Sheppard v. Maxwell
- Decided
- June 6, 1966
- Docket
- 490
- Status
- Published
- Jurisdiction
- Federal
Cited 2,653 timesAbrogated in part (not yet verified)Possible negative treatment: abrogated in part (not yet verified) · State v. Serrato
What later courts said
- holding that media coverage contributed to due process violation in murder trial that “intrigue[d] and captivate[d] the public fancy to a degree perhaps unparalleled in, recent annals” — Dan Farr Productions v. United States District Court for the Southern District of California (2017)
- holding that media coverage contributed to due process violation in murder trial that “intrigue[d] and captivate[d] the public fancy to a degree perhaps unparalleled in recent annals” — Dan Farr Productions v. Usdc-Casd (2017)
- finding that “inherently prejudicial publicity [ ] saturated the community” and that a “carnival atmosphere” reigned at trial — Willie Williams, Jr. v. Margaret Bagley, Warden (2004)
Each line is a later court’s own words about this case, not a summary. Read the opinion before relying on it.
How the opinion begins
Mr. Justice Clark delivered the opinion of the Court.
This federal habeas corpus application involves the question whether Sheppard was deprived of a fair trial in his state conviction for the second-degree murder of his wife because of the trial judge’s failure to protect Sheppard sufficiently from the massive, pervasive and prejudicial publicity that attended his prosecution. [1]
The United States District Court held that he was not afforded a fair trial and granted the writ subject to the State’s right to put Sheppard to trial again, 231 F. Supp. 37 (D. C. S. D. Ohio 1964). The Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed by a divided vote, 346 F. 2d 707 (1965). We granted certiorari, 382 U. S. 916 (1965). We have concluded that Sheppard did not receive a fair trial consistent with the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and, therefore, reverse the judgment.
Cite this
Sheppard v. Maxwell, 384 U.S. 333 (1966)Read the full opinion
Reading the library on this site uses your account’s daily calls, the same as the connector and the API. The Free plan needs no card. Calls a day on each plan.