Reader Ad Slot
Reader Ad Slot placeholder
If you would like to support SpookStack without paying out of pocket, please consider allowing advertising cookies. It helps cover hosting costs and keeps the archive free to browse. You can change this choice at any time.
Dr Samuel Sheppard — Part 3
Page 5
5 / 30
fae
~
ans “y : vrs re a a
4
|
68
Sheppard v. Maxwell No. 16071.
Pay
Hyde’ by Marilyn, Cousin to Testify.” The first thre ,
paragraphs of the news story follow:
“Two days before her death, murdered Marily:
Reese Sheppard told friends that her accused husband
Dr. Samuel H. Sheppard, was ‘a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. .
Hyde.’
“The prosecution has a ‘bombshell witness’ on tap
who will testify to Dr. Sam’s display of fiery temper—
countering the defense claim that the defendant is ;
gentle physician with an even disposition.
“One of Mrs. Sheppard’s ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
statements was made to Bay Village Mayor J. Spencer
Houk as recently as last June, The Press learned.”
(See Appendix J). s
No such testimony was ever introduced at the trial.
Five of the jurors had testified that they received The
Cleveland Press at their homes.
On November 26 defense counsel renewed his motions
for change of venue and continuance and a mistrial, basing
them on the Jekyll-Hyde story in The Cleveland Press,
which he introduced as an exhibit (See Appendix J).
_ Defense Counsel also based his motions on a Thanks
giving Day edition of The Cleveland Press which contained
pictures and interviews in the home of Mrs. Mancini—one
of the jurors (See Appendix I).
The trial judge, without reference to the Jekyll-Hyde
matter, overruled the motions, noting that Mrs. Mancini
had not been home at the time of the interview and picture
taking. He made no inquiry of the jurors as to either
matter.
3. On December 5, Walter Winchell, in a nationwide
broadcast heard and seen in Cleveland through WXEL
television and WJW radio, stated that a Carol Beasley, who
was under arrest in New York for robbery, had stated that
~~>sshe was defendant’s mistress and had had a child by him,
“.On December 6 these facts were related to the trial judge
who responded:
“THE COURT: Well, even, so, Mr. Corrigan, how
are you ever going to prevent those things, in any
event? J don’t justify them at all. I think it is out
rageous, but in a sense, it is outrageous even if there
were no trial here. The trial has nothing to do with
rs ‘ = a , .
'
i
f
epee
yo
0. 16077 Sheppard v. Maxwell ; - 69
it in the Court’s mind, as far as its outrage is con-
cerned, but—— an
“MR. CORRIGAN: I don’t know what effect it had
on the mind of any of these jurors, and I can’t find out
unless inquiry is made. 7
“THE COURT: How would you ever, in any jury,
avoid that kind of a thing?” an
At defense counsel’s insistence the judge did query the
jury as to whether any had heard the Walter Winchell
roadcast the previous night. Two jurors responded that
they had. 7
Thereupon the judge asked, “Would that have any effect
on your judgment?” Each said, “No.” .
The trial judge accepted this inadequate assurance.”
He did not reprove the two jurors for failing to heed his
“suggestion” that they not listen to TV or radio. He did
not order them or the rest of the jury not to do so again.
He told the jury “to pay no attention whatever to that
type of scavenging.” He then proceeded with the trial.
4, On December 9, 1954, defendant took the witness
stand. :
During part of his direct testimony he testified to oral
romises and oral abuse by various members of the Cleve-_
and Police Department Homicide Bureau who interviewed
him extensively after his arrest. ;
On December 11, the Cleveland News, printed a front
page story under the headline “ ‘Bare-Faced Liar,’ Kerr
says of Sam.” The story quoted Captain David E. Kerr,
head of the Homicide Bureau, to the same effect and add-
ing:
“ Tf ever a person was handled with kid gloves, it .
was Dr. Sam,’ said Kerr. ‘In 800 homicide cases we
have not had a single voice raised against our meth-
ods, until this one from the Bay Village doctor.’ ”
(See Appendix K).
Captain Kerr never appeared as a witness at the trial.
5. After the close of evidence and the arguments and
the charge had been given, this jury was locked for its
deliberations on verdict. These continued for five days
and four nights. Subsequent to the rendering of the ver-
11 Cf. Coppedge v. United States, supra.
Reveal the original PDF page, then click a word to highlight the OCR text.
Community corrections
No user corrections yet.
Comments
No comments on this document yet.
Bottom Reader Ad Slot
Bottom Reader Ad Slot placeholder
If you would like to support SpookStack without paying out of pocket, please consider allowing advertising cookies. It helps cover hosting costs and keeps the archive free to browse. You can change this choice at any time.
Continue Exploring
Agency Collection
Explore This Archive Cluster
Broad Topic Hub
Topic Hub
letter
bureau
Related subtopics
Subtopic
Subtopic
Subtopic
Subtopic
Subtopic
Subtopic