Court TV Series 'Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege and Justice' Explores the Upcoming Trial and Legal Tribulations of Domestic Doyenne Martha Stewart.

Entertainment Editors/Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2004

Show Features Interviews with New York Post Columnist and Author of 'Martha Inc.,' Christopher Byron, Estelle Burke (Martha's Aunt), JC Suares (a Stewart Family Friend), and Columnist David Patrick Columbia

Court TV(R)'s popular weekly series Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege and Justice(TM) takes a look into the life and current legal travails of mega-entrepreneur Martha Stewart. Stewart has lived the American dream, rising from a small town in New Jersey to become one of the wealthiest, most famous businesswomen in the United States. Her talent and drive have made her the envy of many and now she faces one of the biggest challenges of her life - her impending trial over a disputed stock sale, which is scheduled to begin in January 2004 in a Manhattan courthouse. She has been accused of lying to the federal government and now must defend her reputation and her future, in what promises to be one of the most closely watched celebrity trials in history. Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege and Justice: Martha Stewart on Trial, premieres January 14 at 10 PM ET/PT. The fourth season of the series premieres on January 7, 2004, with new episodes airing every Wednesday at 10 PM ET/PT.

Dominick Dunne is a personal friend of Stewart's and has long admired her ambition and the amazing empire she built out of a simple cooking business, which she ran out of her own kitchen. "A couple of years ago I was having lunch on the terrace of her astonishing house in Maine," says Dunne "...and she said to me, without a trace of boastfulness, 'twenty years ago I was a cateress.'"

Martha Stewart on Trial traces Stewart's rise from a Wall Street trader to the head of a thriving public company. It also traces the fateful friendships between Martha, medical researcher-turned businessman Sam Waksal and investment adviser Peter Bacanovic.

Dunne, who is a regular in the New York social circles in which these three moved, observes "I used to see Peter Baconovic at parties in Manhattan. He was popular - smart, good looking, a great wit...I have to admit, I liked the guy. I think he just got in over his head with these people." Chris Byron observes, "He made a specialty out of managing the accounts of middle aged women, who have a lot of money and no men in their lives. He was known as a walker, he would take them on walks. And then get their money."

Stewart's current legal battle strikes at the heart of the business empire she has built - order and presentation. Dunne says "...the Feds are out to skewer Martha because she's a celebrity." The U.S. Attorney, James Comey, says that it's a "...tragedy that could have been prevented...." by not lying. Chris Byron says "She's had a problem in her career of speaking first and then thinking about it when it's too late. She invents facts when she needs them...." All will most likely agree that it will be one of the most dramatic celebrity trials in history.

Martha Stewart on Trial was produced by KPI Productions for Court TV. Senior Executive Producer of Dominick Dunne's Power, Privilege and Justice for Court TV is Anthony Horn. Ed Hersh is Court TV's Senior Vice President of Documentaries and Specials. The one-hour series first premiered June 19, 2002 and airs Wednesday evenings at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT). Dunne, a prolific author and well-known as a social diarist, takes viewers behind estate walls and country club gates to reveal the often not-so-glamorous side of high society. The series goes behind mansion walls to explore such high-profile cases as the fugitive flight of Max Factor heir Andrew Luster and the story of the notorious Beverly Hills Billionaire Boys Club.

Court TV - The Investigation Channel(TM), is the leader in the investigation genre, providing a window on the American system of justice through distinctive programming that both informs and entertains. Court TV telecasts trials by day and high-profile original programs like Forensic Files(R) and popular off-network series like NYPD Blue(R) in the evening. Court TV is 50% owned by AOL Time Warner, and 50% owned by Liberty Media Corp. The network is seen in almost 80 million homes. (www.Courttv.com or AOL Keyword: Court TV)