Anthon Transcript, 1980 May 24

Item — video: 5

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Forger Mark Hofmann's first historic Mormon document. 12:00.

Mark Hofmann was a master forger of historic Mormon and other American documents, fooling experts across the country. The Anthon Transcript was his first big "discovery." When I did this story, Hofmann was reluctant to be interviewed on camera. His speech was flat and controlled. I thought he was just a young, shy university student. Later, of course, I understood he worked hard to mask his emotions and the truth. When Hofmann's schemes started to unravel, he resorted to murder. On 15 October 1985 a bomb killed document collector Steven Christensen, and another killed Kathleen Sheets, wife of a Christensen business associate. The next day a third bomb injured Hofmann himself, while he was parked in his car near Church headquarters. I excitedly told the news director we had footage of the "victim," which we ran on the news that night. A viewer at home saw it, called us and said she'd seen that person riding the elevator in Christensen's building shortly before the first bomb. We ran the interview that night. Hofmann's lawyers subpoenaed the news story arguing it tainted the witness's testimony and a potential jury. Both issues became moot when Hofmann pled guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.

Dates

1980 May 24

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