A good topic for an American Studies master's thesis would be to compare and contrast the press coverage of the Winona Ryder trial and the Fatty Arbuckle trials. What Arbuckle was accused of was much much more serious (rape and manslaughter); Hollywood was bigger back in Arbuckle's day; however, I'd bet that Ryder's case received more media attention (and Arbuckle's received a lot).
A lot of people made a lot of money and made their careers destroying Arbuckle. I wonder why so much was made out of Ryder's case, both by the Los Angeles District Attorney and by the Hollywood media? She's a famous actress, I understand, but she's not that famous. She's hardly a Julia Roberts or a even a Drew Barrymore. (If you disagree with me, name a big hit that she's been in. Or a great movie which she was the star of.)
The bottom line is the great national nightmare is now over. And if Ms. Ryder (or, Ms. Horowitz, if she does not go by her stage name in real life) needs someone to cheer her up, she's welcome to give me a call.