The Bakley Murder: Your View
We asked viewers to share their thoughts about the murder of Bonny Lee Bakley. We received hundreds of responses, with a wide range of views. Find out what some of you had to say. Here are the varying opinions of some our readers. The views expressed below are those solely of the writer, and do not represent the views of CBS News or CBSNews.com.
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I believe it was surely Robert Blake who killed Bonny. It doesn't matter how many people had motive - he had the opportunity. The whole story Blake tells is ridiculous. Also, listening to a man his age trying to sound like a victim! He had sex with her minutes after meeting her for the first time. He isn't some pathetic, vulnerable teenager whose hormones got the best of him - he should have known better! No doubt he was concerned about the baby, but that does not excuse his violent action, or the taking of a life.
- Mary
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Fueled by the media's hype and our own human narrow-mindedness, too many Americans have forgotten that a person is "innocent until proven guilty". And that includes Robert Blake. In my mind, there already is reasonable doubt.
-Martha
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I think that without a doubt, Robert Blake killed his wife. Granted, this woman had a very shady past, but he is guilty. He parks so far away from the restaurant, and the gun is found right in the dumpster, and so on. There is too much evidence pointing to him. He should pay for his crime, no matter who he is. May Bonnie Lee Bakley find peace at last.
- Crystal
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I believe Robert Blake is guilty. No one's lifestyle is a reason for murder. There were other legal avenues for him to walk in order to gain custody of his daughter. All the evidence that has been collected (tapes, etc.) could have been used to show her unfit as a parent. God has given no one the right to take someone else's life.
- Karen
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I don't know if Robert Blake killed Bonny Lee Bakely or not - but if they do find him guilty, I think that sentencing him to 20 hours of community service should more than suffice.
- Michael
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With all this evidence, why in the world didn't Robert Blake just divorce her and sue for custody of the child. Seems to me he would have won!
-Maryann
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I do not believe that Robert is the only person they need to look at. With the past this woman had, anyone in her past could have planned this and carried it out. This man was concerned about the baby, so why would he kill her. She truly wasn't worth it. Of all people,He knew it!
-Sandra
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Robert Blake did it without a doubt. Too many questions unanswered. Why did he park so far away from the restaurant? He went back in the restaurant because he forgot his gun? If he didn't do it, then He had someone else do it for him. He is the only one who had anything to gain - his baby daughter!
-Mary Ann
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Robert Blake did murder his wife. His story is just to hard to believe.
-Ken
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I think there is reasonable doubt about Robert Blake's guilt. It sounds as though this woman had many potential enemies, and unless there is hard physical evidence against Blake, the jury will have to find Blake not guilty given the legal guidelines of our judicial system.
-name withheld
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Before I watched 48 Hours, I was sure that Robert Blake killed her, but your show raised a lot of doubt in my mind. It could have been one of the many men that she scammed.
-Helen
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I believe he did it but should be found "not guilty." If anyone deserved to die, it was Bonny.
- Norm
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I do think Bonny was a money hungry scammer, but it is no excuse for her to be murdered. With all the evidence you have come up with, Robert Blake could have easily taken her out of his life and obtained custody of his child without murdering her. I think your story was extremely one sided. Yes Bonny was a scammer, but Blake is a killer.
-Karen
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I think there's room for reasonable doubt in his case especially since so many people hated Bonny.
-Cheryl
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Bonnie Lee Blakely is dead by her own hand, not by Robert Blake. She spent her life courting with disaster before disaster finally looked her way.
-Anne
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I think Robert Blake may be guilty but a woman like this has alot of people who hate her. I feel sorry for Blake, if he did not do it. If he did I still feel sorry for him.
-Vickie
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Yes he is very guilty. No matter how bad she was she didn't deserve to be murdered! I am sure he had enough money to pay her off which seems to be all she wanted - fame and money! This is a lesson for anyone else who has same thoughts that Bonnie had regarding a movie star.
-Sharon
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No one looking to nominate Bonnie Lee for sainthood. There is not doubt that she was a somewhat dubious creature. She scammed, she lied, she deceived and she may have been a horrible mother. That doesn't justify shooting her. There were other far more legal ways to deal with her. Shooting her was not one of them.
-Bill
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