Robert Edward Lee Shell (born 1946)[1] is an American photographer and author who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the death of his model, Marion Franklin, in his Radford, Virginia studio.
The events surrounding his case have focused attention on photographers' professional conduct, and boundary issues with their models.
[citation needed] His father was an avid photographer and cinematographer and Shell followed in his footsteps, learning photography and film making at an early age.
On June 3, 2003, his model (and, in his account, girlfriend[3]) Marion Franklin died of a morphine overdose during a bondage-themed photographic session.
After four years of delays punctuated by allegations of police and prosecutorial misconduct,[4] Shell went to trial before a jury on August 20, 2007.