To Tell A To Tell A ClevelanderClevelander

I Undressed Marilyn I Undressed Marilyn SheppardSheppard

William Bligh-Glover M.D.William Bligh-Glover M.D.

CASECASE

Anatomy 420 2003Anatomy 420 2003

Tragedy as LandmarkTragedy as Landmark

Where Danny Green got blown upWhere Danny Green got blown up Brainard Place—Ford administrationBrainard Place—Ford administration

Where Shondor Burns got blown upWhere Shondor Burns got blown up Massimo de Milano—Johnson Massimo de Milano—Johnson

administrationadministration Sam Sheppard’s HospitalSam Sheppard’s Hospital

Bay Village—Eisenhower administrationBay Village—Eisenhower administration

ProloguePrologue

The Sheppards had friends over 3The Sheppards had friends over 3rdrd July, 1954July, 1954

DinnerDinner Watched a movieWatched a movie Sam listened to the Indians gameSam listened to the Indians game Fell asleep on the daybedFell asleep on the daybed

The CrimeThe Crime

Sam called the Mayor and his brother Sam called the Mayor and his brother StevenSteven ““Come quick, Spen, I think someone’s killed Come quick, Spen, I think someone’s killed

Marilyn”Marilyn” Marilyn found in a pool of blood in her Marilyn found in a pool of blood in her

bedroom.bedroom. Spencer heard Steve ask Sam “Did you Spencer heard Steve ask Sam “Did you

do this?”do this?” ““Hell, no.”Hell, no.”

Police arrived shortly thereafter.Police arrived shortly thereafter.

The daybedThe daybed

The spilled medical bagThe spilled medical bag

Marilyn’s deskMarilyn’s desk

The studyThe study

The death sceneThe death scene

The victim The victim in situin situ

The victimThe victim

The victimThe victim

Sam’s storySam’s story

He was sleeping on daybedHe was sleeping on daybed Heard wife screamHeard wife scream Went upstairs, knocked out by “form”Went upstairs, knocked out by “form” Came to, checked wife, checked sonCame to, checked wife, checked son Heard noise, went downstairsHeard noise, went downstairs ““Form” fled down to beach, knocked Form” fled down to beach, knocked

him out againhim out again Came to, called the mayor and his Came to, called the mayor and his

brotherbrother

Police sketchPolice sketch

MarilynMarilyn

SamSam

The ProblemsThe Problems

People rampaging around crime scenePeople rampaging around crime scene Cigarette in toiletCigarette in toilet

Pissing contest with the authoritiesPissing contest with the authorities Antipathy towards familyAntipathy towards family

RumorsRumors Media hysteriaMedia hysteria

““Roman holiday”-- Justice Bell Ohio Roman holiday”-- Justice Bell Ohio Supreme Court Supreme Court

““Hippodrome atmosphere” Wm.CorriganHippodrome atmosphere” Wm.Corrigan

Cleveland Press Cleveland Press HeadlinesHeadlines

Expressions of populist Expressions of populist outrageoutrage

““Someone is getting away with Someone is getting away with murder!”murder!”

““Quit Stalling and Bring Him In!”Quit Stalling and Bring Him In!”

Samuel GerberSamuel Gerber

The InquestThe Inquest

ORC Coroner may hold an inquestORC Coroner may hold an inquest Cleveland PressCleveland Press pushed for one pushed for one No one is entitled to counselNo one is entitled to counsel Sheppard’s lawyer showed up Sheppard’s lawyer showed up

anywayanyway ““What does Sam need a lawyer for?”What does Sam need a lawyer for?” Lawyer objected on the recordLawyer objected on the record Expelled by Dr. GerberExpelled by Dr. Gerber

InquestInquest

Tried for murder, guilty of Tried for murder, guilty of adulteryadultery

Idyllic marriageIdyllic marriage Adultery Adultery

Susan HayesSusan Hayes ““There’s the playboy of the Western World”There’s the playboy of the Western World”

““Lack of sexual aggressiveness”Lack of sexual aggressiveness” ““That’s what happens when you go That’s what happens when you go

on on vacation without your vacation without your condoms.”condoms.”

Susan HayesSusan Hayes

Trial 1Trial 1

Transcript >6000 pagesTranscript >6000 pages Sam’s testimony not believedSam’s testimony not believed

Said “I don’t know 156 times”Said “I don’t know 156 times” Said Marilyn bled in the houseSaid Marilyn bled in the house Stilted diction Stilted diction

……where I lunged or jumped or grabbed him where I lunged or jumped or grabbed him in the back, either body or leg. It was in the back, either body or leg. It was something solid. However I am not sure…I something solid. However I am not sure…I had the feeling of twisting or choking and had the feeling of twisting or choking and this terminated my consciousness.this terminated my consciousness.

Prison lifePrison life

Mother’s suicideMother’s suicide Model prisonerModel prisoner Wrestling teamWrestling team Experimental subjectExperimental subject Married Arianne TebbenjohaansMarried Arianne Tebbenjohaans

Josef Goebbel’s sister-in-lawJosef Goebbel’s sister-in-law Writ of Writ of habeas corpus habeas corpus 19641964

Trial 2Trial 2

Transcript ~1500 pagesTranscript ~1500 pages Many witnesses not calledMany witnesses not called

Susan HayesSusan Hayes State didn’t provide motiveState didn’t provide motive

Sam didn’t take the standSam didn’t take the stand Prosecution pulled its punchesProsecution pulled its punches Acquittal Acquittal Within weeks of parole anyway.Within weeks of parole anyway.

RedemptionRedemption

Not quiteNot quite

Multiple malpractice suitsMultiple malpractice suits Lost medical licenseLost medical license Divorced Arianne Divorced Arianne

domestic violencedomestic violence Became a professional wrestlerBecame a professional wrestler

““Killer” SheppardKiller” Sheppard ““Mandibular nerve hold”Mandibular nerve hold”

Married promoter’s daughterMarried promoter’s daughter Died of liver failure age 46Died of liver failure age 46

SODDISODDI

Some Other Dude Did It!Some Other Dude Did It!

The HouksThe Houks

Richard EberlingRichard Eberling

ComparisonComparison

The case for EberlingThe case for Eberling

Eberling—Jailhouse confessionEberling—Jailhouse confession Eberling—ThiefEberling—Thief Eberling—Bled in Sheppard house Eberling—Bled in Sheppard house Tanay—Sexually sadistic homicideTanay—Sexually sadistic homicide

Eberling killed womanEberling killed woman DNADNA

Blood spatter DNA not inconsistent with Blood spatter DNA not inconsistent with EberlingEberling

Sperm in vaginal swabsSperm in vaginal swabs Wrist scar from Marilyn’s nailWrist scar from Marilyn’s nail

The case against The case against EberlingEberling

Eberling—Jailhouse confessionEberling—Jailhouse confession Repudiated, passed polygraphRepudiated, passed polygraph

Eberling—ThiefEberling—Thief Stole from Richard Sheppard’s houseStole from Richard Sheppard’s house

Eberling—Bled in Sheppard house Eberling—Bled in Sheppard house Never ID by Sheppard at trialNever ID by Sheppard at trial

Tanay—Sexually sadistic homicideTanay—Sexually sadistic homicide Eberling not interested in womenEberling not interested in women

ABOABO Blood spatter not Eberling’s ABO groupBlood spatter not Eberling’s ABO group

Sperm in vaginal swabsSperm in vaginal swabs

Serology SummarySerology Summary

Marilyn Sheppard Type OMarilyn Sheppard Type O Sam Sheppard Type ASam Sheppard Type A Richard Eberling Type ARichard Eberling Type A Disputed stain on closet door Type ODisputed stain on closet door Type O Blood on Sheppard’s pants Type OBlood on Sheppard’s pants Type O

Samuel Reese SheppardSamuel Reese Sheppard

Marilyn’s ExhumationMarilyn’s Exhumation Early morningEarly morning

ConvoyConvoy ExhumationExhumation

Water damage inside and outWater damage inside and out Clothes intactClothes intact Body skeletonizedBody skeletonized

Bottom fell out of casketBottom fell out of casket EntourageEntourage MediaMedia

Returned to CCCOReturned to CCCO Chased by helicoptersChased by helicopters

DNA samplingDNA sampling Roman holiday continuedRoman holiday continued

Trial 3Trial 3

Estate sued OhioEstate sued Ohio Wrongful imprisonmentWrongful imprisonment Negligent in not pursuing Negligent in not pursuing

Richard EberlingRichard Eberling Wide-ranging conspiracyWide-ranging conspiracy

The ConspiracyThe Conspiracy

Cuyahoga County authorities were Cuyahoga County authorities were out to get the Sheppardsout to get the Sheppards

Malignant influence of Sam Gerber Malignant influence of Sam Gerber poisoned the people of Cuyahoga poisoned the people of Cuyahoga CountyCounty

Elizabeth Balraj is doing his bidding Elizabeth Balraj is doing his bidding still still Eminence grisEminence gris

There can never be justiceThere can never be justice

Drama in the courtDrama in the court

““Johnnie Cochrane/OJ” strategyJohnnie Cochrane/OJ” strategy Ad hominemAd hominem attacks attacks

CCCO & CCPOCCCO & CCPO Tremendous effortsTremendous efforts

Impugn expertsImpugn experts Limit testimonyLimit testimony

Dramatic reaction to verdictDramatic reaction to verdict Difficulty finding cameraDifficulty finding camera Consoled by Sam Reese SheppardConsoled by Sam Reese Sheppard

Autograph evidenceAutograph evidence

Ink is consistentInk is consistent Poor taste Poor taste Sheppard partisans dismiss this Sheppard partisans dismiss this Handwriting analysis not Handwriting analysis not

conclusiveconclusive

The autographThe autograph

The booksThe books

““I got Cyriled”I got Cyriled”

Stan SeligmanStan Seligman Criticisms of CCCOCriticisms of CCCO Perceive an antipathy to Dr. GerberPerceive an antipathy to Dr. Gerber By extension to CCCOBy extension to CCCO

Mortal EvidenceMortal Evidence

Cleveland has been irreversibly Cleveland has been irreversibly poisonedpoisoned

Unable to appreciate forensic Unable to appreciate forensic sciencescience

My conclusionsMy conclusions I believe that Sam Sheppard killed Marilyn I believe that Sam Sheppard killed Marilyn

SheppardSheppard Occam’s razorOccam’s razor LyingLying Obvious benefitObvious benefit

I do not believe Sam’s cockamamie storyI do not believe Sam’s cockamamie story What burglar would do thisWhat burglar would do this What about the clothesWhat about the clothes Blood on the pantsBlood on the pants

I believe that the first trial was not fair and I believe that the first trial was not fair and unbiasedunbiased

I believe Chip Sheppard is sincere but deluded.I believe Chip Sheppard is sincere but deluded. I believe he has been taken advantage of.I believe he has been taken advantage of.

Cyril, Henry, and MichaelCyril, Henry, and Michael