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Mark Fuhrman
“enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at the age of eighteen. He was honorably discharged in 1975, having attained the
rank of sergeant. Later that year, he joined the LAPD as a police officer and became a police detective. He served on the
force for twenty years, earning more than fifty-five commendations.” Mark Fuhrman is the author of
Death and Justice; Murder In Spokane; Silent Witness: The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo's Death; Murder in
Brentwood; A Simple Act of Murder: November 22, 1963; and, Murder in Greenwich: Who Killed Martha Moxley?
According to
the book description of Murder in Greenwich: Who Killed Martha Moxley?, “In this powerful
new book, expert investigator Mark Fuhrman, the controversial former LAPD homicide detective and author of the national bestseller
Murder in Brentwood, uncovers explosive new information as he analyses the still unsolved murder of fifteen-year-old Martha
Moxley, who was bludgeoned with a golf club on the grounds of her family's exclusive Greenwich, Connecticut, estate on
October 30, 1975. Read the book that spawned the Connecticut Grand Jury Investigation.
One reader of
Murder in Greenwich: Who Killed Martha Moxley? said, “If you thought the OJ Simpson case was
a travesty of justice, wait until you read this! At least OJ was brought to trial. The murderer of Martha Moxley is still
free. However, I can't help but think that the research and effort Mark Fuhrman put into this book has helped bring about
the recent arrest of Michael Skakel.
Whatever you may think
of Fuhrman after the OJ Simpson trial debacle, after reading this book, you can't deny that he is an excellent detective.
He explains the basic principles of crime investigation and shows how the Greenwich police botched the case. In addition,
his conclusions are well thought out and detailed. I can't believe how much trouble and resistance he encountered in gathering
information on this case. His reasoning is easy to follow and his conclusions, based on the facts, make
you wonder why no one was arrested before now! If you have any doubts about Fuhrman's abilities as a detective, read Vincent
Bugliosi's "Outrage." I hope Fuhrman will tackle the JonBenet Ramsey case....then maybe justice will be served
there as well.”
Publisher’s Weekly
said of A Simple Act of Murder: November 22, 1963, “Neither Warren Commission supporters nor
conspiracy theorists are likely to be satisfied by this latest true crime effort by notorious ex-LAPD detective Fuhrman, who
joins a long list of authors attempting to settle the controversies surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy once
and for all. Despite Furhman's long-held belief that the president was the victim of a plot, his examination of the forensic
evidence—the recovered bullet fragments, the autopsy reports and the legendary Zapruder film—leads him to adopt
the lone gunman theory (although he thinks that previous proponents of that position erred in believing one of Lee Harvey
Oswald's shots missed its mark). This clunky, lightweight effort is unlikely to change many minds and does not begin to
approach the careful, reasoned analysis of Gerald Posner's Case Closed, which also defended the first official inquiry's
lone gunman theory of the murder. Nor does Fuhrman fully address the many questions raised by serious conspiracy scholars
such as Anthony Summers or Robert Blakey; for example, he completely ignores arguments that Jack Ruby's connections with
organized crime bear further study. Whatever the truth of the matter, readers will not be convinced by his case for the thesis
that this was a "simple murder.”
One reader of A Simple Act of Murder: November
22, 1963 said, “Mark Fuhrman's attempt at explaining the assassination is well done. His findings
correlate with what the Kremlin stated -- that Lee Harvey Oswald was indeed the lone gunman, and that the fact that he was
so simple minded led to a belief that there could have been something deeper. Such a simple minded man with a vendetta is
dangerous -- because no one expects or prepares for the act. Remember John Hinkley, Jr. (the would be killer of President
Reagan)? Remember Sirhan Sirhan? Remember Charles J. Guiteau? Such men have been the only ones able to kill (or attempt to
kill) such important figures. Why? No one takes their threat seriously enough.
The one thing that
Fuhrman states is that the supposed "missed shot" of L.H. Oswald actually did hit someone -- Governor John Connolly.
Hopefully, this book will put to death some of the silly theories about the assassination. Yes, there were alot of
men that might have wanted Kennedy dead. But he was a semi lame duck facing a difficult reelection. His chances of reelection
were remote, and his place in history was only cemented because of his death.”
According to the book
description of Silent Witness: The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo's Death, “We all watched
Terri Schiavo die. The controversy around her case dominated the headlines and talk shows, going all the way to the U.S. Supreme
Court, the White House, and the Vatican.
And it's not over
yet. Despite her death, the controversy lingers. In Silent Witness, former LAPD detective and New York Times bestselling author
Mark Fuhrman applies his highly respected investigative skills to examine the medical evidence, legal case files, and police
records. With the complete cooperation of Terri Schiavo's parents and siblings, as well as their medical and legal advisers,
he conducts exclusive interviews with forensics experts and crucial witnesses, including friends, family members, and caregivers.
Fuhrman's findings
will answer these questions: What was Terri and Michael Schiavo's marriage really like? What happened
the day Terri collapsed? What did Michael Schiavo do when he discovered Terri unconscious? How long did he wait before calling
911? What do medical records show about her condition when she was first admitted to the hospital? What will the autopsy say?
The legal issues and
ethical questions provoked by Terri Schiavo's extraordinary case may never be resolved. But the facts about her marriage,
her condition when she collapsed, and her eventual death fifteen years later can be determined. With Silent Witness, Fuhrman
goes beyond the legal aspects of the case and delves into the broader, human background of Terri Schiavo's short, sad
life.
One reader of
Silent Witness: The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo's Death said, “To paraphrase this book's
author, "This case isn't about the right to die peacefully, or about euthanasia." Retired detective Fuhrman
takes the position that this case is about a man wanting to free himself from a marriage, and doing so at any cost as long
as someone else is making payment.
I have two criticisms
of Mr. Fuhrman's work. First, it should not have been written before the autopsy results for Terri Schiavo became available.
They would, I believe, have altered some of his assumptions and therefore some of his conclusions. Second, he repeats material
not once but several times; not for emphasis, but (in my opinion) to extend the word count sufficiently to make it book length,
and publishable as such. With those things said, though, I found myself thinking about the Schiavo tragedy from different
angles than before I read Mr. Fuhrman's book. Like a good detective, he accepts nothing at face value; and his understanding
of human nature, at its best as well as at its worst, illuminates much that never made sense to me before. Worth
reading, although the repetition makes even this sad yet riveting story bog down at times.”
One reader of Death
and Justice said, “I enjoyed this book and the in-depth look at the criminal justice system in Oklahoma
County. The writing - as in Fuhrman's other books - was top notch. The book attempts to show us - through a series of
criminal cases - how the death penalty in Oklahoma County may be overused, particularly by one Bob Macy (the county DA). At
times I did feel like this was mostly an expose of Bob Macy and his crime lab assistant, Joyce Gilchrist. While I did come
away with a feeling of dislike for both the work of Macy and Gilchrist I'm still not convinced that the death penalty
is wrong. Fuhrman looked at isolated cases in just one county, and in a rather unpopulous state at that. The book was good,
but I missed the "detectiveness" that was in all of Fuhrman's other books. I felt in this book that he was just
relaying a series of events that I could read about anywhere, whereas in his other books he was an active searcher/researcher
on the trail of something much more interesting and less mainstream. I also expected more interplay between him and the local
townspeople, but we really aren't told how he went about his research, and there isn't much dialogue between him and
anyone else. I will look forward to his next book but hope it is something more `detective-like' and not something written
on topic that anyone could have done.”
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Amazon.com said of
Murder in Brentwood, “This book yields two surprises that have nothing to do with what made
its author so notorious, but which have plenty to do with how public bureaucracies fail. First, it includes Furhman's
contemporaneous crime scene notes (with observations as meticulous as any TV sleuth's), which make mention of a "visible
fingerprint" Furhman saw on the Bundy back gate (and discussed with his partner at the time). Second, it reveals that
Lange and Vannatter, the detectives from "downtown" who took over the case from Furhman, didn't check out the
print that night or subsequently, and indeed never read Fuhrman's notes at all. That's why you didn't hear about
the fingerprint during the criminal trial. (When authorities returned to sample blood from the back gate two weeks later,
the print was gone.) In short, the main lesson of this book is an organizational one worth remembering: it doesn't matter
if the grunts do a good job, if the big-shots don't follow up.”
One reader of Murder
in Brentwood said, “Although the writing is basic and somewhat repetitive, I found this to be an insightful
book regarding the investigation of the murders in Brentwood. As any educated person can tell, Mark Fuhrman was the scapegoat
of this century. He was strung up and left out to dry by many, namely the "dream team" defense for OJ Simpson. But
lets look at the basic facts, Nicole and Ron are dead. DNA blood samples from BOTH bodies are found in OJ's Bronco, OJ
runs from police or attempts suicide?, OJ can't even get his alibi straight, and Detectives Van Natter and Lange don't
seem to find this strange? Well because of their mistakes and others (namely Marcia Clark and Fung) Fuhrman became the "fall-guy."
I don't care what
Fuhrman did, said or wrote in a screen play lined with racial ephitats 15 years earlier. Two people are dead and the a miriad
of evidence points to only one suspect. Clearly the American justice system has failed Nicole and Ron. So has the media, so
has the LAPD. But they all also failed Mark Fuhrman. Hang tough, Mr. Fuhrman, you have been vindicated in my book!”
Amazon.com said
of Murder In Spokane, “A serial killer is the most elusive prey a homicide detective ever
tries to catch. Cunning and obsessed, the serial killer is a psychopath who gets better at what he does each time he kills
and learns how to dominate and control not only his victims, but the police, the media, and the public. But in the city of
Spokane, Washington, as many as 10 prostitutes had been murdered and dumped in public places over the course of a decade without
the public, the local media, or the police force even raising an eyebrow. Then, in August of 1997, two bodies were discovered
in separate locations on the same day, and finally the city--with the coaxing of detective turned radio talk-show host Mark
Fuhrman--had to take notice.
Fuhrman, whose name
became infamous during the trial of O.J. Simpson, is a man who cannot leave detective work behind despite having left the
police force. The Spokane murders took place a mere 90 miles from his home, and soon he was a regular on a local talk show,
analyzing the police task force, the evidence, and the killer, and working the case as if it were his own. Fuhrman takes the
reader into the mind of a serial killer as he mulls over the meaning of the bodies found the day after Christmas, the plastic
bags over the victims' heads, their missing socks and shoes. Meanwhile, the insular and tight-lipped police task force
ignores important clues while more women disappear and then turn up brutally murdered. While there is no secret to how this
story turns out, Fuhrman's take on the investigation is hard-hitting, and his portrayal of serial killers destroys any
mystique they may have. With this third book, Fuhrman firmly establishes himself as both a sharp detective and a very capable
crime writer, with the ability to shed light on the dark world of murder and the law, and a commitment to tell the truth whatever
the consequences.”
One reader of Murder
In Spokane said, “I debated with myself whether to give this 3 or 4 stars. If I could, I'd give it
3 1/2. Let me start by saying that the first book I read by Mark Fuhrman was "Murder in Greenwich", which I loved
by the way. I gave it five stars. It was a real page-turner. Next, I read "Murder in Brentwood", which was also
very good (four stars). Needless to say, I was very much looking forward to his next book, so I got it even before it came
out in paperback, which I never do! Now, for the review. I did enjoy reading this book. However, it wasn't nearly as compelling
or exciting as the other two. While he did have a good story to tell, it just wasn't as interesting to me as his others
and it wasn't something that kept my full attention. Why? I'm not exactly sure. Maybe because there weren't as
many twists and turns in this story. Maybe it was because I didn't develop a real connection to the victims because there
were so many. On the other hand, as much as I would hate to admit it, it could be because the cast involved did not include
the likes of the rich and famous. If you liked his other books, you should find this one enjoyable, but I would suggest waiting
for the paperback.”
Publisher’s Weekly
said of Death and Justice, “Former LAPD detective Fuhrman (Murder in Brentwood and Murder
in Spokane) may not be an elegant stylist, but his latest book is a serious and alarming investigation of legal misconduct
on a massive scale. In 2001, Oklahoma executed 21 death row inmates-more than any other state in the country-and 13 had been
convicted by the same Oklahoma County district attorney, Bob Macy. Fuhrman sets the stage: A barrel-chested cowboy whose good-ol'-boy
brand of frontier politics and hard-line stance on the death penalty earned him a handful of enemies but many more powerful
friends, Macy aggressively pushed for the death penalty in cases that other prosecutors would likely never have brought to
trial. And his political influence and tearfully delivered closing arguments led to victory more often than not. Supporting
Macy in his self-righteous campaign against crime was Joyce Gilchrist, director of the Oklahoma City Police Department crime
lab. Often scolded for indiscretions but never strongly questioned, Gilchrist, Fuhrman explains, flagrantly mismanaged the
crime lab for nearly two decades and routinely gave false and misleading testimony under oath (testimony that led to several
death penalty convictions). When the cumulative effects of Gilchrist's incompetence and a federal investigation finally
threatened to erupt into a national scandal, potentially damaging evidence against her was found to be either conveniently
missing or prematurely destroyed. Fuhrman stops short of calling Oklahoma's problems a conspiracy, but he does show that
they are endemic not only to Oklahoma but also to our entire criminal justice system. While his discussions of the ethical
complexities of executions are unsophisticated, Fuhrman's book makes for an engrossing read.”
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