The Blake Case
A timeline of key events in the slaying of Bonny Lee Bakley and investigation of Robert Blake.
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Robert Blake marries Bonny Lee Bakley after DNA tests prove he fathered her daughter, Rose Lenore Sophia. Bakley lives in a small guest house next to her husband's home.
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Bakley, 44, is shot to death a block from a Studio City restaurant where she and Blake had dined.
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Blake's lawyer Harland Braun releases letters showing that Bakley ran a lonely hearts business swindling men out of money. In many of the letters, she offered nude photographs of herself for sale.
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Bakley buried as a somber Blake stood before the casket and paid tribute to her for bringing their baby into the world.
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Braun says he has dispatched two investigators across the country to interview members of Bakley's family and anyone else who might be able to shed light on her killing.
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Blake says he plans to sell his "Mata Hari Ranch," saying the home he shared with his wife had become too much of a ghoulish attraction for him to stay there.
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Los Angeles police say they've made significant progress in the eight-month investigation after sifting through videotapes, photographs, letters and other documents that belonged to Bakley.
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Blake arrested at a home in suburban Hidden Hills. Blake's bodyguard, Earle Caldwell, also is arrested.
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Blake is charged with one count of murder with special circumstances in the killing of Bakley, which is a death-penalty eligible charge. He also was charged two counts of solicitation of murder and one count of murder conspiracy. Blake pleads not guilty to all charges.
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The Los Angeles District Attorney's office announces that it will not seek the death penalty against Blake if he is convicted. Prosecutors instead will seek a sentence of life in prison without parole.
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A judge denies bail for Blake.
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A California state appeals court turns down Blake's bid for release on bail.
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Delinah Blake, Robert Blake's daughter from a previous marriage, is granted permanent custody of her 2-year-old half-sister, Rose, the daughter Bakley and Blake had together.
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A Los Angeles judge denies bail to Blake, who is in jail while awaiting trial for the murder of his wife. In denying bail to the 69-year-old actor, the judge said, "There is proof of his guilt and the presumption is great, for bail purposes only."
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Blake's attorney, Harland Braun, says he is asking the judge to let him quit as defense attorney, because Blake was going to do a TV interview - against his advice. Hours later, authorities say the interview (which was to have been conducted by Diane Sawyer) would not be allowed.
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Superior Court Judge Lloyd Nash rules that Blake will stand trial on charges of murdering his wife. He also rules that Blake's handyman-bodyguard, Earle Caldwell, will be tried on a count of conspiracy.
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Blake is released from jail on $1.5 million bail. The judge orders Blake to stay at one residence, have electronic monitoring and surrender his passport.
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Blake pleads innocent to murdering his wife. Earle Caldwell, Blake's former handyman-bodyguard, pleads innocent to a murder conspiracy charge.
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Blake turns 70.
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The judge in Robert Blake's murder case dismisses the lone conspiracy charge against Earle Caldwell, saying there was nothing more than speculative evidence against him. The judge, however, does allow the murder charge to stand against Blake, who was ordered to trial on Feb. 9.
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The Blake murder trial is postponed indefinitely after the judge agrees to remove Thomas Mesereau Jr. as Blake's attorney because of "irreconcilable differences."
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After numerous delays, the actor's trial begins.
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In a stunning verdict, a jury acquits Blake of murder in the shooting death of his wife. The jury also acquits Blake of one charge of trying to get someone to kill her, but deadlocks on a second solicitation charge.
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Eight months after a jury aquitted Blake of murder in a criminal trial, a civil jury found the actor responsible for the slaying of his wife and ordered him to pay $30 million in damages. The jury decided that Blake's handyman, Earle Caldwell, did not collaborate with Blake to kill Bakley.
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Credits:
CBS News, The Associated Press
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