The Fairbanks Four: Murder, Injustice, and the Birth of a Movement

O'Donoghue, Brian Patrick

ISBN 10: 1464216592 / ISBN 13: 9781464216596

Published by Sourcebooks, 2025

Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G1464216592I3N10

Synopsis:

One murder, four guilty convictions, and a community determined to find justice.

October, 1997. Late one night in Fairbanks, Alaska, a passerby finds a teenager unconscious, collapsed on the edge of the road, beaten nearly beyond recognition. Two days later, he dies in the hospital. His name is John Gilbert Hartman and he’s just turned 15 years old. The police quickly arrest four suspects, all under the age of 21 and of Alaska Native and American Indian descent. Police lineup witnesses, trials follow, and all four men receive lengthy prison terms. Case closed.

But journalist Brian Patrick O’Donoghue can’t put the story out of his mind. When the opportunity arises to teach a class on investigative reporting, he finally digs into what happened to the “Fairbanks Four.” A relentless search for the truth ensues as O’Donoghue and his students uncover the lies, deceit, and prejudice that put four innocent young men in jail.

The Fairbanks Four is the gripping story of a brutal crime and its sprawling aftermath in the frigid Alaska landscape. It’s a story of collective action as one journalist, his students, and the Fairbanks indigenous community challenge the verdicts. It’s the story of a broken justice system, and the effort required to keep hope alive. This is the story of the Fairbanks Four.

About the Author: BRIAN PATRICK O'DONOGHUE is Professor Emeritus at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and is a Fulbright-Nehru scholar. He broke the story of the Fairbanks Four.

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Fairbanks Four: Murder, Injustice, and ...
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Publication Date: 2025
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Good
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket