The Fairbanks Four

Murder, Injustice, and the Birth of a Movement

Brian Patrick O'Donoghue

$60

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Sourcebooks, Inc
13 May 2025

Biography: general; True crime; Political activism; Legal profession: general

The Central Park Five meets Killers of the Flower Moon in the true but untold story of the Fairbanks Four, four young indigenous men in Fairbanks, Alaska who were wrongly convicted of murdering a white teenager, and the journalist determined to rally the community and undo the damage done by a broken justice system.

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.

By: Brian Patrick O'Donoghue
Imprint: Sourcebooks, Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 155mm, Spine: 27mm
ISBN: 9781464216596
ISBN 10: 1464216592
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 13 May 2025
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

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.