Notorious celebrity: Sam Sheppard

Surely the most famous osteopathic physician ever, Dr. Sam Sheppard, who worked in a Cleveland suburb, was convicted of murdering his pregnant wife in the couple's home in 1954.

Sheppard's story was that he had fallen asleep on a couch while watching TV and was awakened by his wife's screams. He testified that he had fought with a bushy-haired man, who had knocked him out.

The case and trial received extremely heavy publicity. It came to light that he had engaged in a three-year affair with a nurse, which jurors interpreted as a motive for killing his wife. He was found guilty and sentenced to life.

Sheppard remained in prison for a decade, but the U.S. Supreme Court decided to review his case and concluded in a 1966 decision that he had been denied due process due to the prejudicial publicity involved and the trial judge's refusal to sequester the jury. He was freed and a new trial was ordered. In retrial, he was found not guilty.

Sheppard returned to his medical practice but that ended after two malpractice suits were filed against him. He then became a professional wrestler known as The Killer.

A drinking problem led to his death in 1970. His sgtory was the inspiration for the popular TV series The Fugitive.