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| Sam Sheppard and his defense counsel in October 1954 (Photo courtesy the Plain Dealer and Case Western Reserve University |
I mentioned it at work last week, and to my surprise, two of the people I work with were not familiar with it. I guess that's not too surprising. After all, the murder took place in July 1954 – 70 years ago exactly.
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| The former Sheppard home in Bay Village |
"The sensationalized coverage of the crime by the Cleveland Press and that newspaper's call for the arrest and conviction of Dr. Sheppard is well-remembered. The aggressive coverage by the Press was part of the reason that Sheppard was granted a retrial in 1966, after he spent ten years in prison for his initial conviction of the murder. He was acquitted after the second trial."
I posted the front pages of the Lorain Journal from the initial reporting of the murder on July 5, 1954 to his making a statement to the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's office on July 10th. The Engaged Scholarship @ Cleveland State University website provides a timeline of the murder and its aftermath which notes that Sheppard was not arrested and charged with murder until July 30, 1954.
I suppose that part of my fascination with the murder was the fact that for several years I rode the RTA bus to and from Cleveland every day, and it went right past the former Sheppard home on Lake Road in Bay Village (it's been torn down for years) as well as the former Bay View Hospital where he had his practice.
For many of us, the Sam Sheppard murder case is something that we'll never forget, and never get tired of debating. In the late 1990s, when the Sheppard son was making a case that a window washer committed the murder, I wasn't buying it. I felt badly for the son, who has had a terrible emotional burden all these years due to the tragedy.
Recently, I read an account of the events (including some gossip) surrounding the murder, and am now inclined to think that Sam Sheppard did not commit the murder – but knew who did and covered it up.
10 comments:
Some believe that the murder was committed by his brother.
The tv series, THE FUGITIVE, was based on this case.
After his release, Dr. Shepard became a professional wrestler, believe it or not.
When I researched / wrote my Lorain County murder book I was so happy the Sheppard Murder happened in that county to the east.
Then, again, I probably would've given the whole mess a two-line description and referred the reader to one of the zillion books written on the topic.
FWIW, I thought he was innocent, too.
Doggone one-armed man, anyway!
I am old enough to have worked for someone who covered the case. He was certain that Sheppard was guilty.
I was 8 at the time but still have memories of the coverage of the trial and the county coroner, Sam Gerber. Coroners had lots of power back then. They were essentially their own police force.
And Lorain County had its own newsworthy coroner, Paul Kopsch. One of these days I should write up all the info I have on him including his home that was booby trapped with military issue explosives! He was a retired colonel.
Don, was Kopsch on your radar as you researched the judges?
Dennis:
I've not run across Kopsch, and in my coroner research, I stop in the late 1930s. I see by the newspapers he was 30 years later. Sounds like an interesting fellow, though. I'll have to look him up. Thanks!
Coroners still have considerable power when it comes to their investigations. True, not as much as they had a hundred years ago, when they were one of the few elected officials and could stand in as the sheriff. But they retain enough authority to make your life miserable if you refuse to cooperate.
In many jurisdictions, Coroners didn't have to have any medical training, unlike a Medical Examiner.
Alan:
It was like that in Ohio's smaller counties until the 1945 when state law dictated physicians in good standing. Prior to that, starting in 1921, only Hamilton and Cuyahoga Counties were required to have a "licensed physician" as their coroners.
Lorain started with coroner doctors well before it was required by law, in 1901, with Dr. G.E. French. Once of our longest-serving coroners was a dentist, specializing in pyorrhea, Dr. M.E. Perry, who server from 1921-1931. All I can think about is having him stick his hands in my mouth right after an autopsy!
The fact that French was a doctor was not played up in the political campaign leading up to his election and it was never clear why doctors would take the job when they weren't required. The pay was horrible, often squeezed out of the family of the deceased, the hours awful, and if you wanted an assistant, you had to pay for them out of your own pocket!
I just watched a episode of The Fugitive starring David Janssen last week.It was were Richard Kimble got a job helping a lady run a motel and she had a kid who Kimble helped out.So naturally she helped Kimble get away from Johnny Law in return.
My parents were obsessed with this case and followed it in real time. It all happened right after they moved to Ohio from Tennessee. They were convinced Dr Shepard did it.
Kopsch was an excellent doctor with many accolades. As for power, they had their own policemen called special investigators who answered to the coroner, not the sheriff.
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