The Strange Case of Bobby ("I Fought The Law") Fuller . . .

[OneBlueSky]

remember the 1966 hit I Fought The Law (And The Law Won) by the Bobby Fuller Four? . . . if not, here's some background . . .

http://www.rockabillyhall.com/BobbyFuller.html

anyhow, I ran across this intriguing two-part article about the life and death of Bobby Fuller . . . interesting read for anyone familiar with his music, or anyone interested in a rather weird case . . .

Part I: http://www.angelfire.com/in2/aaronmusicarchives/strangecase.html

Part II: http://www.angelfire.com/in2/aaronmusicarchives/strangecase2.html

The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office's official autopsy report read: "Deceased was found lying face down in front seat of car--a gas can, 1/3 full, cover open--windows were all rolled up & doors shut, not locked--keys not in ignition" (seemingly contradicting Loraine Fuller's account, unless she thought to retrieve the keys from the car before the police's arrival). The report also noted excessive bruising on his chest and shoulders, and attributed the cause of death to asphyxiation "due to inhalation of gasoline". Bobby had been drenched in the fuel, saturating his clothes and hair, and his body was found in a full state of rigor mortis, a clear indication that he'd been dead for over three hours. Eyewitnesses testified that Bobby looked battered, as though he'd been in a fight, and that "his right index finger was broken, as if it had been bent back." Apparently disregarding all this evidence, the ever-incorruptible LAPD ruled Bobby's death a suicide; the official police report notes "There was no evidence of foul play".

on edit: if you'd like a shorter summary version, here's a salon.com article from 1998 . . .

http://dir.salon.com/music/sharps/1998/03/10sharps.html

[Awsi Dooger]

1. Unsolved Mysteries looked at that case several years ago

As I recall, they tracked down Bobby Fuller's girlfriend and she confirmed reports of a wild party on the beach the night before Fuller died. Speculation was something happened after the party, causing Fuller's death, and the car scene might have been staged.