Sunday, April 20, 2008

A Reminder of Power

As I researched the infamous Sam Sheppard murder case these past few weeks for one of my classes, I'm reminded of the enormous power that journalists hold in their hands. 

Sheppard was convicted of killing his wife in 1954 after a trial that was deemed a media circus. Newspapers ran headlines flat out accusing Sheppard of killing his wife, and prodded authorities to arrest and charge him with the murder- before and during his trial. The jury was not sequestered during the time of the trial, nor were they directed to ignore the media influence. Sheppard was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Sheppard eventually received a new trial based off of media influencing the trial, and he was ultimately found not guilty and released. A judge in the case even said "If there ever was a trial by newspaper, this is a perfect example."

It makes you realize the power words can have on people, and what can be at stake. I'm not saying that Sheppard was or wasn't actually guilty, but the fact remains media had a huge impact on the perceptions of those deciding his fate. Media has influenced other trials as well, such as the O.J. Simpson case and Fatty Arbuckle scandal. The power journalists hold with their words must be wielded fairly.

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