Module 4 - Forensic Ballistics

The Murder

In 1999, Robert Blake had an intimate relationship with Bonnie Lee Bakley, a woman with a history of exploiting wealthy older men for money. When Bakley became pregnant and told Blake that he was the father, he ordered a DNA test to determine his paternity. After DNA tests proved that he was the biological father, Blake married Bakley in November 2000. This was Blake’s second marriage and Bonnie Lee Bakley’s tenth marriage.

Five months later on May 4, 2001, Blake took Bakley to a restaurant for dinner. Later, Bakley was murdered by a gunshot to the head while sitting in Blake’s car, which was parked on a side street around the corner from the restaurant. Bakley was shot once in the right cheek and once in the shoulder. Blake told the police that he had walked his wife to his car and then returned to the restaurant because he had left his revolver (which he carried for protection) under a booth. He said that, when he returned to the car, he found Bakley dead.

The Investigation

No witnesses of the shooting were available. No one at the restaurant remembered seeing Robert Blake return to get his gun.

Detectives swabbed Blake for gunshot residue about two and a half hours after the murder. Five particles of gunshot residue were found on his hands, and more residue was found on his black T-shirt, blue jeans, belt, and boots.

The murder weapon was found the next morning in a garbage dumpster about 6 m from Blake’s car. It was an antique 9 mm Walther P-38 double-action, semi-automatic pistol that had been standard issue for the German army in World War II. The gun had no registered owner, and no fingerprints were found on it.

Months into the investigation, police interviewed two retired stuntmen. Both claimed that Blake tried to hire them to kill his wife.

After nearly a year of investigation, Robert Blake was arrested and charged with the murder of his wife. His long-time bodyguard, Earle Caldwell, was also arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder.

The Criminal Trial

After spending almost a year in jail, Robert Blake was granted $1.5 million bail and allowed to go free while awaiting trial.

One key piece of physical evidence at the trial was the gunshot residue found on Blake. Defence lawyers argued that this gunshot residue could have come from the gun he picked up from the restaurant. They also argued that the source of the gunshot residue could have been any surface upon which there was gunpowder. Ultimately, the jurors agreed that the presence of gunshot residue on Blake did not necessarily prove that the murder weapon was ever in his hands.

On March 16, 2005, Blake was found not guilty of the murder of Bonnie Lee Bakley and not guilty of soliciting a former stuntman to murder her.

After the Trial

In late 2005, Bonnie Lee Bakley's four children filed a civil suit against Robert Blake stating that he was responsible for their mother's death. A jury found Blake liable for the wrongful death of his wife and ordered him to pay $30 million. This lead Blake to file for bankruptcy in early 2006. Blake’s and Bakley’s young daughter, Rosie, was adopted by Blake’s eldest daughter.

Related Questions:

Criminal Case Study: The Mysterious Murder of a Hollywood Star’s Wife

• During the investigation of Robert Blake, where did detectives locate the gunshot residue?
  

• Where did Robert Blake’s attorneys claim the gunshot residue found on him could have come from?
  

• “How valid gunshot residue test results are seen by a jury depends a lot upon on how convincing the other evidence in the case is.”
  

  Explain how this statement applies to the Robert Blake case.
  

• Why did Robert Blake file for bankruptcy in 2006?