Go to next caseThe media coverage of Dr. Sam Sheppard's arrest for the murder of his wife was extensive. The brutal nature of the crime, the relationship between the victim and the accused, and the social position of the accused all helped to fuel the public's interest in the trial. Sheppard argued that this media coverage prevented him from receiving a fair trial. The Supreme Court agreed with him and granted the writ of habeas corpus he had requested. The reversal of the decision was justified by the Court through the "Roman Holiday" atmosphere of the trial in which the judge "failed to minimize the prejudicial impact of massive publicity." The Sheppard decision allowed the use of the "gag" order to limit pretrial publicity.
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