Timeline: Robert Blake trial

The case of actor Robert Blake has been rumbling on since May 2001 when his wife was found dead. Here is a look at the significant twists and turns that led to Mr Blake's trial for murder.

4 May 2001: Bonny Lee Bakley, a bit-part actress and wife of Robert Blake, is found dead outside a restaurant in Los Angeles after dining with her husband. She was shot twice and Mr Blake said he returned to the car to find her dead.

Robert Blake (r) was eventually represented by Gerald Schwartzbach

7 May 2001: Mr Blake reveals he has hired a private detective to find out who killed Ms Bakley.

He is admitted to hospital for high blood pressure but is soon released.

His lawyer tells reporters Mr Blake had been questioned for five hours but was no longer a suspect in the case.

18 May 2002: Mr Blake is arrested at his sister's Los Angeles home in connection with the death of Ms Bakley. One of his bodyguards is also arrested. He is later cleared.

Police Captain Jim Tatreau tells a news conference that "Robert Blake shot Bonny Bakley to death," adding he had done it to get out a marriage he felt trapped in.

Straight away Mr Blake offers denials through his lawyer.

23 April 2002: Mr Blake makes his first court appearance to deny charges of murder, conspiracy and the special circumstance of lying in wait. The prosecution decides not to seek the death penalty.

30 April 2002: Ms Bakley's four children start legal action to sue Mr Blake for wrongful death. One of the children named is Rose Blake, Mr Blake's daughter by Ms Bakley. She was just 22-months old at the time the action was filed.

2 May 2002: Despite an emotional courtroom plea, the actor is denied bail.

18 June 2002: Prosecutors allege Mr Blake had planned the murder for months as Mr Blake is once again denied bail.

Bonny Lee Bakley was 44 when she was killed

29 October 2002: Mr Blake's lawyer Harland Braun quits the case over the actor's plan to conduct a TV interview inside jail. Mr Braun said he could support the actor's decision to do the interview.

15 January 2003: The replacement lawyer, Jennifer Keller, asks to leave the case over Mr Blake's insistence of doing a TV interview, despite his initial request being turned down by prison authorities.

26 February 2003: Mr Blake gives an interview to ABC's 20/20 host Barbara Walters, maintaining his innocence. He is now being represented by Thomas Mesereau Jr, who later becomes Michael Jackson's star lawyer.

14 March 2003: The actor is told by a judge he will stand trial for murder after he rules there is enough evidence for a case against him. But Mr Blake is granted bail, allowing him to leave jail for the first time in 12 months.

6 February 2004: Thomas Mesereau becomes the third lawyer to leave the case, citing "irreconcilable differences", causing a further lengthy delay to the trial.

26 October 2004: After a number of delays, the process of selecting a jury for the murder trial begins. The lengthy process takes more than a month to complete, with the jury finally sworn in on 2 December.

6 December 2004: The trial is delayed for two weeks following the theft of a computer belonging to the defence team.

The murder weapon was found in a nearby dustbin

20 December 2004: The prosecution begin outlining the case, alleging Mr Blake attempted to hire two stuntmen to kill his wife. When they refused, the prosecution said he shot her himself because he wanted to gain sole custody of their daughter.

12 January 2005: Witnesses testify Mr Blake was acting "oddly" on the night his was wife was discovered dead and did not help her as she lay dying.

16 February 2005: The defence begins its case, calling one of the stuntman who had earlier testified Mr Blake had solicited them to murder his wife, accusing him of being a drug addict who suffered "delusions".

A forensic scientist testifies Mr Blake did not have enough gunshot residue on him to make him the shooter.

3 March 2005: In closing arguments, the prosecution contends that Mr Blake killed Ms Bakley because she tricked him into marrying her by getting pregnant.

4 March 2005: In closing arguments, the defence said the accusation of murder was "absolutely absurd".

5 March 2005: The jury begins its deliberations.

16 March 2005: Mr Blake is found not guilty of murdering his wife. The jury also acquits him on one charge of soliciting someone to kill Ms Bakley.