Episode focus:This episode examines the principal suspects and theories advanced in the William Desmond Taylor murder from 1922 to the present, with attention to how and why certain individuals became focal points while others were insulated from scrutiny.
Subjects covered:
Edward Sands and the role of absence in suspect construction
Mary Miles Minter, her correspondence with Taylor, and the press reaction
Charlotte Shelby’s proximity to Taylor, access to firearms, and inconsistent statements
How early LAPD investigative priorities shifted under studio and political pressure
The function of moral panic and celebrity scandal in shaping suspicion
Key analytical points:
Suspects emerged unevenly based on class, gender, and perceived expendability
Media coverage amplified scandal over evidence
Several lines of inquiry were deprioritized rather than disproven
The case’s lack of resolution was not due solely to evidentiary gaps
Primary sources and reporting:
https://vault.fbi.gov/william-desmond-taylor
https://wfpp.columbia.edu/pioneer/ccp-william-desmond-taylor/
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-08-11-ca-1041-story.html
https://silentfilm.org/william-desmond-taylor/
https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/199180%7C153969/William-Desmond-Taylor/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-times-william-desmond-taylor/
https://wfpp.columbia.edu/pioneer/ccp-charlotte-shelby/
https://wfpp.columbia.edu/pioneer/ccp-mary-miles-minter/
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