, he became well-known because to his roles in MGM’s “Our Gang” short film series. As a result, Blake was cast as a young First Native boy in many episodes of the western TV series “Red Ryder.” He had already made appearances in films like “The Black Rose” and “Black Hand” by the time he was 17 years old.
Blake entered the military via conscription in 1950. Once he got out of the military at age 21, he had no luck finding work. Over time, Robert began dealing drugs and developed a dependency on cocaine and heroin. He became one of Hollywood’s top actors after enrolling in acting classes. After guest-starring on episodes like “26 Men” and “The Cisco Kid” on Western TV, Blake went on to star in movies like “The Purple Gang” and “Pork Chop Hill.“
His career took off in 1967 when he landed the lead part in the film In Cold Blood. His breakthrough performance was in the first “Baretta” film, released in 1975. For his role as a detective in plainclothes, Robert became famous for catchphrases like “don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.”
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Blake’s acting career didn’t finish when “Baretta” did; he went on to star in other shows like “Blood Feud” and “Hell Town” and films like “Money Train” and “Lost Highway” after the series concluded in 1978.
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