This collection features newspaper articles about the murder of Marilyn Sheppard and the subsequent trial of Dr. Sam Sheppard. The articles appearing here are taken from scrapbooks kept by Coroner Samuel Gerber.
The media coverage of Sam Sheppard’s trial was questioned for bias and whether or not the media impacted Sam’s right to receive a fair trial. Ultimately, Sam was awarded a retrial via the Sheppard v. Maxwell decision in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled that Sam had not received a fair trial in 1954 for a number of reasons including the State of Ohio’s failure of “duty to protect Sheppard from the inherently prejudicial publicity which saturated the community.”
The newspaper articles in this collection come from the Cleveland Press, the Cleveland News, and The Plain Dealer. The Cleveland Press went out of business in 1982 but was a major player in local news around the time Marilyn was murdered. The Cleveland News was purchased by the Cleveland Press in 1960. Cleveland State University has a copyright agreement with The Plain Dealer to post articles related to the Sheppard case.
(Cleveland State University was donated the archives of the Cleveland Press in 1984. Details about the donation and how to access articles and photos from the Cleveland Press can be found here.)
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54/11/04 State Presents Opening Remarks
Cleveland Press
A full reporting of the opening remarks given by the State. A description of Sam Sheppard's reaction when Marilyn's wounds were described is also given.
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54/11/05 Adelson Touched By 'Stage Fright.
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Despite having experience being a witness in court at least 200 times before, Dr. Lester Adelson, the first witness in the Marilyn Sheppard murder, admits to having "stage fright of a sort" when he took the stand.
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54/11/05 Barred Kin Will Visit Sam in Jail
Cleveland Press CITY
Dr. Sam Sheppard's lawyer, William J. Corrigan, is granted his request to allow Stephen Sheppard to remain in court for consultation purposes. Three other interesting snippets about the trial are also published here.
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54/11/05 Corrigan Deftly Baits Coroner in Quizzing
Cleveland Press
Describes Wililam Corrigan's attempts to rattle Deputy Coroner Lester Adelson during cross-examination. Also contains several short blurbs about recent events surrounding the trial including information about the prosecutors, attorneys, and court visitors.
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54/11/05 Corrigan Quizzes Adelson on Wounds, Use of Slides
Cleveland Press
Published here are the highlights of Dr. Lester Adelson's testimony as he was questioned briefly by Assistant Prosecutor, John Mahon, before being turned over to Defense Counsel William J. Corrigan for cross examination.
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54/11/05 Defense Hammers at Murder Films
Cleveland Press
Describes Sheppard attorney William J. Corrigan's cross-examination of State witness Deputy Coroner Lester Adelson. Previews testimony of Nancy and Don Ahern, who were guests in the Sheppard home the night of Marilyn's murder.
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54/11/05 Garmone Traces Murder Events
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Article summarizes the opening statement of defense attorney, Fred W. Garmone, at the murder trial of Dr. Samuel H. Sheppard. (Although this is a summary of Garmone's remarks at the trial, his actual words do get reported here as well, in quotation marks).
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54/11/05 Jurors Get Graphic Data On Marilyn's Fatal Wounds
Cleveland News
Defense attorney, William J. Corrigan, directly questions deputy coroner, Lester Adelson, as the jury sits "stony-faced", absorbing every movement of Dr. Adelson.
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54/11/05 Letters Reveal Dr. Sheppard Had Fears of 'Death Plot'
Cleveland News
Contents of private letters that Dr. Sam Sheppard wrote while in County jail are revealed in this article. The letters are addressed to Marilyn Sheppard's aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Guilford (Bud) Brown. The reporter's use of the term 'death plot' in the article's headline is most likely an interpretation of one of the thoughts Dr. Sam expressed in the letters.
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54/11/05 Mahon's Opening Statement Reviews Night of Murder
Cleveland Plain Dealer
A summary of the opening statement as given by Assistant County Prosecutor, John J. Mahon, at the murder trial of Dr. Samuel H. Sheppard. In his presentation, he reviews the night of the murder, and the night preceding it.
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54/11/05 Marilyn's Pictures Stir Court
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Sam Sheppard's brother, Dr. Stephen A. Sheppard, was the only witness allowed to stay in the courtroom when the coroner, Dr. Adelson, showed picture slides of Marilyn Sheppard's wounds.
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54/11/05 Sam Spared Color Slide Death Views
Cleveland Press CITY
Deputy coroner, Lester Adelson, describes in detail the wounds that battered Marilyn Sheppard, while Sam Sheppard sits over on the side wall of the courtroom almost directly behind the screen.
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54/11/05 Sheppard Weeps At Slide Showing
Cleveland Plain Dealer
The scene in the courtroom is described as pictures of Marilyn's injuries are projected on a screen. Dr. Sam Sheppard, by choice, turned away, and did not view the slideshow, and was visibly shaken. Several juror's reactions to the photos are also described.
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54/11/05 Stark Details of Marilyn's Wounds Are Given by First State Witness
Cleveland Press
Relates the testimony of the State's first witness, Dr. Lester Adelson, deputy coroner. Adelson described the wounds to Marilyn Sheppard. Also describes the reaction of Dr. Sam Sheppard to seeing the photos of the wounds.
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54/11/05 Summary of Events at Sheppard's Trial
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Published here is a general summary of events during the afternoon session of the trial of Dr. Samuel H. Sheppard, beginning with prosecutors asking the judge that all witnesses be exiled from the courtroom. Defense attorney, William J. Corrigan responded by asking the judge for Dr. Stephan A. Sheppard to remain. The questions asked by Assistant County Prosecutor, John J. Mahon to Dr. Lester Adelson, are also published here. Numerous objections are made by defense attorneys, Corrigan and Fred J. Garmon, and there are a few interactions with Judge Edward Blythin as well.
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54/11/05 Teeth Chips Handed to Jury: Defense Hits Autopsy
Cleveland Press
Describes Sheppard's attorney William Corrigan's cross examination of State witness Dr. Lester Adelson, Deputy Coroner.
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54/11/05 Voice of Deputy Coroner Etches Vividly the Wounds of Marilyn
Cleveland Press
As the jurors grow quiet, Dr. Lester Adelson, describes Marilyn's wounds to the jury, using 7 color transparencies taken of the corpse at the morgue. The defense lawyers object regularly throughout his over 20 minute recitation.
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54/11/06 Clinical Catechism Bores Murder Trial
Cleveland News
Defense attorney, William J. Corrigan, relentlessly pursues analysis of the autopsy performed on Marilyn Sheppard, by asking many detailed medical questions of Dr. Lester Adelson.
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54/11/06 Dr. Sam Aims Attack At Premeditation Charge
Cleveland News
Defense attorney, William J. Corrigan's strategy becomes evident during his lengthy cross-examination three weeks into the trial. Many of the jury members seemed bored during it.
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54/11/06 Flareup Brings Hint Of Saturday Sessions
Cleveland News
Co-defense counsel, Fred W. Garmone approaches Judge Edward Blythin's bench after the judge warned that Saturday sessions would be called if the trial hearing was not speeded up. The warning came after Garmone's partner, William J. Corrigan, had asked the court to adjourn until Monday so that Corrigan could continue questioning of Dr. Lester Adelson. Both defense attorneys took exception to the judge wanting to speed up the trial, and believed the judge had no right to limit the cross-examination, no matter how long it might take. The exact quotes of the exchange between Garmone and the Judge are reported here in this article.
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54/11/06 Sheppard Court Crybaby Over Picture of Marilyn
Cleveland News
Dr. Sam Sheppard loses composure when Dr. Lester Adelson describes the autopsy of Marilyn Sheppard in the County Morgue.
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54/11/06 Women Jurors Give Colorful Backdrop to Drab, Grim Scene at Murder Trial
Cleveland Press
Describes the women serving on the jury.
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54/11/07 State Seeks To Reaffirm Its Autopsy
Cleveland Plain Dealer
After defense attorney, William J. Corrigan, plants the "seeds of doubt", and introduces his own theory as to Marilyn's cause of death, the prosecution plans their strategy on how to squelch Corrigan's theory later during redirect.
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54/11/08 Ahern Says Sam Wore T-Shirt
Cleveland Press
Article publishes the text of today's trial testimony given by Dr. Don Ahern and others. Ahern was questioned by Assistant Prosecutor, Saul S. Danaceau. Author also describes visual reactions of Dr. Sam and of the jury during the proceedings.
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54/11/08 Corrigan Resumes Cross-Examination
Cleveland Press
Questions asked by defense attorney, William J. Corrigan, and answers given by Dr. Lester Adelson, are published here. Some verbal sparring ensued between the two of them over one of the questions asked. An official police photograph of Dr. Sam's jacket laying on the downstairs couch is also published here.