The Wrong Man

The Final Verdict on the Dr. Sam Sheppard Murder Case

By: James Neff

Narrated by: Charles Constant

Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

"My God...I think they've killed Marilyn!"

At 5:40 a.m. on July 4, 1954, the mayor of Bay Village, a small suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, received a frantic phone call from his neighbor Dr. Sam Sheppard. The news was too terrible to comprehend: Marilyn, Sam's lovely wife, was dead, her face and torso beaten beyond recognition by an unknown assailant who had knocked Sam unconscious and escaped just before dawn. In the adjacent bedroom, Chip, the Sheppards' seven-year-old son, had slept through the entire ordeal.    

Almost immediately, the police began to suspect Sam Sheppard. The local press rushed to cast judgment on the handsome, prosperous doctor. After a misguided investigation, Sheppard was arrested and charged with murder. Sentenced to life in prison, he served for nearly a decade before he was acquitted in a retrial. Until his death, he maintained his innocence.

Culled from DNA evidence, testimony that was never heard in court, prison diaries, and interviews with the Sheppard family and other key players, The Wrong Man makes a convincing case for Sheppard's innocence and reveals the identity of the real killer.

©2001 James Neff (P)2019 Tantor

Outstanding! But troubling

I grew up though out the Sheperd case period. As most I suspect would get news tidbits concerning the case against Dr Shepard and trials. But have until now have. Not taken the time to really study it. What an eye opener this detailed analysis is. It makes one question whether or. not prosecutors, some rush to judgment police, judges. Jurors And the Press truly care about TRUTH and fairness! And I say this as a now old retired attorney,

Great work!

I was fascinated with this case since I was a child. As a retired police officer, it is plain what happens when you jump to a conclusion they fight to make evidence fit your conclusion. How many innocent people were put in prison because of this.
This is a great audio book. The voice keeps you listening.

A tough but rewarding read…

This is a very detailed retelling of a real life American legal cause celebre. You have to stick with it through the heavy duty law and the even heavier science stuff, but it’s worth it. Important read about the injustices that occur when the law gets confused with salacious newspaper headlines, politics and old fashioned prurience!

Brilliant book

Absolutely great from start to finish. Despite the length, this book has no filler. The story is a compelling one,with twists and turns throughout. Loved it.

It’s certainly detailed !

It’s well researched and certainly interesting. It also highlights the dangers of jury trials ! I wish the final summing up was a little more detailed by otherwise I enjoyed it

Superbly researched true crime masterpiece

A proper investigation of the facts by Neff, who speaks to the people involved (in the 1990s) and who properly examines evidence from the 1954 incident and the various trials the case produced over the subsequent decades. I knew the case but didn't know all the details.

Neff's conclusions are 100% sound, and it's a damning indictment of the original case brought against Shepherd, and the railroading involved. By the end, there is zero doubt about what happened thanks to the science being applied properly, and of who killed Marilyn.

Narration is excellent, too.