11/13/2025
Claus von Bülow: The Scandal That Shook High Society
Claus von Bülow, a Danish-born socialite, became the center of one of the most sensational legal dramas of the 1980s when he was accused of attempting to murder his wife, Martha “Sunny” von Bülow. On December 22, 1980, family members found Martha unconscious in the bathroom of the family's Newport, Rhode Island home. Claus was convicted in 1982 of injecting her with insulin.
His conviction was overturned in 1985 after a high-profile appeal led by attorney Alan Dershowitz, and he was acquitted at a second trial that same year. The case made von Bülow a household name, raising questions about wealth, privilege, and justice. He lived quietly in London after the trial, while Sunny remained in a coma until her death in 2008.
Click below to explore CNN’s archival footage of the Claus von Bülow case or visit cnnnewsource.com/digital-collection/ to request coverage from one of our experienced licensing specialists.
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