‘CSI’ Borrows From O.J. Trial

A young film star’s “dream team” defense turns a murder case into a nightmare for the gang from “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” tonight at 9 on CBS.

The third-year drama, which racked up huge numbers in its season premiere last week, already has such broad coattails as a franchise that its new spinoff, “CSI: Miami,” also finished in the top 10 nationally. Nevertheless, the original show’s cast has been grousing publicly in recent days about the potential for a dilution of the product because of the divided attentions of the programs’ creators.

But tonight’s slick episode, “The Accused Is Entitled,” written by former L.A. County sheriff’s investigator Elizabeth Devine and executive producer Anne Donahue, suggests that at least for now, those fears are groundless.

Devine, who has been on hand as a technical advisor since the series’ inception, reached back to her experiences and feelings from the O.J. Simpson case to craft a story in which the CSI squad itself is put on trial by the defense team for alleged flaws in its evidence-gathering techniques.

Guest star Chad Michael Murray (“Gilmore Girls,” “Dawson’s Creek”) plays the film star whose night of passion with a pair of beauties takes a vicious and deadly turn. Musician Jakob Dylan and his band the Wallflowers play along.