Claire Baldwin (Framed For Murder)

Claire Baldwin (Susan Walters) is the main villainess from the 2007 Lifetime film Framed For Murder.
== History ==
Claire was the sister of protagonist June Baldwin, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Claire developed a resentment toward her sister, jealous of all the attention June received and frustrated with always having to take care of her. In adulthood, she became married to the wealthy Jason, but as revealed later on, was only married to him for his wealth.
Eight years prior to the movie, Claire had a tryst with June's abusive husband Tony, who tried to blackmail her in exchange for not telling Jason. After calling him and overhearing him and June fighting, Claire went to the house and found Tony on the ground, June having hit him with a statue before fleeing with their son Sammy. Rather than help him, the evil Claire picked up the same statue and used it to bash Tony's head in, killing him. Claire allowed her sister to be found guilty of her crime and sentenced to an eight year prison sentence. During that time, Claire began having an ongoing affair with her and Jason's handyman Nick.
== Events ==
After June was released from prison, Claire allowed her to move in with her and Jason. Soon after this, Claire revealed her evil intentions by sabotaging June's bipolar medication. When June began investigating Tony's murder to prove her innocence, Claire assured Nick that everything would work out fine as long as they kept an eye on her and made sure she didn't dig too deep. When June went to talk to Tony's troubled secretary Karen Smith, Claire had Nick kill the woman and stage her death as a suicide. She also had him kill Diane Desalvo, the private investigator June hired to help her, when she began coming close to uncovering her affair with Tony.
It was then revealed that Claire and Nick's plan was to kill Jason and frame June for his murder as well, with their motivation being to gain Jason's fortune. Claire stole money from Jason in order to goad him and June into an argument the day their plan was to commence. That night, while Claire was at a social event, Nick shot Jason dead and then drugged June with chloroform when she returned to the home from a doctor's appointment. He then placed her by Jason's body and put the gun in her hand to frame her. June ran away when she woke up and was found by Jason's friends as they came in for a poker game, eventually figuring out that Claire was the one who framed her for both Jason and Tony's murders with the help of her prisoner friend Charlie and Diane's brother Victor.
One night, Claire woke up to find June aiming a gun at her, confronting her about her crimes. She then told Claire that as retribution, she was going to kill Nick and split Jason's life insurance money with her. After Claire appeared to do so, she met with June at a baseball stadium they went to as children. After giving her the money, June demanded to know why Claire hated her, to which Claire revealed her longtime resentment of her along with saying that all she knew how to do was be a victim. She did also reveal, however, that she had not planned on June being sent to prison for Tony's murder. Just then, Nick stepped out of the shadows with a gun, Claire having lied about going through with June's demands. But before Nick could kill June, Charlie and Victor appear, having recorded the villainous couple's confession. When Nick was shot and killed by Victor as he tried to shoot him, Claire made a dive for his gun, but June got it first and pointed it at her evil sister. A defeated Claire, realizing her scheme has failed, pathetically told June she couldn't go to prison before making a desperate attempt to flee in her car, but Claire was soon easily caught by the police and arrested offscreen. Claire's comeuppance is permanently sealed when June later disowns Claire as a sister, stating to Charlie that she has no intention of visiting her in prison and never wants to see her again.
== Trivia ==
*Susan Walters also portrayed murderess Lee Gillrich in Murder, She Wrote's "For Whom The Ball Tolls" (S10E02), and appeared as the vengeful Mary Kinnan on CSI: Miami.
==Quotes==
*(June: "Why do you hate me!?") I didn't always! But somewhere between everybody fawning all over you because you couldn't take care of yourself, and doing cartwheels to keep you from getting depressed, I got a little sick of it! (June: "You were jealous!?") No. I just wanted a normal sister, like everyone else." (Claire revealing her life-long resentment for June)
*"I didn't plan on framing you. I thought that all your fragility would finally pay off and you'd get away with a slap on the wrist. (June: "Eight years, Claire!") Yeah, eight years, June! And if you hadn't spent them in prison, you would've spent them by being beat up by Tony every night. Don't blame me! You've always been the victim, it's the only role you know!" (Claire's callous rant to June)
==Gallery==
Claire Baldwin2.png
Claire Baldwin phone.png|Claire on her cell phone with Nick
Claire Baldwin pills.png|Claire sabotaging June's medication
Claire Baldwin with Jason.png|Claire with Jason
Claire Baldwin with June.png|Claire with June
Category:2000s
Category:Adulteress
Category:Brunette
Category:Callous
Category:Conspirator
Category:Deceiver
Category:Gold Digger
Category:Greedy
Category:Jealous
Category:Live Action Villainess
Category:Makeshift Weapon
Category:Murderer
Category:Murder: Bludgeoning
Category:Murder: Indirect
Category:Sibling
Category:Villain's Lover
Category:Villainous Reveal
Category:Fate: Arrested