Newsweek
April 24, 2021
the Sheppard case is instructive in trying to understand our own moment—especially the crucial question of whether the guilty verdict against Chauvin will hold. In fact, the Sheppard precedent may just result in Chauvin’s guilty verdict being overturned by a higher court.
In the Sheppard case, reporters bullied public officials into acting before they were ready. Before the coroner had even convened a hearing to determine the cause of death, the morning edition of one newspaper ran a front page editorial with a headline screeching, “Why No Inquest? Do it now, Dr. Gerber.” Later that day, Coroner Samuel Gerber genuflected to public opinion and called an inquest.