Circle of Six: The True Story of New York's Most Notorious Cop Killer and the Cop Who Risked Everything to Catch Him

Full of excitement. A hard to put down drama. What was more important than catching a cop killer. Shame on the mayor and chief f police. When politics needs to stY out of the way.

This book reads like a thriller. One can hardly put it down. But it's true. Describing perhaps the saddest period in New York Police Department history. These were the days when the Black Liberation Army was running amok murdering police officers. A false alarm 1013 call went out on police radios. It had been called in on 911. Four officers rushed to the Nation of Islam Mosque 7 on 116th street. It was an ambush. One officer,Phillip Cardillo, was shot and beaten. He subsequently died. The other three were badly beaten by about twenty mosque soldiers. The ultra liberal Mayor John Lindsay had obsessive presidential ambitions. In his mind there could be no racial problems showing on the surface in New York. Most of the top brass in the police department were primarily concerned with pleasing the mayor.So began the coverup. Congressman Charles Rangel, now powerful chairman of the house ways and means committee quickly appeared at the crime scene. Of course, this is the same man who has been the center of much criticism recently over his personal financial dealings. Deputy Police Commissioner, later to become Police Commissioner, Benjamin Ward arrived. As did the agitator minister Louis Farrakhan. The neighborhood hoodlums turned out in full force to cause whatever trouble they could. Ward gave orders for all white police to vacate the premises and the area. The crime scene was given up and destroyed. No evidence was retrieved. The twenty Muslim prisoners waiting to be interviewed were released. Other key participants in this travesty were Police Commissioner Patrick V. Murphy and Chief of Department Michael Codd. The story they attempted to concoct was that perhaps the officer had shot himself or been wounded by friendly fire. Contrary to fact, certainly no riot had transpired.This book painfully details how Detective Randy Jurgensen virtually by himself overcame the One Police Plaza obstacles placed in his path and found the cop killer. By the way, as might be expected, the Internal Affairs Division cooperated fully along with other department yes men in hindering the investigation. In fact several Muslim Fruit of Islam members were at the Mosque at the time of the incident and continually leaked confidential information to Farrakhan about progress of the investigation. They were members as well of the IAD.The good guys, such as Chief Of Detectives Albert Seedman, Deputy Commissioner Robert Daley and Deputy Inspector John Haugh, could not stand this outrage and resigned. Jurgensen continued his lonely fight with the aid of Assistant District Attorneys John Van Lindt and James Harmon. PBA President Sam DeMilia was very supportive. FBI field agent Joe Pistone provided essential information. A true hero was Muslim Foster 2X Foster, an eyewitness, who risked his life to testify against the killer.The case was brought to trial twice. No conviction. Jury votes were 10-2 and 11-1. Close. But no cigar. So the killer, Lewis 17X Dupree was not convicted.This is truly an appalling story. But, a tremendous book. Run. Don't walk to order it or buy it.

It’s a true story about a horrible time in NYC. If you think New York is bad now read this story. It’s what is going on now only much, much worst. I was a young girl about to enter high school when all this turbulence was going on. I thought the city would never recover..but we did. Gives me hope that again we can return out city to greatest in the world.

The story I confess had been forgotten, but was brought to mind by Ann Coulter's book "Mugged" in which she cites Randy Jurgensen's title.As I read, names and places pop up in the text. Randy was working a case looking for a BLA (Black Liberation Army) assassin when the 13 call came into NYPD's operator. There were several BLA assassinations of cops in Detroit at or around the same time. Also the corrupt police boss Patrick Murphy was a reject from the Detroit PD, which begs the question of how he got another job anywhere in law enforcement.Woven into the tale, are Randy's relationships with the FBI agent immortalized on film as the character Donnie Brasco, and Randy also notes chance encounters with Frank Serpico as well. As to complaints of a few reviewers that Randy depicted himself as a supercop, did they read the same book I did. Randy at numerous junctures wonders if he was thorough enough, or missed anything, especially in the end when the perp walked.It was crushing to read of the hung jury in the first trial and the eventual acquittal of Louis 17X Dupree, but I smiled and thought "what goes around comes around" when Louis finally was busted as a narcotics distributor, in direct conflict with his professed Islamic religion.One can hardly read this without admiring Randy after being injured in the "riot" or "non-riot" of April 14, 1972, when he caught the case and decided not to retire after all. Pursuing the case was life altering for him, and not in any positive way.I highly recommend the book for any who hold either the opinion that police are granted too much power, or those who think they are entrusted with too much. This true story will make either group think more about their opinion.

I just came across this book (enroute to checking out The Impoverished e-books by Frances Fletcher-shameless plug) and immediately purchased it in support of Randy Jurgensen. I have not yet read it; have not even received it in the mail. It is going to be a long two days! Although yet to be read, it has earned five stars (and a like) as a salute to Randy Jurgensen for his non-stop and courageous pursuit of justice for Patrolman Cardillo. I was in NSU14 (79Pct-Bed Sty) when Farrakhan was released from jail in 1987. I remember hearing about "the cop that was executed in one of his mosques" and "the fear of the New York Seven starting up again". No one ever mentioned Officer Cardillo or Detective Jurgensen's names to us, rookies. I did not know their names until today, when I received the 2013 PBA calendar in the mail. Check out April. Thank you, Randy, for fighting Farrakhan, the Puzzle Palace and City Hall for one of our own! I truly appreciate the sacrifice and courage such an endeavor must have cost you.UpdateJust finished reading! It deserves more than five stars! This is a well written novel. The authors tell an emotional, heartbreaking story in an honest and humble manner. This story is a travesty of justice for Phil and his family, for the cops at the time of occurrence, for Randy, for all patrol cops, for civilized society. This book is not just "a cop book". It shows the beginning of the breakdown of today's society. It is a classic.I truly hope that Randy and Lynn are healthy and enjoying retirement. You both deserve it!Remember Cardillo!

Read it pretty much in one sitting. Okay, didn't have much choice as was on a long flight, but need for any other time-killers evaporated as soon as I started reading.Captures with shocking immediacy the chaos of 70s NY city politics from the streets of Harlem to the Mayor's office. Brings to disturbing life an era when US cities seemed on the brink of civil - or, more accurately, racial - war. Randy Jurgensen took on the politicians, in the broadest sense of the word, from Louis Farrakhan to the Mayor and Police Commissioner, who fomented and/or exploited events on the street for their own ends.For me, the element of the story which elevates the book to perhaps even a higher level, is the stand taken by Foster 2X Thomas against the killers within Mosque number 7. This becomes a story not just of "white cop takes on nation of islam and political correctness etc etc", but instead a tale of 2 heroes, of different colours and faiths, raised just blocks from one another, who put themselves through unimaginable hardship and danger to do the right thing and, in the process, form what can be unsentimentally called a brotherhood. These two are the moral centre of the book that give you hope for core human values amid the chaos and self-serving agendas that beset them.A unique story masterfully presented. Distressing, but in a hugely entertaining way!

A really authentic picture of a turbulent time. This book surprised the life out of me, as I first thought it was going to be macho nonsense. Instead, it is a story that shows what happens when we forget the truth. Certainly this is written by a policeman, but is not a one sided story. Sadly I feel that not much has changed in terms of political expediency. This is crying out to be made into a film.

Excellent book by ex NYPD Detective Jurgensen. A very informative book about what happened that fateful day and the aftermath. We will always REMEMBER CARDILLO.

one very good book will not lend this one out great