The Von Bülow Case: Claus's Battle and Controversial Acquittal
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Quick Facts
Newport 1980: Sunny found lifeless, Claus accused
On a cold December morning in 1980, maid Maria [Internal Link Placeholder] found her employer, heiress Martha "Sunny" von Bülow, lifeless on the marble bathroom floor of Clarendon Court, the family's magnificent mansion in Newport, [Internal Link Placeholder]. This discovery marked the beginning of one of the most notorious and highly publicized criminal cases of the century in the [Internal Link Placeholder], a case involving immense [Internal Link Placeholder], accusations of infidelity, and a complex medical [Internal Link Placeholder]. At the center of this [Internal Link Placeholder] was Sunny's husband, Danish-born Claus von Bülow, who was soon [Internal Link Placeholder] of two counts of [Internal Link Placeholder]. The dramatic story of the glittering façade of the wealthy upper class, hidden family conflicts, and sudden tragedy captivated the public both in the United States and internationally.
Behind the façade: Their marriage of wealth and tensions
Martha "Sunny" Crawford, born in 1932 into an extremely [Internal Link Placeholder] family, met the charming Claus von Bülow, originally from [Internal Link Placeholder], [Internal Link Placeholder], in 1966, shortly after her divorce. They married the same year and quickly became part of the international jet set, with prominent addresses on Fifth Avenue in [Internal Link Placeholder] and at the impressive Clarendon Court in Newport. However, behind the glamorous façade of wealth and social status, serious problems lurked. There were financial tensions, as Claus von Bülow reportedly felt economically dependent on his wife's fortune, and Sunny's personal struggles with alcoholism and [Internal Link Placeholder] placed great [Internal Link Placeholder] on their marriage.
Two comas 1979-80: Kids' suspicions and insulin findings
The first dramatic incident occurred at Christmas 1979, when Sunny von Bülow collapsed after a family dinner. [Internal Link Placeholder] who were called determined the collapse was due to low [Internal Link Placeholder] sugar and strongly warned her against consuming sugar. But just a year later, on Christmas Eve 1980, Sunny again fell into a coma – this time a permanent one from which she would never awaken. Sunny's adult [Internal Link Placeholder] from her first marriage, Alexander von Auersperg and Ala von Auersperg, quickly grew suspicious of their stepfather. Why had Claus von Bülow hesitated to call a doctor? And what was in the locked drawer in his dressing room, which they accessed and examined with the help of private detectives? The discovery was shocking: a syringe with insulin-tinged residue and a bottle of insulin.
1982 Rhode Island: Testimonies, insulin evidence, sentence
Charges against Claus von Bülow for two counts of [Internal Link Placeholder] by insulin injection were formally filed in 1981. The subsequent [Internal Link Placeholder] in [Internal Link Placeholder] in 1982 turned into a [Internal Link Placeholder] circus, where the couple's most intimate details were laid bare for the public. Maid Maria [Internal Link Placeholder] testified about Claus von Bülow's apparent indifference during Sunny's crisis, and Claus's then-mistress, Alexandra Isles, gave emotional testimony about pressuring him to leave his wife. What appeared to be the crucial piece of technical [Internal Link Placeholder] was the discovery of insulin on the syringe in Claus von Bülow's closet. After six weeks of intense deliberations, the verdict came: Guilty, with a sentence of 30 years in prison for attempted [Internal Link Placeholder].
The appeal: Dershowitz's defense and 1984 conviction overturn
Claus von Bülow's new, star-studded legal team, led by renowned Harvard professor and defense attorney Alan Dershowitz, launched an effective appeal that completely reshaped the case's [Internal Link Placeholder]. They argued convincingly that the original insulin samples had been contaminated during storage and that Sunny von Bülow's recurrent comas could have been due to self-inflicted overdoses of sugar and alcohol – a theory supported by eight prominent medical experts, including Dr. Vincent Marks. He demonstrated that insulin injected into the body would leave specific chemical traces, which were absent in Sunny's case. In 1984, the [Internal Link Placeholder] Supreme Court overturned the original conviction, primarily citing improper collection and handling of evidence.
1985 acquittal: New strategy and Dr. Dal Cortivo's evidence
The [Internal Link Placeholder] took place in 1985 and became a masterpiece of legal defense strategy, now led by attorneys Thomas Puccio and John Sheehan. The defense's focus was unequivocally on casting scientific doubt on the prosecution's [Internal Link Placeholder] and highlighting the lack of definitive proof that Claus von Bülow had actively administered insulin to his wife. A key moment in this second trial occurred when forensic expert Dr. Leo Dal Cortivo demonstrated to the jury that an injected syringe would not retain visible insulin residue on its exterior, as was the case with the syringe found. After only four days of deliberation, the jury acquitted Claus von Bülow of both charges of [Internal Link Placeholder].
Aftermath: Sunny's death, Claus in London, family tragedy
Sunny von Bülow never awoke from her coma. She spent the next 28 years in a vegetative state, cared for at a considerable annual expense from her fortune, until her death in 2008. Claus von Bülow, born in [Internal Link Placeholder] with roots in [Internal Link Placeholder], lived a relatively public life as a social figure in London after his acquittal. He died in 2019 at the age of 92, never having admitted guilt. The von Bülow family [Internal Link Placeholder] deeply divided; Sunny's [Internal Link Placeholder], Alexander and Ala, steadfastly maintained their belief in Claus's guilt, while his and Sunny's daughter, Cosima von Bülow, consistently stood by her father. The complex case was further cemented in popular [Internal Link Placeholder] by the Oscar-winning 1990 Hollywood [Internal Link Placeholder] *Reversal of Fortune*, which depicted the [Internal Link Placeholder] proceedings.
Von Bülow legacy: Sunny's coma and wealth's justice role
The controversial case of Claus and Sunny von Bülow, often simply known as the Claus von Bülow case, still leaves many unanswered questions and continues to raise ethical debates. If insulin was not the cause, what then caused Sunny von Bülow's permanent coma? New theories have pointed to possible self-harm, an accident, or rare metabolic diseases, cementing the case as an enduring medical [Internal Link Placeholder]. The discussion about [Internal Link Placeholder] influence on the justice system – both the prosecution's initial resources and the defense's later ability to hire expensive experts – is also a lasting legacy of the case. But perhaps the case's most central legacy is its relentless exposure of how [Internal Link Placeholder], social status, and powerful networks can shape the course of justice. Behind the legal technicalities and medical reports lies a profound human tragedy: a woman whose life became the focal point of a bitter legal battle; [Internal Link Placeholder] torn in their loyalties; and a man whose name will forever be associated with suspicion, regardless of his legal acquittal, leaving many with the sense of an [Internal Link Placeholder]. It was a Shakespearean tragedy that unfolded in American courtrooms and captured the attention of the entire world.
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Susanne Sperling
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