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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55/04/27 Eyes of Dr. Sam's Expert See Left-Handed Sex Attacker
Cleveland Press
After Dr. Paul L. Kirk, Professor of Criminology at the University of California, investigated the murder of Marilyn Sheppard, he concluded that the crime was a sex attack, the weapon was no more than 12 inches, the killer was left-handed and blood from a bite inflected on the killer's hand by Marilyn splashed next to the closet door next to the murder bed.
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55/04/27 Familiar Faces Grace Courtroom at Hearing
Cleveland Press
Describes those in the courtroom for Sam's plea for a new trial including Judge Blythin, the prosecution team, Sam and his defense team, criminologist Dr. Paul Kirk, and friends and family of Sam and Marilyn.
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55/05/04 Sam Back in Court on New Trial Plea
Cleveland Press
Sam appeared before Judge Blythin for the final hearing on the claim of new evidence unavailable to the defense during the 1954 trial. Defense Counsel William J. Corrigan based the claim on the findings of Professor Paul L. Kirk.
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55/05/10 New Trial Of Dr. Sam Is Denied
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Judge Edward Blythin turns down Dr. Samuel H. Sheppard's demand for a new trial. Chief defense counsel William J. Corrigan will appeal the ruling.
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55/05/13 State Says Only Sam Had Chance: Blasts Theory of Intruder and Sex Fiend in Defense Case
Cleveland Plain Dealer
This article describes the state's response to Sam Sheppard's appeal.
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55/05/23 Convicted by 'Public Opinion,' Sam Charges: Appeals Court Hears Fight for New Trial
Cleveland News
Attorney William J. Corrigan opened the appeal of Sam's 1954 conviction with a
"four-hour oral barrage." Appellate Judges Lee E. Skeel, Julius Kovachy and Joy Seth Hurd will rule on this appeal. -
55/05/23 Defense Chief's Wife Hears Freedom Plea
Cleveland Press
Describes some of the attendees in the courtroom during Corrigan's argument on behalf of Sam's appeal. Mentions that Common Pleas Judge John J. Mahon, Chief Prosecutor during the 1954 trial, looked in on the proceedings to give encouragement to his wife, Assistant Prosecutor Gertrude Bauer Mahon (they were married just after the 1954 trial.) Bauer Mahon later argued for the State in the landmark case Mapp v. Ohio which gave Fourth Amendment protection against “unreasonable searches and seizures” to state criminal cases. For Cleveland Memory Legal Landmarks series coverage of Mapp v. Ohio; C-SPAN coverage of Mapp v Ohio.
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55/06/14 Judges Begin Final Deliberations on Dr. Sam's Appeal for New Trial
Cleveland Press
On June 14, 1955, a three-judge Court of Appeals begins final deliberations on the murder conviction of Sam Sheppard. Defense Counsel William J. Corrigan raised the following two issues: 1) Did Sam receive a fair trial, or do 1 or more of the 41 "errors" in the 1954 trial cited by Corrigan justify a new trial? 2) Is Sam entitled to a new trial based on the findings of Dr. Paul Kirk? (read brief here)
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55/07/04 Bay Still Divided on Guilt of Sam
Cleveland News
Howard Beaufait writes that, one year after the murder of Marilyn Sheppard, Bay Village residents are divided on Sam's guilt. Beaufait also describes Sam's life in prison.
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55/07/19 Sam Gives Up Appeal Hope, Ready for Pen
Cleveland Press
With his appeal predicted to be turned down today by the Court of Appeals, Dr. Sam Sheppard concedes beforehand that he is ready to be transferred to the Ohio State Penitentiary to begin serving his life sentence for second degree murder.
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55/07/20 Just a Number Now,Sam Heads for Pen
Cleveland News
Article describes that Sam, having been denied an appeal for the second time within a week, will be taken to the Ohio Penitentiary. An appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court is plan. The article also reports that criminal and appellate court costs for the Sheppard murder case totaled $4,562.43.
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55/07/21 Say No to Dr. Sam on New Trial
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Appeals Judges Julius M. Kovachy, Joy Seth Hurd, Lee E. Skeel denied Sam's request for a new trial, at one point calling Criminologist Professor Paul L. Kirk's affidavit "sheer supposition." They found that most of Kirk's efforts were directed toward issues "already thoroughly debated by the jury." Kirk responds "If they [the judges] knew anything about criminal investigation, they'd know they are talking through their hats. I'm just as positive as I am of my own name that Dr. Sam didn't do it. I still want a chance to prove my case before a jury, rather than a group of legal minds."
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55/12/12 Supreme Court Hears Dr. Sam's Plea Tomorrow
Cleveland Press
Reports that Defense Attorneys William J. Corrigan and Fred W. Garmone will argue before the Ohio Supreme Court that Sam's conviction for second degree murder should be reviewed because of newly discovered evidence.
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55/12/13 Highest Ohio Court Gets Sheppard Plea
Cleveland News
Reports that Columbus Attorney Paul M. Herbert was employed as special counsel to handle Sam's appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court. Herbert pointed to blood evidence that ruled out Sam as the murderer. Saul S. Danaceau, Thomas J. Parrino and Gertrude B. Mahon argued for the prosecution.
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56/01/11 Sheppard Wins Review
Cleveland Press
After the Ohio Supreme Court agreed to review Sam's case, Ohio State Penitentiary Warden Ralph Alvis arranged for Sam to hold a news conference. Sam defers questions about Dr. Paul J. Kirk's investigation, referring reporters to Kirk's report (available here) and talks about some of his experiences in prison.
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56/02/25 Blythin's Talk Irks Sheppard Lawyer
Cleveland News
One of Dr. Sam Sheppard's attorney's, Paul Herbert, terms a talk given last night by Judge Blythin as, "discourteous, disrespectful, improper and in bad taste for a judge whose actions are being reviewed (by the Supreme Court)."
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56/06/01 Summary of Court Opinions on Dr. Sam
Cleveland Press
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled on June 1, 1956 that Dr. Sam Sheppard did receive a fair trial in 1954. Three judges felt Sam was fairly tried and properly convicted while two judges felt there must have been reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors because they deliberated for 5 days. This article includes summaries of the Majority and Minority opinions.
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56/06/01 The Dr. Sam Murder Case. Pictures Review Bay Village Wife's Slaying
Cleveland Press
Several photographs of some of the people who figured prominently in the real life drama of the "Dr. Sam Murder Case", and some of the things offered in evidence.
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56/12/01 Dr. Sam Defense Makes Final Plea
Cleveland Plain Dealer
In a last ditch effort, Dr. Sam Sheppard's Attorneys submit a brief asking the court to hear an appeal. Those same attorneys also warn that the precedent set from Dr. Sam's "Roman Holiday" trial will soon become the norm for lawsuits all over the nation. Attorney William Corrigan adds, "it will justify the acts of judges, law officers, and demonstrative lawyers who covet publicity and crowd approval for their personal benefit."
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57/05/14 Dr. Sam Agrees to Lie Test
Cleveland News
Howard Beaufait reports that Sam agreed to take a lie detector test in a renewed search for the murder weapon. Warden Ralph W. Alvis at the Ohio Penitentiary told The News that he would not approve a lie test.
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57/07/18 Passes Lie Test in Sam Case
Cleveland News
This article reports that Donald Wedler, a fugitive who confessed to the Marilyn Sheppard murder, passed a lie test in which he said that he "clubbed a Greater Cleveland woman three years ago during a burglary." Alex Gregory, the polygraph expert employed by the Court of Last Resort, a magazine promotion, said, however that he wanted Wedler to take another polygraph test before making a final examination. The author of the Perry Mason mystery series, Erle Stanley Gardner, devoted thousands of hours to a project called "The Court of Last Resort". This project, which he undertook with experts in the the forensic, legal and investigative communities, reviewed charges against possibly innocent criminal defendants.
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57/07/19 Pal Named in Confession is Phantom, Police Find
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Reports that Donald Wedler, the fugitive who confessed to Marilyn Sheppard's murder, said he stayed with Marine veteran Charlie Fremont while he was in Cleveland in July 1954. Police couldn't find Fremont and no records of the man were found by the Veterans Administration. The article also updates the status of the investigation by Gardner's Court of Last Resort.
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57/07/20 Killer or Liar? / Gerber Wants Lie Tests for Sam, Brothers
Cleveland News
Reports that Coroner Gerber asked the County Commissioners for funds to go to Deland, Florida and question Donald Welder, the fugitive who confessed to Marilyn Sheppard's murder. Gerber also asked for permission to give lie detector tests to Sam's brothers and sisters-in-law. He also wants representatives from the County to be present if Sam is given a lie test in the Ohio Penitentiary.
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57/07/20 No Special Favors
Cleveland Press
Cleveland Press editorial states that "If Sheppard gets a lie detector test every other prisoner in the Ohio Penitentiary who asks for it should get one too. The test, of course, should be by regular law enforcement officials familiar with the work. Any test by an outsider is decidedly out of place."
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57/07/22 Lie Test For Dr. Sam Put Off By Governor
Cleveland News
Lie Detector test in question and discussed.