The detective accused by defense lawyers of a racist frame-up of O.J. Simpson whacked a photographer trying to take his picture as he wrapped up a house-hunting trip, the Spokesman-Review reported Thursday.
Detective Mark Fuhrman hit Spokesman-Review photographer Dan McComb in the chest with a briefcase at Spokane International Airport on Wednesday evening, pushed him to the ground and shouted, "Get out of my face," the newspaper said.Four buttons were ripped from McComb's shirt, but he was not injured.
"I was just doing my job, and I told him that," McComb said. "But he kept getting more and more upset until he grabbed me by the shirt and shoved me to the ground."
Fuhrman was questioned but not arrested. His lawyer said he was unaware of the incident.
Fuhrman had been house-hunting in Sandpoint, a resort community less than 100 miles from Spokane.
The 43-year-old police officer said he'll be retiring after Simpson's trial "whether I want to or not," but declined to explain.
"I wanted to buy property in a place that I can hunt and fish, my kids have good schools to go to and it's a cultural area," Fuhrman said.
While he said he wants to escape death threats and the hassles of life in Los Angeles, "I don't really think it's the public's business where I'm going to live or anything that I do."