The trial in the case of United States vs. Shipp began on February 12, 1907, just over a year after Ed Johnson was sentenced to death for a crime he may not have committed. To oversee the taking of testimony and the admission of evidence, the Supreme Court of the United States appointed its Deputy […]

Up to this point, our discussion of the case of United States vs. Shipp here, here, and here might seem like a triumph of due process and the orderly administration of justice. Sadly, the story is about to take a tragic turn for the worse.

Our first two posts about United States vs. Shipp provided the background on trial of Ed Johnson in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the rape of Nevada Taylor. Having proceeded thru the trial and sentencing of Mr. Johnson, it’s time to meet the next members of this drama.

In our last posting, I gave you the background of the case of State of Tennessee vs. Ed Johnson, which would become United States vs. Shipp, the only criminal trial in the history of the Supreme Court of the United States. We left off with Ed Johnson’s lawyers being informed that they had ten days […]