Mark Fuhrman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Fuhrman
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Fuhrman in 2008
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| Born | February 5, 1952 Eatonville, Washington, U.S.
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| Police career | |
| Current status | Retired |
| Department |  Los Angeles Police Department |
| Country |  United States |
| Years of service | 1975–1995 |
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| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1970-1975 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
Mark Fuhrman (born February 5, 1952) is a former detective from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). He is best known for his role in a major investigation in 1994. This was the O. J. Simpson murder case.
In 1995, Fuhrman gave evidence in court about what he found. This included a glove found at the home of O. J. Simpson. During the trial, some people said that Fuhrman had used offensive language in the past. Fuhrman denied these claims.
However, Simpson's defense team showed recorded interviews with Fuhrman. These recordings proved he had used unacceptable words many times. Because of this, the defense argued that Fuhrman had lied under oath. They said he was not a trustworthy witness. Some believe this issue with Fuhrman's honesty was a reason Simpson was found not guilty.
The defense also claimed that Fuhrman had placed important evidence at the scene. They suggested he did this as part of a plan against Simpson. When asked directly in court, Fuhrman chose not to answer. He used his Fifth Amendment right. This right allows someone to refuse to answer questions that might make them seem guilty.
Fuhrman left the LAPD in 1995. In 1996, he admitted to lying under oath about using offensive language. Fuhrman has said he is not a racist. He has also apologized for using those words. Some of his former coworkers, who are minorities, have supported him. Fuhrman still says he did not plant any evidence in the Simpson case. The defense team did not show proof that he did.
Since leaving the police, Fuhrman has written true crime books. He has also hosted talk radio shows.
Contents
Early Life and Police Career
Mark Fuhrman was born in Eatonville, Washington, on February 5, 1952. He went to Peninsula High School in Gig Harbor, Washington. His parents divorced when he was seven years old.
In 1970, at age 18, he joined the United States Marine Corps. He was trained as a machine gunner and a military policeman. He served during the Vietnam War era. He was on a ship called the USS New Orleans offshore. He became a sergeant and left the Marines in 1975.
After the military, Fuhrman joined the Los Angeles Police Academy. He became a police officer in 1975.
In 1981, Fuhrman took time off from work. During a talk with a doctor about this, Fuhrman shared some offensive thoughts. He said he stopped liking military service because of issues with Mexican-Americans and African-Americans. He received payment for his time off until 1983. During this time, Fuhrman tried to leave the police force for good. He wanted to get a special payment due to stress.
Doctors suggested he should not be on duty. Some even said he should not carry a gun. However, the City of Los Angeles argued that Fuhrman was just pretending. They thought he was trying to get the payment. In 1983, Fuhrman lost his case and returned to work as a police officer.
In 1985, Fuhrman responded to a call about a family disagreement. It involved former football player O. J. Simpson and his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson. In 1989, Fuhrman's statement about this call led to Simpson's arrest for a family dispute. Fuhrman was promoted to detective in 1989. He retired from the LAPD in early 1995. He had been a police officer for 20 years.
Life After the Trial
After leaving the LAPD in 1995, Fuhrman moved to Sandpoint, Idaho. He wrote a book about the Simpson case. It was called Murder in Brentwood (1997). In the book, Fuhrman said sorry for his offensive comments on the recordings. He called them "immature, irresponsible ramblings." He said he made them to earn money for a screenplay.
Fuhrman said he felt he had to admit to lying under oath. He claimed he could not afford a good defense. He already owed a lot of money for legal help. He also felt he could not get a fair trial because of the strong feelings about race at the time. He thought being found innocent might cause riots. He also wanted to protect his family.
Fuhrman believes the police and lawyers made mistakes. He thinks these mistakes made it harder to prove Simpson was guilty. For example, Fuhrman and his partner found a fingerprint at Nicole Brown Simpson's house. Fuhrman says it belonged to the suspect. This fingerprint could have helped the case. It also could have shown that Fuhrman did not plant the glove. However, the fingerprint was lost.
Fuhrman also said that the lead lawyer, Marcia Clark, did not ask his partner to speak in court. His partner could have confirmed Fuhrman's findings. Fuhrman felt that the lawyers stopped supporting him once the recordings were made public. He said he refused to answer questions because he felt abandoned.
Fuhrman also believed the judge, Lance Ito, should not have been on the case. Judge Ito's wife was an LAPD captain who had been Fuhrman's boss. Fuhrman had spoken badly about her on the recordings. The lawyers asked Judge Ito to step down, but later changed their minds.
Books by Mark Fuhrman
Mark Fuhrman has written several books.
- Murder in Brentwood (1997): This book is about the O. J. Simpson case.
- Murder in Greenwich (1998): In this book, Fuhrman looked into the unsolved 1975 murder of Martha Moxley. He suggested that Michael Skakel was the killer. Skakel was found guilty in 2002, but his conviction was later overturned. This book was made into a TV movie in 2002.
- A Simple Act of Murder: November 22, 1963 (2006): This book is about the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Fuhrman shared his ideas about how the shooting happened. He still believed Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.
- The Murder Business: How the Media Turns Crime Into Entertainment and Subverts Justice (2009): This book talks about how news reports about crime can sometimes become entertainment.
Personal Life
Mark Fuhrman has been married three times. He used to collect items from wars, like medals.
See also
In Spanish: Mark Fuhrman para niños
