No one could ever accuse Alan Dershowitz of not having Chutzpah, he's got it and then some.

In taking over the Appeal of the Von Bulow case, my recollections of at least ten years ago, is that D used his Harvard Law students to help him with the research on the case.

Did Dershowitz' appellate skills save Von Bulow from life in prison, or worse? I'm sure that D and his students would like to think so, but, the reality is it was Von Bulow who actually won his own case.

After D had summarily dismissed an important and politically influential member of the legal team that had handled the trial, Von Bulow rehired him and insisted over D's objections that he be a part of the appelate team. It was the presence of this influential that gave Von Bulow his freedom.

D may have known more about the law, but VB knew more about Rhode Island judicial politics. ( )