Dr. Samuel Sheppard sits at a courtroom table wearing a neck brace and sunglasses, while on trial for murder in the beating death of his wife Marilyn, Bay Village, Ohio, 1954. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
My comments are Bold and Italicized throughout the statement below. Interesting things said by the doctor are in RED.
In the dim light I began to come to my senses and recognized a slight reflection on a badge that I have on my wallet. I picked up the wallet and while putting it in my pocket, came to the realization that I had been struck and something was wrong. I looked at my wife, I believe I took her pulse and felt that she was gone. I believe that I thereafter instinctively or subconsciously ran into my youngster's room next door and somehow determined that he was all right, I am not sure how I determined this. After that, I thought that I heard a noise downstairs, seemingly in the front eastern portion of the house. I went down stairs as rapidly as I could, coming down the west division of the steps, I rounded the L of the living room and went toward the dining table situated on the East wall of the long front room on the lake side. I then saw a form progressing rapidly somewhere between the front door toward the lake and the screen door, or possibly slightly beyond the screen door. I pursued this form through the front door, over the porch and out the screen door. All of the doors were evidently open, down the steps to the beach house landing and then on down the steps to the beach, where I lunged or jumped and grapped him in sane manner from the back, either body or leg, it was something solid. However, I am not sure. This was beyond too steps an unknown distance but probably about ten feet. I had the feeling of twisting or choking and this terminated my consciousness.
'began' is present tense verb but they may have spoken that way in the 50s.
I think it is odd that he mentions his wallet, but does not mention if anything was missing. We have to ask us ourselves why? Is it to solidify the robbery concept? Is it to say he had a badge?
His first realization- should have been before putting his wallet is in pocket- is that he had been struck and something was wrong- the order is wrong- the realization should have been listed first.
He then states he looked at his wife- who is on the bed- there is no transition from the sitting position to being able to look at her and take her pulse.
There is no mention of how she was laid out, which is significant and shocking. There is no mention of the blood and his wife's bruises. There is no emotion, which we would expect at this point.
He 'thought' he heard a noise down stairs; you either did or didn't. These are unnecessary words which is a sign of a deceptive story.
'either body or leg' it is odd that he is unclear what he got a hold of; given that he 'lunged or jumped' and was now holding the form on the lower portion of the form's body; he states he had him from the back- how then do we transition to him having the 'feeling of twisting or choking.' The act of cutting off oxygen is not something that can occur without struggle, unless the neck is broken. Having a 'feeling' is an understatement, he should be clear.
The next thing I know I came to a very groggy recollection or being at the water's edge on my face, being wallowed back and forth by the waves. My head was toward the bank, my legs and feet were toward the water. I staggered to my feet and came slowly to some sort of sense. I don't know how long it took but I staggered up the stairs toward the house and at some time came to the realization that something was wrong and that my wife had been injured. I went back upstairs and looked at my wife and felt her and checked for a pulse on her neck and determined or thought that she was gone. I became or thought that I was disoriented and the victim of a bizarre dream and I believe I paced in and out of the room and possibly into one of the other rooms. I may have reexamined her, finally realizing that this was true. I went downstairs; I believe I went through the kitchen into my study, searching for a name, a number or what to do.
It is odd that he is so clear as to his position on the water's edge, then later states how he became disorientated.
I believe everything, he states, that happened upstairs in the house it truthful.
A doctor would have no problem determining death.
Perhaps I should have explained statement analysis a bit more in detail. Most people, even guilty ones, do not lie in their statements. They have a way of being truthful, but are able to be truthful because they bend the definitions of words and phrases; they omit important information that signals guilt. In the process of having to juggle both sides, their words trip them up.
Up to this point the police know a great deal about the victim and what she went through. Nothing the doctor has said contradicts what we can imagine happened to her from a medical perspective. In fact everything that he states here is likely to have happened, and would be seen clearly by the murder. The detail in which he interjects is from a suffering perspective, while he ignores the gruesome details- this in itself is a sign of distancing himself from the crime. He is more comfortable with telling us about her moans, perhaps he feels she deserved it?
The doctor suggests the presence of 'a form' but there is a great deal of inconsistency in regard to the form's position and subsequent struggles that render the doctor unconscious.
Both times where he lost consciousness he is unclear how it happened; it simply happened.
To be Continued...
◦
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment