Rebecca Schaeffer Case Summary

Background

• Rebecca Schaeffer: A young TV star known for her role in "My Sister Sam".
  • Described as having girl-next-door looks and charm.
  • Her career was on the rise, expanding from TV to movies.

Incident

• Date: July 1989.
• Perpetrator: Robert Bardo, a 19-year-old obsessed fan.
• Crime: Bardo shot Rebecca Schaeffer dead at the entrance of her apartment building.

Trial Details

• Location: Los Angeles.
• Charge: First-degree murder against Robert Bardo.
• Defense Strategy: Leveraging Bardo’s history of mental illness from age 13 to seek a lighter sentence than life in prison.
• Rebecca Schaeffer’s Parents: Attended the trial, did not accept the mental illness defense.

Testimonies and Evidence

• Psychiatrist’s Testimony:
  • An expert on celebrity stalkers gave a detailed account of interviews with Bardo.
  • Bardo described hearing a voice he thought was God.
  • He identified with Mark David Chapman (John Lennon’s shooter) and inquired about John Hinckley (President Reagan’s shooter).
• Bardo’s Fixations:
  • Previously fixated on Samantha Smith and pop star Debbie Gibson.
  • Found Schaeffer’s address using a private investigator, inspired by a magazine article.

Bizarre Revelations

• Influence of Music:
  • Bardo claimed the song "Exit" from U2’s album "The Joshua Tree" influenced his actions, particularly the lyrics "pistol weigh in heavy".
  • The song was played in court to demonstrate his mental state.

Day of the Killing

• Visits:
  • Bardo visited Schaeffer twice; the first visit was seemingly joyful.
  • On his second visit, an altercation led to the fatal shooting.

Legal Proceedings

• Decision: Bardo opted for a judge to decide the case instead of a jury after the prosecution agreed not to seek the death penalty.
• Outcome: The final verdict of the trial was pending during the report.

Conclusion

• Defense Lawyer’s Opinion:
  • Bardo’s life is considered over, just as Schaeffer’s life was.

[Music]