Sandpoint Has Had Enough Of Media
CNN called the mayor’s office. A crew from the TV tabloid show “Extra” interviewed City Council president Ray Miller. And a Boston Herald reporter wanted to know what bar Mark Fuhrman frequents.
It’s Fuhrman fever - a feeding frenzy by the national media searching for new tidbits about the former Los Angeles detective who moved here several months ago after becoming a focal point in the O.J. Simpson murder trial.
Being in the spotlight is starting to wear on Sandpoint residents, many of whom are more angered by the media than by accusations against their infamous neighbor.
“These people (the Fuhrmans) have small children and they just want to be left alone,” said one woman who phoned in a complaint to City Hall. “There is no reason for the media to be camped out here. Can’t you get them out of here?”
Television satellite trucks and news reporters staked out Fuhrman’s west side home Wednesday night. A friend of Fuhrman’s later shuttled the family out the back door and out of town.
Before that, police were called to Fuhrman’s home several times to keep media from trespassing on his property and knocking on his door.
Police Chief Bill Kice said Furhman called to complain about the circus on his front lawn, saying he felt like a hostage in his own home.
Fuhrman became a national news figure again this week after audio tapes surfaced that include racist remarks by the former detective.
“They are trying to make a story where one does not exist,” said Councilman Miller. “Regardless of what Fuhrman did or didn’t say, he’s entitled to peace and quiet in his own home.”
Miller has done interviews with a Newsweek reporter, NBC, a couple of Seattle TV stations and even got a call from a West Palm Beach, Fla., radio show.
“I told them, based on what I’ve heard from people, there aren’t a lot following the Simpson trial here and there are some that just don’t care,” Miller said.
“People here are more concerned with getting the road fixed than with Mark Fuhrman or the trial.”
That comment shocked the Florida reporter who then asked if Sandpoint had television.
“I may have overstepped my bounds, but I said ‘Yeah, ever since we got electricity two years ago.”’
, DataTimes