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List of The Wire characters

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The following is a listing of fictional characters from the HBO series, The Wire. Template:Spoiler

Police

Command

Ervin Burrell

File:The Wire Burrell.jpg
Played by Frankie R. Faison

Ervin "Erv" Burrell was Deputy Commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department in season one. At that time, he hastily assembled a task force under Lt. Cedric Daniels' command in order to placate Judge Phelan, who was furious that Avon Barksdale's men had been able to beat a murder charge in his courtroom by buying off a witness. From the beginning, Burrell was unsupportive of the unit, hoping to make a few quick arrests to satisfy the judge and then bury the case. As Daniels' team began investigating donations from Barksdale's organization to local politicians, Burrell grew increasingly hostile towards them, threatening to expose Daniels' shady past if he didn't close down the investigation. When the task force seized Barksdale money being carried by a state senator's driver, Burrell ordered Daniels to return it to avoid embarrassing the senator. He was responsible for a failed sting operation which resulted in the shooting of Det. Kima Greggs. When the case ended, Burrell reassigned Daniels to evidence control as punishment for defying him.

He later went on to become Acting Commissioner in season 2, when he was forced to bring Daniels out of evidence control and place him in command of his former team, in order to secure the support of Major Stan Valchek in his campaign to become commissioner. He finally became Commissioner in season 3.

William A. Rawls

File:The Wire Rawls.jpg
Played by John Doman
  • Played by: John Doman
  • Appears in: Season One: "The Target", "The Cost", "Sentencing", Season Two, Season Three

Rawls was a Major and commanding officer of homicide in Season 1. He is a careerist, concerned only with maintaining the case clearance record of his unit. He was enraged when McNulty went around him to Judge Phelan to encourage further investigation of the Barksdale organization. He confronted McNulty about his insubordination and told him he had his attention. Rawls used Homicide Det. Santangelo as an inside man in Lt. Daniels' Barksdale detail. Rawls used Sgt. Jay Landsman to handle much of his communication with the men under his command in homicide.

Following the shooting of Det. Greggs in a buy bust gone wrong Rawls became personally involved in the investigation. His first action was to insist that all non-essential personnel, including Gregg's friends in her detail, leave the crime scene. He later spoke to a distraught McNulty and reassured him that he was not ultimately responsible for the shooting but again expressed his hatred for his subordinate. When McNulty convinced Daniels to go around his superiors and try to involve the FBI in the Barksdale case Rawls' got a chance for revenge - he reassigned McNulty to the marine unit after telling him he would like to see him land on his feet and asking where he didn't want to go.

During season 2, Rawls was promoted to colonel (partly on the basis of McNulty's work on the Barksdale case), but McNulty remained a thorn in his side. When McNulty came across a body on marine patrol, Rawls managed to convince another homicide unit that the case belonged to them. McNulty used wind and tide charts to prove that the death occurred in Rawls' jurisdiction. When thirteen dead women were found in a cargo container at the ports, Rawls again tried to avoid responsibility for the investigation, and McNulty again found proof that the deaths fell under Rawls' jurisdiction, earning McNulty a permanent spot on his list of enemies. Nonetheless, Rawls was forced to pull McNulty out of marine patrol and return him to Daniels' unit during the Sobotka investigation.

However, these cases proved to be a boon for Rawls, as all of them were solved by Daniels' team at the end of season 2; this was undoubtedly one reason he was promoted to Deputy Commissioner of Operations in season 3, when Burrell became Commissioner.

Rawls is a potential closet homosexual as he was briefly shown at a gay bar in Season 3.

Howard "Bunny" Colvin

File:The Wire Bunny.jpg
Played by Robert Wisdom

Maj. Howard "Bunny" Colvin was forced to retire after his experiment with creating areas of amnesty for the drug trade was discovered by his superiors. These "free zones" became known as "Hamsterdam", so named after Amsterdam's liberal drug laws.

File:The Wire Mello.jpg
Played by Jay Landsman

Dennis Mello

Lt. Mello was Major "Bunny" Colvin's second in command and confidante before Colvin's forced retirement. Ironically, there is also a character Jay Landsman who was named after the actor who plays Dennis Mello.

Raymond Foerster

Major Raymond Foerster was commanding officer of the Baltimore narcotics division in Season One. When Judge Phelan questioned Deputy Commissioner Burrel about the Barksdale operation it was Majors Foerster and Rawls who faced his subsequent wrath and demands for more information. Foerster's response was to ask Lt. Daniels for a report and he then assigned Daniels and his team to the Barksdale detail.

When Daniels investigation became drawn out and relied upon wiretaps and surveilance Foerster took the side of Deputy Commissioner Burrel against Daniels when he tried to explain the necessity of this technique to reach the heads of the organization. Foerster and Burrel's insistence on using buy busts led to the operation that resulted with the shooting of Det. Greggs. Foerster visited her in the hospital with many other command officers and appeared anxious when trying to find a tape recorder to replay the last transmissions before she was shot. Foerster took over as commander of the homicide division when Rawls was promoted.

Stanislaus Valchek

File:The Wire Valcheck.jpg
Major Stanislaus Valchek played by Al Brown
  • Played by: Al Brown
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

Major Valchek is Det. "Prez" Prezbylewski's father-in-law. He appeared only briefly in season one, trying to smooth over Prez's drunken blinding of a fourteen-year-old.

Valchek was the impetus behind the Sobotka investigation in season two. He was involved in a feud with Frank Sobotka over a pair of stained glass windows the two men had donated to a local church. When Sobotka refused to withdraw his window (which was larger and more ornate than Valchek's), Valchek ordered his subordinates to begin harassing Sobotka and his union, putting parking tickets on their cars and pulling them over for breathalyzer tests. Eventually he grew curious as to how Sobotka's destitute union could afford the expensive window, and asked then-Dep. Commissioner Burrell for a special unit devoted to investigating Sobotka, with Prez as the commander. Since Valchek was well-connected with City Hall, Burrell obliged. When Prez informed Valchek that the unit was not doing its job, he demanded a more serious group from Burrell, threatening to derail his quest to become Commissioner if he did not agree. Burrell then recreated Daniels' task force. As the investigation progressed, Sobotka ceased to be the primary target, and Valchek grew furious. He confronted Daniels' team publicly, and in the process, was punched by his son-in-law.

Major Case Unit

Cedric Daniels

Daniels is an officer in the Baltimore Police Department and direct commanding officer of many of the shows characters.

Main article: Cedric Daniels

James "Jimmy" McNulty

McNulty is a dedicated Baltimore Police Detective with many personal problems.

Main article: Jimmy McNulty

Shakima "Kima" Greggs

File:The Wire Kima.jpg
Played by Sonja Sohn
  • Played by: Sonja Sohn
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

Kima was a narcotics detective in season one, working alongside Det. Carver and "Herc" Hauk. She outshone her colleagues on several occasions - Carver was sometimes embarassed at her abilities as she was the junior detective in the trio. She cultivated a relationship with "Bubbles", a Baltimore drug addict, who became a useful confidential informant.

She was assigned the task of putting a file together on the Barksdale organization in the controversy generated by the acquittal of D'Angelo Barksdale. She was then assigned to the Barksdale detail and made lead Detective by Lt. Daniels.

Det. McNulty and Kima worked closely together during the Barksdale case. They spent hours together in surveillance, trying to track down the legendary stick-up man Omar Little. They managed to get his attention and persuade him to inform and testify against the Barksdale gang.

Kima's informant Bubbles was invaluable in identifying Barksdale organization members on the street and working out the methods of their operation.

She was shot and wounded in an undercover operation. She recovered and took a desk job in the narcotics unit, at the request of her girlfriend Cheryl, who feared her getting injured again. She joined the investigation of Frank Sobotka under Lt. Daniels, returning to street duty and causing major friction between herself and Cheryl. She continued working with Lt. Daniels when the Major Case Unit was formed. She has become friends with McNulty and they often work together.

Lester Freamon

File:The Wire Freamon.jpg
Played by Clarke Peters
  • Played by: Clarke Peters
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

When the Barksdale detail formed Freamon had been working in the pawnshop unit for over thirteen years - he was glad to be out doing some real police work again. He had been an excellent homicide detective (described by Bunk Moreland as "natural police") but had upset his superiors and been reassigned to a job they knew he would dislike, a fate which McNulty later shared. Freamon worked under Daniels on the Sobotka investigation and joined the Major Case Unit. Freamon's calm and collected approach to police work has put him in the position of mediator between McNulty and Daniels. He served as a mentor to Prez and the other younger cops in the unit. Freamon has a hobby of making dollhouse miniature furniture and earns a steady stream of income from it.

In the Barksdale detail Freamon was a patient presence, manning the wiretaps and helping Prez discover his talent for communications work. After other detectives had tried and failed to get a picture of Barksdale, he found an old boxing photo of the drug lord, finally giving the unit a face to put to the name. In the aftermath of a futile police raid on the Barksdale stash, he discovered D'Angelo's pager number, a major break in the case. He worked with Kima to find an informant in Orlando's club (a Barksdale front), eventually helping recruit Shardene Innes, whom he later began a relationship with.

It was Freamon who began digging into the Barksdale organization's financial records and money trail and found their political connections. Freamon also helped young Det. Sydnor to shine in the detail by assigning him tasks like following the paper trail.

Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski

File:The Wire Prez.jpg
Played by Jim True-Frost
  • Played by: Jim True-Frost
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

Prez first appeared completely incompetent, having once shot up his own patrol car and radioed for help, thinking he was under attack. Because he was Major Valchek's son-in-law, he remained on the force instead of being immediately fired. When he joined the Barksdale detail, he introduced himself to the other officers by accidentally shooting a wall. Later, he, Herc, and Carver drunkenly incited a near-riot in the Barksdale towers; in the process, he blinded a teenager in one eye. Suspended from street duty, Prez grew bored and began playing with the pager codes the Barksdale crew used, eventually breaking them and making a major contribution to the case. Under Freamon's mentorship, he discovered a facility for wiretap work and for chasing the paper trail, eventually becoming a valuable member of the team.

In season two, Prez worked in the Sobotka detail, first under Lt. Grayson and then when it was reformed under Lt. Daniels. Prez was influential in Valchek's insistence on Daniels replacing Grayson. He told his step-father that the detail was making little progress and constantly sang the praises of Daniels. Prez confessed to his father-in-law that his earlier problems had largely been due to dissatisfaction with his traffic police work. He told him that detailed case work had become his passion and that he wanted to continue to work major cases.

When the focus of Daniels investigation shifted away from Sobotka, Valchek angrily confronted the detail. Prez stood up for their work and punched Valchek. He got into further trouble over his actions, but Daniels stood up for him a second time, and he continued to work with the major case unit.

In season three, Prez left the police force after shooting another officer in a case of nighttime mistaken identity.

Leander Sydnor

File:The Wire Sydnor.jpg
Played by Corey Parker Robinson

Sydnor was a member of the Barksdale detail and later worked in the Major Case Unit. Sydnor was assigned to the Barsdale detail after Daniels made a special request of another officer to give him his best detective to balance out taking the erratic Det. Prezbylewski. In the Barksdale detail he often worked with Det. Freamon who became something of a mentor to him. He helped Freamon to dig into the Barksdale organization's paper trail.

Beatrice "Beadie" Russell

  • Played by: Amy Ryan
  • Appears in: Season Two, Season Three

Off. Beadie Russell was a port policewoman at the beginning of season two. She was a familiar face around Sobotka's docks, and was friendly with him. While on patrol, she noticed a cargo container with broken customs seals. Curious, she explored it, and found thirteen dead bodies. Having no real experience with homicide work, she was overwhelmed when the investigation fell to her; but eventually the Baltimore homicide unit took responsibility, after Det. McNulty proved the case lay under Col. Rawls' jurisdiction. She was reassigned to work with Dets. Moreland and Freamon, and eventually joined Lt. Daniels' unit; although they initially viewed her as a liability, she proved her worth, convincing an old boyfriend to give her a key piece of information in the investigation, persuading Sobotka to give them access to the port computer system, and taking a shine to surveillance work. She was the single mother of two young children, which made it difficult for her to work the long hours necessary for the investigation, but she perservered.

She was charmed by the incorrigible McNulty, but did not get involved with him during season two. In season three, she was no longer with Daniels' unit, but appeared briefly at the end of the season when McNulty, having become a patrolman, visited her.

Caroline Massey

File:The Wire Massey.jpg
Played by Joilet F Harris

Officer Massey joined the show in season three as a member of the major case unit. She was particularly adept at deciphering the slang used Barksdale drug dealers on wiretaps of cellular phones.

Homicide

William "Bunk" Moreland

  • Played by: Wendell Pierce
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

Bunk is a Homicide Detective and was McNulty's partner in homicide before he moved to the Barksdale detail. He is serious about his work, but has two weaknesses off the job: women (despite being married with two children) and alcohol. In season one he served as McNulty's lone ally in the homicide unit, keeping him apprised of the happenings there. He and McNulty reviewed the old Deidre Kresson murder and the William Gant murder, building cases against Barksdale soldiers Wee-Bey and Bird respectively. At the end of season one, he was partnered with Lester Freamon, after McNulty had been demoted to harbor patrol.

In season two, he was temporarily assigned to Daniels' detail for the Sobotka investigation. He and Freamon persuaded Daniels to fight to bring McNulty back to the unit, in spite of Rawls' dislike of the rebellious former detective. Once the case was finished, he returned to homicide.

McNulty and Bunk remain friends and drinking buddies. Bunk has an ongoing association with Omar Little who acts as an informant for him on occasion.

Vernon Holley

  • Played by:
  • Appears in: Season One

Ray Cole

  • Played by: Robert F. Colesberry
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two

Ed Norris

  • Played by: Ed Norris
  • Appears in: Season Three

Ed Norris is a homicide detective.

Jay Landsman

Jay Landsman is a Homicide Seargent who finds the misfortune of the cops in his unit a constant source of amusement. The character is based on and named after the real-life detective Jay Landsman, who ironically joined the cast and now plays Dennis Mello.

Narcotics

Ellis Carver

File:The Wire Carver.jpg
Played by Seth Gilliam
  • Played by: Seth Gilliam
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

Carver was a narcotics detective in season one; he joined the Barksdale detail along with his friends from narcotics, Kima and Herc. Herc and Carver often worked as a pair. When they intercepted the Barksdale crew's profits for a day by tailing Wee-Bey Brice, Herc considered keeping some of the money, but it was Carver who realised the wiretap might leave them exposed to the bosses. Some of the money went missing by accident, which led Carver to doubt Herc until it turned up and got both of them on the wrong side of Lt. Daniels. Carver took his sergeant's exam and passed while in the Barksdale detail. He acted as an insider in the unit for Dep. Commissioner Burrell, and when it was disbanded he had was moved to the South Eastern district where he worked traffic under Major Valchek.

Daniels brought Carver back into his detail when investigating Frank Sobotka. He told Carver that because he had caught him in his betrayal before he thought he was the least likely person to try something similar again. Carver was again parnered with Herc and the two investigated drug dealing around the docks area. They fabricated a confidential informant, actually using a listening device and took payments meant for the informant to cover the cost. However, they did establish a link between Nick Sobotka and drug trade near the docks. They were again relied upon to do the leg work for the detail and were instrumental in placing satellite tracking devices on vehicles involved in the dock smuggling ring.

He returned to narcotics with his old partner Herc in season three and worked under Major Colvin.

Thomas "Herc" Hauk

File:The Wire Herc.jpg
Played by Domenick Lombardozzi

Herc worked with Carver and Kima in narcotics before joining the Barksdale detail. He and Carver worked closely together on the detail. They seized $20,000 when they pulled over Wee-Bey Brice on a tip from the wire. Herc considered keeping some but Carver talked him out of it because fo the risk of the actual amount being heard over the wiretap. When some of the money did go missing Carver suspected Herc but later apologised when they found it in their car. Herc's physical approach to policing did not gel with the team and he returned to narcotics in season three.

Michael Santangelo

In season one Santangelo was a detective in the homicide unit and followed McNulty into the Barksdale Detail where Rawls charged him with passing back information. He was demoted to officer at the end of season one. In season three he drives the narcotics wagon - a large prisoner transport vehicle used to round up drug dealers.

City Hall

Clayton "Clay" Davis

Senator Davis acts as a political consultant for Stringer Bell taking bribes from the Barksdale crew to influence political currents.

Clarence Royce

Mayor of Baltimore Clarence Royce

Coleman Parker

Chief of staff to Mayor Clarence Royce

Odell Watkins

State delegate Watkin's abcked Marla Bloom's campaign in season three.

Thomas "Tommy" Carcetti

Baltimore Councilman in Season 3

Theresa D'Agostino

Political consultant eventually recruited by Carcetti to work for him.

Anthony Gray

Baltimore Councilman in Season Three. Often called Tony by his friends who include councilman Carcetti.

Marla Daniels

  • Played by: Maria Broom
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Three

The estranged wife of Lt. Cedric Daniels. marla always had ambitions for her husband to progress in the police force and his failure to do so contributed to the demise of their relationship. Marla ran for office in season three, with the aid of Cedric posing as a contented (and uniformed) husband and she eventually sought a reconciliation. Cedric declined as he had become involved with Rhonda Perlman.

Daniel Phelan

  • Played by: Peter Gerety
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

Judge Phelan is a friend of McNulty's who presided over the D'Angelo Barksdale murder trial. After seeing a witness change her statement in his courtroom he was forced to let Barksdale go free when the jury gave a not guilty verdict. After discussing the case with McNulty he learned that the witness was most likely paid tp change her statement and that D'Angelo was aprt of a much larger drug dealing operation. Phelan took this information to the Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Ervin Burrel, and insisted the police look into it - his intervention was instrumental in setting up the Barksdale detail.

Phelan also helped to sustain the investigation. He leaked information about the murder of another witness from the trial, William Gant, to the press which increased interest in the case. McNulty felt that Phelan had gone behind his back and their relationship was soured for a time.

Phelan maintains a flirtatious relationship with Rhonda Pearlman and admitted to McNulty that he was attracted to her.

Phelan also presided over the trial of Bird for the murder of William Gant and was pleased to accept Omar Little's testimonty and give Bird a strict sentence. Phelan ran into political trouble because of his over zealous pursuit of the Barksdale organization and was left off of the mayor's ticket for re-election.

Rhonda Perlman

  • Played by: Deirdre Lovejoy
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

Assistant State's Attorney Rhonda Perlman has been the legal system liaison for all of Lt. Daniel's investigations on the show. She eventually got into a relationship with Daniels. She also had a casual relationship with McNulty.

The Street

Barksdale Crew

Avon Barksdale

Avon Barksdale is the leader of the Barksdale gang.

Main article: Avon Barksdale

Brianna Barksdale

  • Played by: Michael Hyatt
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

D'Angelo's mother and Avon's sister.

D'Angelo Barksdale

D'Angelo is the nephew of Avon Barksdale who through the Barksdale crew controls most of the drug trade in West Baltimore. As part of the organization D'Angelo ran drug sales in a tower building and later in the projects. He worked with Bodie, Poot and Wallace. D'Angelo dated Shardene Innes and they lived together for a short time. When she was told by police that her friend Keesha had been killed, she moved out, accusing D'Angelo of seeing her as trash that could easily be discarded.

Over the course of the first season, D'Angelo grew more and more ambivalent about the drug trade. He was arrested while running drugs in New Jersey; when Stringer Bell came to talk to him, Bell as much as admitted to ordering Wallace's execution. As a result, D'Angelo decided to turn state's witness; however, a visit by his mother convinced him of his duty to his family. He took the brunt of the responsbility for the Barksdale empire's crimes and was sentenced to 20 years in jail.

While in jail, D'Angelo turned to snorting heroin. Wee-Bey complained to Avon that a guard named Tillman was victimizing him. As Avon controlled the prison drug trade, he smuggled in heroin laced with rat poison, had some planted in Tillman's car, and took credit as the informant when prisoners' deaths and illnesses made the news. In order to protect D'Angelo, Avon convinced him to give up his drug habit. When he realized the reason for Avon's concern, he was disgusted, and told his mother that he wanted nothing more to do with his family. While working in the prison's library, he was strangled with a belt at the behest of Stringer Bell, who feared that he would inform on the family.

Russell "Stringer" Bell

Stringer is Avon Barksdale's second-in-command and the strategist behind the Barksdale crew.

Main article: Russell "Stringer" Bell

Wendell "Orlando" Blocker

Orlando acted as a front operator for the Barksdale crew and ran their strip club, Orlando's. Orlando had ambitions to get involved with the drug dealing aspect of the organizaton but his superiors needed him to keep a clean record for the clubs licencing. He approached D'Angelo Barksdale to try to involve him in cocaine dealing but D'Angelo refused and eventually told his uncle. Orlando was later arrested when he tried to buy drugs from an undercover officer, and agreed to inform on Barksdale for the police. While imprisoned for the charge he was spotted by another inmate loyal to the Barksdale crew who phoned in Orlando's whereabouts. He was then killed by Barksdale soldiers Wee-Bey and Little Man in the botched sting operation which resulted in the shooting of Det. Kima Greggs.

Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice

  • Played by: Hassan Johnson
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

Soldier in the Barksdale crew. Wee-Bey was responsible for picking up money from the projects and was once stopped by Herc and Carver who took 20,000 dollars from him - this was a small loss to the massive Barksdale organization. He also was one of Avon's most feared enforcers, responsible for the deaths of Orlando Blocker, Nakeesha Lyles, Barksdale soldier Little Man, Omar's lover Brandon, and Avon's lover Deidre, among many others, and the shooting of Det. Kima Greggs. Wee-Bey made an attempt on Omar Little's life, which ended in his being shot in the leg. He defended Avon against Omar when the stickup man used their pager communication system to lure Avon to a payphone. Wee-Bey had the distinction of being one of the few people to best Omar in a gunfight as he hit him in the arm and forced his retreat in this encounter. Wee-Bey was imprisoned with Avon after the Barksdale detail's investigation in season one, serving life without parole for the numerous murders he committed.

Preston "Bodie" Brodus

  • Played by: J.D. Williams
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

Barksdale dealer who has slowly risen through the ranks over the shows run. Bodie began working under D'Angelo Barksdale in the projects. He was friends with Poot and Wallace - two other members of D'Angelo's team. He was arrested and sentenced to juvenile detention but he walked out and was soon dealing again. He became a personal target of Carver and Herc.

He showed more initiative than his friends, hoping to rise in the Barksdale organization. This made his working relationship with D'Angelo tense, as he often challenged D'Angelo's authority. During season one he volunteered to murder his erstwhile friend Wallace, after Avon Barksdale decided to eliminate anyone who might be able to say anything to the police. His willingness to do the deed impressed Stringer Bell.

In season two, Stringer began entrusting Bodie with more difficult tasks, such as picking up the Barksdale crew's main supply. He and Poot decided to chase off some of Prop Joe's dealers, starting a gunfight which resulted in the accidental death of a child. Bodie was picked up and interrogated in connection with the crime, but he managed to avoid arrest.

In season three, Avon was arrested and his gang scattered, but Bodie again escaped arrest.

Malik "Poot" Carr

  • Played by: Tray Chaney
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

Barksdale dealer who has slowly risen through the ranks over the show's run. In season one Poot worked in the Projects under D'Angelo Barksdale and was friends with Bodie and Wallace. He is depicted as having a very active sex life. In season one the Barksdale detail listen in on him having phone sex with a girlfriend.

Poot stayed in touch with Wallace when he tried to leave "the game." He atried to help him out of a depressed period and realised when he turned to drugs. Wallace and Poot statyed in touch after the police moved Wallace away to the country. However, when Wallace returned to town and Stringer ordered him killed Poot and Bodie were there to carry out the orders.

In season two Poot had risen to D'Angelo's old position in charge of drug gealing in the low rise projects. However, he had difficulty controlling his subordinates and struggled with the poor quality product available to the crew for a time. He continued to work with Bodie who was now in control of his own tower and overseeing the pit. He was significant enough to the organization to attend Stringer's strategy meetings at the funeral home.

At the close of season three Poot was arrested alongside Avon Barksdale.

Country

  • Played by:
  • Appears in: Season Two, Season Three

Barksdale soldier who returned to work for the organization when released from prison in season two. His first task was to trail Bodie and Shamrock to Philadelphia to test their ability to follow orders for Stringer.

Country was killed in an attempted drive by on one of Marlo Stanfield's corners.

Donette

  • Played by: Shamyl Brown
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

D'Angelo's girlfriend in season one and mother of his child. Later Donette got involved with Stinger Bell.

Shardene Innes

D'Angelo's girlfriend in season one and a dancer at Orlando's. Their first meeting at Orlando's was inauspicious; Shardene asked him to buy her a drink, and he turned her down. Later, she gave an angry customer some of her own money to settle a dispute over his bill. Impressed, D'Angelo asked her out.

Shardene and D'Angelo moved in together after seeing each other for a while. Shardene began co-operating with the Barksdale detail when Dets. Freamon and Kima Greggs showed her the body of Keesha - another dancer from the club. D'Angelo had told her that Keesha had been taken to hospital following an overdose at a party; in reality she had been raped, wrapped in a carpet, and dumped.

Shardene moved out of D'Angelo's place soon after she agreed to co-operate with the police. Kima and Freamon wired her with a microphone, and she attempted to eavesdrop on Barksdale's conversations at Orlando's, with little success. Frightened, Shardene begged to be allowed to stop, but Freamon persuaded her to help them determine the floorplan of the club so they could install a hidden camera in Barksdale's office. The effort was successful, and they managed to catch Avon incriminating himself on video.

Freamon and Shardene grew close during the investigation, and by season two, they were sharing an apartment.

Maurice Levy

Barksdale crew lawyer and advisor. Levy represented D'Angelo Barksdale in the "Poo" murder trial and succesfully returned a not guilty verdict. Levy's case was greatly improved when Nakeesha Lyles, a key witness, changed her story and refused to identify Barksdale in court.

Levy also advised Stringer Bell and Avon on how to tie up loose ends when they suspected they were being investigated. His assertion that they should tie up any loose ends particularly those not bound by ties of loyalty to them preceded the death of Nakeesha Lyles.

Levy was less successful in his defence of "Bird" in the William Gant murder trial and particularly struggled with the cross examination of Omar Little. When Omar drew paralells between himself and Levy when Levy described him as a parasite feeding off of the Baltimore drug trade Levy was unable to counter. Bird was sentendced to life imprisonment by Judge Phelan for the murder.

Levy later advised Bell on his political contributions. He told him that he had been "rainmade" by Senator Davis as Davis took contributions without exerting any influence and then took credit for positive results.

Shaun "Shamrock" McGinty

Shamrock was Stringer's second in command while Avon was in prison and oversaw the technical aspects of the frud operation on his behalf. Stringer sounded out his loyalty, along with Bodie, by despatching him on a fools errand to Philadelphia to collect a package of drugs that was not actually there. He had the two followed to test their reaction and was satisfied with their response.

Stringer entrusted Shamrock with driving Bodie to dispose of the weapons used in his misguided territory war after a young child was killed by a stray bullet. Unfortunately Shamrock and Bodie dropped the bag of guns onto a passing freight ship instead of into the water.

Shamrock oversaw Stringers meetings at the funeral home and tried to keep to Roberts rules of order. He was arrested alongside Avon Barksdale at the end of season three.

Ronnie Mo

  • Played by:
  • Appears in: "Sentencing"

Ronnie Mo ran the pit for the Barksdale crew before D'Angelo Barksdale. Ronnie Mo's tenure ended when he was arrested. He worked with Bodie, Poot and Wallace. Ronnie Mo was arrested again, by Det. Hauk, when the Barksdale investigation came to an end with many warrants issued. He was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment because of his prior felonies.

Savino

Savino was a soldier in the Barksdale crew. Savino was first seen in the courtroom for D'Angelo Barksdale's murder trial. He was involved in the shooting of Det. Shakima Greggs and Orlando Blocker in a buy bust operation. Savino spoke to Orlando and went to get him his drugs but Wee-Bey and Little Man killed Orlando and injured Greggs. The barksdale crew had realised Orlando was co-operating with the police and used baking soda instead of cocaine for the deal. Savino was later charged for the attempt to supply fake drugs and was expected to receive a three year sentence when he refused to co-operate. He was represented by Barksdale crew lawyer Maurice Levy.

Slim Charles

  • Played by:
  • Appears in: Season Three

Avon's chief enforcer in the war with Marlo Stanfield. Charles escaped arraignment alongside Avon at the close of season three because he wasn't at the stash house when Avon was arrested.

Anton "Stinkum" Artis

Stinkum was a soldier in the Barksdale crew. He was first seen in the courtroom during D'Angelo Barksdale's murder trial. He was involved in the killing of Omar's boyfriend Brandon. Avon Barksdale awarded Stink the responsibility of taking over new territory and dealing drugs in the territory with a percentage of the profits to go to him. Stink was killed by Omar while trying to take a corner controlled by a drug dealer named "Scar," in revenge for the torture and murder of Brandon by Stink and associates.

Wallace

Hopper in the Barksdale crew's projects organization under D'Angelo Barksdale and friends with Poot and Boadie. Wallace showed the signs of a half finished education - he could identify famous people on currency better than the rest of his crew but sometimes struggled with the math of dealing. He also took responsibility for his numerous younger brothers and sisters; he was seen packing their lunches, seeing them off to school and helping them with their homework. After Omar robbed the project's stash and killed several Barksdale crew members Wallace spotted his accomplice Brandon playing pinball and called this information in to D'Angelo. Brandon was tortured to death and his body was dropped in the alley outside Wallace's home. Wallace received 1/4 of the $2000 bounty on Brandon's head, but was sickened by the event and decided that he wanted out of "the game". He approached D'Angelo and told him he wanted to go back to school - D'Angelo gave him his blessing and some cash. Poot soon found that Wallace had spent the money on drugs and was spending most of his time at home.

Wallace was picked up by the police and agreed to cooperate with the Barksdale detail, revealing Stinger Bell's involvement in the killing of Omar's boyfriend Brandon. In order to keep him safe until the time came to testify, the detail sent Wallace to live with his grandmother in rural Cambridge. After Det. Kima Greggs was shot in an undercover operation, the Barksdale detail became so preoccupied with her condition that Wallace was temporarily forgotten. Bored with life away from Baltimore (and having kept in telephone contact with Poot), he returned to the low-rise projects and asked to get involved in the trade again. Bodie suggested he would have to take a demotion but D'Angelo welcomed him back. Stringer Bell became suspicious of Wallace's return and questioned D'Angelo about him - D tried to reassure Stringer. Stringer was unconvinced and assigned Bodie to kill Wallace. Bodie and Poot spent the day with Wallace and took him home. Bodie revealed their intentions once they had him cornered and Wallace begged for mercy because of their friendship. Bodie eventually worked up the nerve to kill Wallace and Poot took the gun and finished him off.

D'Angelo was outraged by Wallace's death. It was one of the factors that led D'Angelo to want to leave "the game" himself, and it drove a permanent wedge between he and Stringer (as D'Angelo intuitively sensed Stringer's involvement in the boy's death).

Dennis "Cutty" Wise

Soldier in the Barksdale crew who did the last part of his time with Avon and Wee-Bey. When Wise was released he began working with the Barksdale crew again but decided it was no longer for him and set up a neighborhood boxing gym with financial backing from Avon.

Omar's Crew

Omar Little

Omar is a stick-up man - he makes a living holding up drug dealers. Unlike the massive organization of the Barksdale gang, Omar's gang is small, never having more than four or five members. Omar is a homosexual who has had several partners on the show.

He began targeting the Barksdale crew specifically after they killed his boyfriend, Brandon, escalating their conflict into an all-out war. Despite their best attempts to hunt him down, he eluded Barksdale's men, killing Stinkum and wounding Wee-Bey, and even succeeded in getting a shot at Barksdale himself, by trading stolen drugs with Eastside drug kingpin Proposition Joe in exchange for Avon's pager number. He tailed Avon, paged him and waited for him to emerge into the open. Avon narrowly escaped when Wee-Bey arrived and drove Omar off by shooting him in the arm. Afterwards, Stringer Bell offered Omar a truce, planning to take him out when he relaxed his guard. However, Omar realized Stringer's duplicity and left town. In the final scene of season one he is seen plying his trade in another city.

Omar has co-operated with the police, particularly McNulty and Bunk, in order to exact revenge on the Barksdale organization. He gave the police key information leading to the arrest of Barksdale soldier Bird for the William Gant murder, and agreed to be a witness against him at his trial.

In season two, Omar testified against Bird in open court as he had promised to do. Unabashed and unapologetic about who he was, he won over the jury with his charm, and Bird was sent to prison for life. Stringer Bell managed to get some measure of revenge against Omar when he duped Omar into shooting hitman Brother Mouzone, claiming that he was the one who was responsible for torturing Omar's boyfriend Brandon. At the last minute, Omar realized he had been tricked, and let Mouzone live.

Omar, along with Brother Mouzone, eventually killed Stringer Bell at the end of season three.

Notably, Omar is the only character on the series who never uses profanity.

Brandon

Omar's boyfriend and a member of his crew. Brandon mistakenly used Omar's name in front of Barksdale dealers as they rob their stash in the low rise projects. Later he was captured by Barksdale's crew, tortured, and killed.

Bailey

Member of Omar's crew who assists him in robbing the Barksdale crew. He was killed shortly afterwards while visiting relatives. When arrested, Wee-Bey confessed to the murder.

Dante

Member of Omar's crew, becomes Omar's new boyfriend in the year following Brandon's death. In Season Three, he is kidnapped and beaten by Brother Mouzone and his associates in an effort to locate Omar. Although Dante never gives them information, he is released once Omar & Mouzone meet and begin their conspiracy to kill Stringer Bell.

Others

"Bubbles"

  • Played by: Andre Royo
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

Bubbles is a homeless heroin addict who often acts as a confidential informant for Dets. McNulty and Kima Greggs. He was best friend and mentor to Johnny Weeks. The two often pull various scams to get drug money.

In season one, Johnny was severely beaten by the Barksdale hoppers when he tried to pass them counterfeit bills. Bubbles then offered to inform on the Barksdale gang for Kima, to get some measure of revenge. He helped identify members of the crew that ran the Barksdale pit. His knowledge of the street proved to be invaluable to Lt. Daniels' unit during the Barksdale investigation.

He tried to get off the needle, but reverted to his old habits when Kima was shot.

In season two, McNulty recruited Bubbles to find Omar Little, whom Bunk needed as a witness in the William Gant murder. Bubbles grudgingly agreed, and in a nervous encounter with a shotgun-wielding Omar, delivered McNulty's message.

William Gant

Gant was a witness to the altercation where D'Angelo Barksdale killed "Poo". He identified him for the police and testified against him in court but another witness canged their story and a not guilty verdict was returned. Gant was killed shortly after D'Angelo's release. Bird was later convicted of the murder.

Nakeesha Lyles

Lyles was a security guard at the building where D'Angelo Barksdale killed "Poo". She identified him for the police but when she appeared in court she changed her story. The Barksdale crew paid Lyles for changing her story. Later when they realised the police were closing on them they killed Lyles to prevent her revealing their deal. Wee-Bey Brice later confessed to her murder.

Brother Mouzone

Muscle and hitman from New York. In season two, Avon Barksdale hired him to protect the Barksdale turf and their drug operation from Proposition Joe's dealers, who were working at the Barksdale towers as part of a secret agreement between Stringer Bell and Prop Joe. Mouzone does not fit the usual picture of a hitman, always wearing a suit, bowtie, and glasses, speaking politely, and reading magazines such as Harper's and the Nation. Nonetheless, he is extremely effective; soon after his arrival at the Barksdale towers, he had intimidated Prop Joe's dealers to the point where all he had to do to keep them off was sit on a nearby bench and read his magazines. In order to maintain his alliance with Prop Joe, Stringer duped Omar Little into shooting Mouzone. However, Omar realized he had been had, and let Mouzone live. When Stringer visited him at the hospital, Mouzone informed him that their agreement was "absolved", then returned to New York.

In season three, Mouzone returned to Baltimore to search for Omar. They teamed up to kill Stringer Bell.

Chris Paltrow

Marlo's primary soldier.

Marlo Stanfield

Drug dealer who got into a turf war with the Barksdale crew following Avon's release.

"Proposition" Joe Stewart

Eastside drug kingpin who goes into business with Stringer.

Waylon

A recovering addict who Bubbles and Johnny meet at a narcotics anonymous meeting. Bubbles sees him again in the projects trying to get his nephew to give up drugs. Bubble's conversations with Waylon help him realise that he wants to get clean.

Johnny Weeks

  • Played by: Leo Fitzpatrick
  • Appears in: Season One, Season Two, Season Three

Bubble's best friend and also an addict with notoriously bad luck. In the pilot episode he is beaten nearly to death after trying to pass counterfeit money to D'Angelo's operation; this spurs Bubbles to become an informant. While in the hospital for that beating, Johnny discovers he is HIV positive. In the season three finale he dies from an overdose and is discovered partially rat-eaten in the "Hamsterdam" free zone that Colvin had set up.

The Docks

Sobotka family

Chester "Ziggy" Sobotka

Frank Sobotka's son and Nick's cousin. Ziggy was ostensibly a dock worker but he was also involved in other criminal activity.

Frank Sobotka

Union leader who worked with The Greek to smuggle goods through the Baltimore docks.

Louis Sobotka

Frank Sobotka's elder brother and Nick Sobotka's father. Louis was forced to retire early from his trade as a shipwright. He spends his days gambling on horses and drinking at Delore's bar. He refuses to get involved in the family's smuggling operation. When a warrant is put on Nick for his drug involvement Louis convinces him to turn himself in.

Nick Sobotka

Frank Sobotka's nephew. Nick was also a dock worker and was involved in his uncle's smuggling ring.

Mrs Sobotka

Nick Sobotka's mother.

Dock workers

Big Roy

  • Played by: Unknown
  • Appears in: Season Two

Ponytailed white stevedore who is actually much smaller than "little" big roy.

Nat Coxson

  • Played by: Luray Cooper
  • Appears in: Season Two

African American stevedore who is dubious of Frank Sobotka's political maneuvering.

Green

  • Played by: Unknown
  • Appears in: Season Two

Stevedore who received a cash supplement from Frank SObotka when he threatened to resign from the union because oof the lack of work available.

La La

Bald African American stevedore from Frank Sobotka's union. La La has little superiority amongst union men and therefore struggles to find work. He is a friend of Nick Sobotka's and accompanied him to try and talk Cheese into giving back Ziggy's car.

Little Big Roy

Large balding Polish Stevedore from Frank Sobotka's union. Often seen drinking in Delore's bar. Frank Sobotka borrowed his union card in order to work a ship after he was arrested.

Maui

Checker from Frank Sobotka's union who had a relationship with Off. Beadie Russel. Beadie reconnected with Maui to get information about smuggling from the docks; he refused to inform on his fellow union men but told her to check the port's computer system for information. Maui had a long running feud with Ziggy Sobotka that ended with maui humiliating Ziggy by forcing him on top of a container and stranding him there.

Ott

Moustached older African American stevedore from Frank Sobotka's union. Often seen drinking in Delore's bar. Ott was set to take over from Frank as union leader when the next election came around as per the Stevedores arrangment that the position swap between a Polish and African American president after each term. Ott realised Frank planned to run again and was angry that he was not honouring the agreement. When Frank was killed Ott withdrew his candidacy to show support for Sobotka.

Thomas "Horseface" Pakusa

Checker from Frank Sobotka's union who assists him in moving contraband through the port. Horse was responsible for stealing Valchek's surveillance van in the unions feud with the police major. Horse was arrested and put on trial following the details investigation of smuggling through the Baltimore docks although the outcome of his trial was not shown.

Johnny "Fifty" Spamanto

Checker from Frank Sobotka's union who assists Nick and Ziggy in stealing from the docks for The Greeks.

The Greeks

Eton Ben-Eleazer

Eton ran The Greeks drug operations in Baltimore. Eton was Israelia rather than Greek. Was arrested and put on trial following the details investigation of smuggling through the Baltimore docks although the outcome of his trial was not shown.

George "Double G" Glekas

Glekas runs a warehouse and appliance store for The Greeks under the name Pyramid indsutries. The company was used as a front to move their stolen goods from the docks. Glekas was shot and killed by Ziggy Sobotka in a dispute over payment for stolen cars. Ziggy confessed to the murder and was shown serving time for the crime.

Sergei "Serge" Malatov

Driver and muscle for The Greek. Sergei was Ukranian although people often assumed he was Russian and many called him Boris. Sergei was convinced to inform on The Greek when security camera footage of him assualting and abducting a crewman for The Greeks was discovered by the detail.

Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos

Frank Sobotka's point of contact for his smuggling with The Greek.

"The Greek"

Mysterious figure who organized smuggling through the Baltimore docks.

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