By M&C People Apr 27, 2008, 21:00 GMT
Actor Robert Blake is still on the hook to pay, but he got a break from the California state appellate courts which halved the penalty to a mere $15 million.
The $30 million dollar penalty was socked to Blake in 2005, all from the civil trial over the 2001 shooting death of his wife of six months, Bonny Lee Bakley.
Blake's attorneys have been trying to get the wrongful-death verdict tossed for two years, with Blake claiming he is flat broke and his legal camp alleging jury misconduct, but the Superior Court judge remains resolute.
The 2nd District court of appeal panel also refused to order a new trial, but ruled that Bakley's family has to approve the $15 million reduction, or else the case will be sent back to L.A. Superior Court to be retried.
Blake was acquitted March 16, 2005, of murder and other charges stemming from Bakley's death outside Vitello's restaurant in Studio City.
A civil jury decided against him, following the criminal trial.
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