Blogs and Stories
I Killed Sunny von Bulow
AP Photo
Forget about Claus—26 years after the first von Bulow trial, the author still feels guilty about how she covered the case.
Back when I was a girl reporter at the Associated Press, a mere 24 and full of what used to be called spit and vinegar, I was assigned to cover the first Claus von Bulow trial in Newport with the Boston bureau’s entourage. It was a plum assignment, and I will never forget how I donned a frilly pink dress when I set off the first day, as if I was attending a garden party. I wasn’t all wrong. The scene at the courthouse was part bash and part melee, with media types from around the world flocking in to record the crimes of the rich and famous with predictably giddy schadenfreude.
Each day, I sat dutifully in the press box, reporter’s notebook clutched tightly in my hand, furiously scribbling notes. Then, at every break, I would rush with the rest of the pack to a line of pay phones to call in my wry observations. Claus’ grimacing façade, the pained expressions of Sunny’s children, the posturing of the high-priced lawyers. It was gorgeous theater.
Doesn’t every one of us have a Sunny in our lives? Doesn’t every one of us have a still-just-barely-there reminder that time moves on, but our biggest personal tragedies never leave us?
At the end of each session, I would speed home in my little Toyota Tercel to the home base, where the editors were frantically moving our text to hungry newspapers near and far. We all felt very important, and I loved the rush of bursting in the door of the bureau to the admiring looks of staff members who were stuck inside, processing what those of us on the front lines were actually living real time.
One day, though, I returned to work only to be greeted with deadly silence. The usually effusive copy desk editor caught my eye, then furtively looked away. A photo desk technician, a 20-something I counted as a pal, also looked my way, face aghast, then dashed off. I immediately sensed something was very wrong.
And it was. Within moments, the bureau chief summoned me into his glassed-in office, and pointed for me to sit down. His normally placid face was pained, his jaw line rigid. He was fuming.
“You killed Sunny von Bulow,” he said tersely.
“What?” I cried.
“You killed her—look.” He held up a scroll of yellow paper, the kind that came right off the AP machine, and waved it at me. I could see my byline with its story beneath. Seething, he then read the first line, carefully enunciating words I knew I had called in only hours earlier.
I listened—stricken—but still didn’t get the problem.
“…Claus von Bulow’s murder trial,” my boss repeated several times to make his point. “Murder trial. Murder trial. Murder trial.”
“Yes?” I said, utterly perplexed.
“It’s attempted murder! For God’s sake, Suzy,” my boss said, lifting out of his seat. “The poor woman’s not dead.”
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Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
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Suzy Welch is a noted commentator and business journalist, is the former editor of the Harvard Business Review, and has written extensively on management and leadership.
As always, a thoughtful and provocative story, Suzy -- thanks!
I keep hoping that I've finally outgrown those kinds of gaffes- maybe one day I will! Thank you for sharing your humanity and humor!
Great story! I'm sure everyone can feel your pain -- we all have those incidents in our careers that when we recall them, they can trigger immediate cramping. I keep remembering the phrase "it builds character." It helps to know the only REAL tragedy was the sad, sad life of Sunny. May she rest in peace.
wonderful link to growing up pains and experiences. Believe me I know your pain but dont be too hard on yourself. Just think of all the fauz pas committed by youthful growing-uppers every minute of every day. Wonderful world, yes?
This is a great story and one we can all relate to in the age of e-mail where the demands of speed and accuracy are always tested.
I knew Sunny and loved her. Your fascinating story brought back lots of memories.
I loved reading this. What a funny story!
I can't help reflecting on my own uh-oh, forehead slapping moments and the na�vet� with which I opperated at the time. Terrific story...can't wait to read more!
A touching, charming story. Suzy Welch's prose is beautiful as usual. I loved it.
What a well written, thoughtful story.
thanks for such a great story. i had no idea how one word could be so important
That was outstanding, I love Suzy's writing, she has done it again
Details, details, it's all in the details. A fascinating angle on the journalistic tribulations behind one of the more sensational trials of the time. Suzy's story makes us realize why it's all still relevant today.
Good example of what always happens when you start thinking you are great/important/smart; you do something exceptionally stupid
The Sunny in my life was a little dog named Fluffy -- but that's a long story. Your story struck a real chord, Suzy, and not least about the sins of our youth!
In the late 70's I filmed a commercial for E.F. Hutton featuring J.Paul Getty. Then the richest man in the world making a commercial for just $1, Standing in the wings but overseeint the shoot was Claus Von Bulow.
Suzy, don't feel so bad! It turns out you were right, after all. Besides, in the eyes of the law, the issue is the mens rea, the state of mind of the criminal when committing the act. Therefore, the penalty for an attempted crime is the same as for the crime itself. It is the act which is the crime, not the result. Claus von Bulow took Sunny's life away. It really was murder, after all.
An inspiration! a wonderful piece.
What a loathesome piece. "I thought of my premature elimination of poor Sunny...." Poor Sunny. The woman did not get a bad haircut; she was in a coma after an attempted murder. "For years, I have used my KILL DELETE episode as a funny cocktail party story." I don't hear pain or regret in this story - I hear an attempt to catch a bit more fame - for having covered a famous trial. This was a real human being - one who evidently had children. And you're proud to tell us you used it as a clever cocktail party joke? KILL DELETE.
Suzy shows no regret for her complete lack of basic human decency (a cocktail party joke). This piece is revolting. Look up this woman's real bio. It is illuminating.
Thank you.
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