Case Name: Sheppard v. Maxwell
Year: Argued 1966 ; Decided 1966
Result: 8-1 in favor of Sheppard
Related Constitutional Issue/ Amendment: 6th Amendment and 5th Amendment dealing with the right to fair trial
Civil Rights or Civil Liberties: Civil Liberties
Significance/ Precedent: The court found that Sheppard was not given a fair trial with all of the publicity that attended his court sessions. The media portrayed Sheppard's case in a basis manner and had no equal say on both sides. The case created the need for the media to be supervised and unbiased.
Quote from Majority Opinion: “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. 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…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.”
6-Word Summary: Media was biased, supervision now required
Year: Argued 1966 ; Decided 1966
Result: 8-1 in favor of Sheppard
Related Constitutional Issue/ Amendment: 6th Amendment and 5th Amendment dealing with the right to fair trial
Civil Rights or Civil Liberties: Civil Liberties
Significance/ Precedent: The court found that Sheppard was not given a fair trial with all of the publicity that attended his court sessions. The media portrayed Sheppard's case in a basis manner and had no equal say on both sides. The case created the need for the media to be supervised and unbiased.
Quote from Majority Opinion: “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. 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…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.”
6-Word Summary: Media was biased, supervision now required