Governor James Devlin
Encyclopedia
Governor James Devlin is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz
, played by Željko Ivanek
.
arrives in Oz. From there Oz's staff learns some of Devlin's secrets that could lead to his eventual imprisonment. Devlin is frequently shown as opportunistic and morally dubious, often passing strict legislation in order to increase support.
Despite his political image, Devlin is shown as a bullying sadistic elitist only out for himself, an image he doesn't bother trying to hide in private. He knows that the public views him as such but will vote for him because he gets the results they want.
New Oz inmate Kareem Saïd
and Emerald City Unit Manager Tim McManus
openly oppose Devlin, whose legislative acts are enforced by both the Commissioner of Prisons and Warden Leo Glynn
. Devlin also reinstates the death penalty for the first time in over 30 years and as a result, three inmates — Jefferson Keane
, Richard L'Italien
, and Donald Groves
— are executed over the season. Inside of Oz, the inmates are infuriated by all of the anti-prisoner legislation and begin a riot, led by Saïd. Upon masterminding the riot, Saïd and inmates Ryan O'Reily
, Miguel Alvarez
, Scott Ross
, and Simon Adebisi
send a list of demands out as a means of releasing the guards they have taken hostage in Emerald City. Glynn and McManus feel that several of the demands are actually reasonable, but Devlin has no interest in negotiation, ordering the SORT team to recapture Emerald City by any means necessary. As Em City is recaptured, two guards and six inmates die in the line of fire and Em City itself is destroyed.
During the season, Tim McManus reopens Emerald City and begins a mandatory GED
program for inmates who have not finished high school. Devlin decides that the state should end funding for the prison educational programs, however, and plans to announce it after the graduation ceremony. McManus turns the tables on Devlin at the ceremony by announcing the ending of the GED program earlier than Devlin anticipated. Off camera, Devlin tells McManus that this ploy will ultimately make no difference as to what the registered voters in the state think.
Things get somewhat complicated for Devlin when a new inmate named Jiggy Walker
accuses Devlin of purchasing crack cocaine
from him. As Devlin is actually innocent, he holds a press conference discrediting Walker and proving his innocence. Warden Glynn wonders if Devlin indeed bribed
Walker as a means of setting up the whole press conference, which he apparently did not. Finally, during the month of Ramadan
, Devlin decides to pardon a Muslim
inmate as a means of increasing his popularity in both the Muslim and African American
communities throughout the state. He pardons Kareem Saïd, who then humiliates him at the press conference by refusing his pardon. Furthermore, Saïd accuses Devlin of instigating the riot.
, who Garvey takes off of his medication as a way of reducing the costs of medical care. Dr. Nathan ardently objects, as Alvarez has a history of depression
and is potentially suicidal
. When Miguel is found trying to hang
himself within solitary confinement
, Dr. Nathan ardently objects to him being taken off anti-depressants and protests Garvey's profit-based motives. Dr. Garvey then makes an economical decision to fire Dr. Nathan — but is ultimately fired himself when Devlin pulls the plug on Weigart after Alvarez attempts suicide. It is even discovered that Garvey was at one time an illegal abortion clinic
doctor and Devlin uses this as leverage to re-hire Dr. Nathan so that he can look compassionate to voters.
As a result, Devlin's assistant Wendy asks Warden Leo Glynn, who is both black and as conservative as Devlin, if he would like to run as Devlin's Lieutenant Governor
. Glynn says yes, even though he realizes that he would be serving as a token
minority in an otherwise all-white campaign. The first step of the campaign involves the Governor's office pushing Glynn to fire Tim McManus. At this time, a gun-smuggling incident within Oz results in the death of several African American prisoners and staff members, while McManus behaves in a self-destructive and racially insensitive manner at the funeral of guard Joseph Howard. Later two inmates, Agamemnon Busmalis
and Miguel Alvarez, escape, and Devlin's office suggests that while a prison break is initially appealing to the public, the public wants the prisoners captured and returned promptly. Busmalis is captured and Glynn is then told that, according to a straw poll
, the public's faith in the prison system has increased.
However, the execution of a female prisoner, Shirley Bellinger
, is approaching and Glynn is told that the inevitable public backlash would be best balanced by recovering Miguel Alvarez. Devlin suggests to Glynn throughout the campaign that the voters like a politician they can personally relate to and that Glynn should expose some personal details pertaining to crime within his family to help better his image. At a press conference, Glynn reveals his brother's life sentence for murder and his daughter's rape
as a means of telling the public he understands "all aspects of crime." To further improve his image, Glynn hires Martin Querns
, an African American replacement for Tim McManus, to run Emerald City. Querns makes the prison also look statistically better by reducing violent incidents immediately, but his methods of discipline are not yet known to everyone outside of his cell block. Throughout the campaign, Clayton Hughes
, the man who smuggled the gun into Oz, makes numerous speeches condemning Devlin as representing all that is evil within white society. Devlin tries to get Glynn, who is the closest thing Hughes has to a father, to shut him up, but is unsuccessful; Hughes ultimately attempts to assassinate Devlin at a press conference. When Devlin is shot, he is taken immediately to the ER. For a time after this, he needs to use a wheelchair. Hughes stands trial for attempted murder, while Glynn drops out of the race. Devlin stays in the race, however, and ultimately wins re-election.
Devlin finds controversy in the death sentence of William Giles
who wishes to be stoned to death
. After Sister Pete makes an unsuccessful attempt to change the forms of capital punishment, other psychiatrists deem Giles as insane, and his death sentence is overturned.
for murdering inmate Li Chen
. As O'Reily's IQ is 51, Cyril's execution draws the ire of several liberal
groups who protest for an appeal
and overturned sentence. Devlin's public perception then diminishes courtesy of the support of Cyril O'Reily's protesters, although they are ultimately unable to save O'Reily.
erupts in the city after city mayor Wilson Loewen
, a powerful politician who helped Devlin get elected, goes on trial for his assistance to the Ku Klux Klan
in a 1963 murder of two African American girls. The flames are fueled when Devlin off the record claims that he will pardon Loewen if he is convicted. As Loewen is found guilty, Devlin disagrees with the sentence but publicly states he will not pardon Loewen due to the volatility of the situation; Devlin further has him sent to Oz as a means of placating the African American community. However, Devlin states in Glynn's office that he will pardon Loewen after the public uproar dies out, and tells Glynn to protect Loewen while he is incarcerated. Loewen is housed in the safer Unit J, the unit for corrupt police officers, which currently houses Tobias Beecher
and Alvin Yood
, neither of whom is black. Loewen blackmails Devlin for an immediate pardon, saying that if Devlin refuses he will reveal his onetime ally's crimes. Devlin then uses his African American assistant Perry Loftus
to use staff member Adrian Johnson
to order Loewen's murder discretely. Inmates Willy Brandt
and Lionel Kelsch set up the murder in the hospital ward on payment from Johnson.
In the meantime, to stopgag anti-death penalty protests, Devlin suggests Cyril O'Reily undergo ECT
treatment. As this happens, O'Reily's family and attorneys are unable to stop it. As Detective McGorry and Glynn investigate Loewen's murder, they discover Johnson's involvement. Johnson calls Loftus to let them know what's happening, and Devlin then has McGorry replaced by Tarnowski as a means of speeding up the investigation and drawing suspicion away from himself. Glynn ultimately learns the truth, motivating Devlin to have Perry order Johnson to arrange for Glynn's death. Lionel Kelsch then kills Glynn after a payment from Johnson, angering Oz's staff members. Leo's death causes a speedy investigation from Tim McManus who pieces all the information he can together as a means of implicating Devlin's office in Loewen's murder. Devlin then orders Martin Querns, Glynn's replacement as Warden, to fire McManus.
As Oz is evacuated during an anthrax attack, Devlin realizes that, because of McManus, his days in office may be numbered. During the final episode, there were several official state signs that showed former warden Leo Glynn's name being removed for new warden Martin Querns. These signs continued to show James Devlin's name on it, suggesting he managed to remain in office. However, McManus is still shown in his position, making the ultimate outcome inconclusive.
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
, played by Željko Ivanek
Željko Ivanek
Željko Ivanek is an Emmy award-winning Slovenian American actor best known for his role as Ray Fiske on Damages. He is also known for playing Blake Sterling on short-lived NBC series The Event and Emile Danko on Heroes....
.
Character overview
Devlin, the governor of the state, is hated by most of the inmates and some of the staff members at the Oswald State Correctional facilities as he proposes several anti-prisoner acts of legislation through his election campaign promise of "No perks for prisoners." Throughout the series, he is also on trial for various political charges but then things eventually get worse when the mayor who helped him get elected, Wilson LoewenWilson Loewen
Wilson Loewen is a fictional character at HBO's drama Oz played by Tom Atkins.-Character Overview:Mayor Wilson Loewen was a politician who helped Governor James Devlin get elected. He was arrested after the police discovered he was involved with two murders of Black-Americans girls in 1963 during...
arrives in Oz. From there Oz's staff learns some of Devlin's secrets that could lead to his eventual imprisonment. Devlin is frequently shown as opportunistic and morally dubious, often passing strict legislation in order to increase support.
Despite his political image, Devlin is shown as a bullying sadistic elitist only out for himself, an image he doesn't bother trying to hide in private. He knows that the public views him as such but will vote for him because he gets the results they want.
Season 1
Devlin begins this season being elected as the State's governor from a campaign of "No Perks for Prisoners." Throughout the season, several basic freedoms that many inmates have such as smoking and conjugal visits are banned from prisoners statewide; as a result, tension builds within the prison walls. Devlin's philosophy is that being hard on crime will eventually reduce crime.New Oz inmate Kareem Saïd
Kareem Said
Kareem Saïd is a character played by British actor Eamonn Walker on the American television show Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #97S444. Convicted June 6, 1997 - Arson in the second degree. Sentence: 18 years, eligible for parole in five...
and Emerald City Unit Manager Tim McManus
Tim McManus
Tim McManus is a fictional character on HBO's prison drama Oz, played by Terry Kinney.-Character overview:McManus, the idealistic manager of Emerald City, is unlike the rest of the staff members at Oz as he has never been a CO, has a college education, and generally believes in the inmates as...
openly oppose Devlin, whose legislative acts are enforced by both the Commissioner of Prisons and Warden Leo Glynn
Warden Leo Glynn
Leo Glynn is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz. He is the warden of the Oswald state correctional facility-Character overview:...
. Devlin also reinstates the death penalty for the first time in over 30 years and as a result, three inmates — Jefferson Keane
Jefferson Keane
Jefferson Keane aka Tizi Ozuo is a fictional character in the HBO prison drama Oz played by American actor Leon Robinson.-Character overview:...
, Richard L'Italien
Richard L'Italien
Richard L'Italien is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz. He is portrayed by Eric Roberts.-Character Overview:He appeared in the episode "Capital P" where he is put on death row for the murder of a woman named Jennifer Miller, although he later confesses to many additional murders...
, and Donald Groves
Donald Groves
Donald Groves is a fictional character on the HBO prison drama Oz, played by Sean Whitesell.-Character overview:Prisoner 97G414. Convicted July 3, 1997 - Two counts of Murder in the first degree. Sentence: Life imprisonment without parole. Convicted later August 21, 1997 - One count of Murder in...
— are executed over the season. Inside of Oz, the inmates are infuriated by all of the anti-prisoner legislation and begin a riot, led by Saïd. Upon masterminding the riot, Saïd and inmates Ryan O'Reily
Ryan O'Reily
Ryan O'Reily is a main character in the television series Oz. He was portrayed by Dean Winters from 1997 to 2003.-Character overview:Prisoner #97P904. Convicted July 12, 1997 - Two counts of vehicular manslaughter, five counts of reckless endangerment, possession of a controlled substance,...
, Miguel Alvarez
Miguel Alvarez
Miguel Alvarez is a fictional character played by American actor Kirk Acevedo on the television show Oz. He is the main Latino inmate in the series. He is a gang member of El Norte and of Cuban descent.-Character overview:...
, Scott Ross
Scott Ross (Oz)
Scott Ross, played by Stephen Gevedon, is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz.right|thumb|Stephen Gevedon as Scott Ross.-Character overview:...
, and Simon Adebisi
Simon Adebisi
Simon Adebisi is a fictional character played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the HBO dramatic series Oz, set in an experimental prison unit.-Character overview:Prisoner #93A234. Convicted May 2, 1993 - Murder in the first degree...
send a list of demands out as a means of releasing the guards they have taken hostage in Emerald City. Glynn and McManus feel that several of the demands are actually reasonable, but Devlin has no interest in negotiation, ordering the SORT team to recapture Emerald City by any means necessary. As Em City is recaptured, two guards and six inmates die in the line of fire and Em City itself is destroyed.
Season 2
Following the riot, Devlin incurs some bad press for using excessive force. To save face, Devlin appoints law school dean Alvah Case to make an impartial investigation of the causes and effects of the riot. He offers Case a position as the State Attorney General if he finds and prosecutes the guilty parties. However, Case concludes in his investigation that no one in particular is at fault for the riot; furthermore, he says that, if the prisoners are guilty, so is Devlin, as his harsh legislation motivated the riot in the first place. Furious, Devlin tells Case he will not be State Attorney General, but Case then turns the tables on him stating that he'd rather run for Governor in the next election against Devlin. Left with no other option, Devlin announces Case's findings at a press conference to deflect the blame.During the season, Tim McManus reopens Emerald City and begins a mandatory GED
GED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
program for inmates who have not finished high school. Devlin decides that the state should end funding for the prison educational programs, however, and plans to announce it after the graduation ceremony. McManus turns the tables on Devlin at the ceremony by announcing the ending of the GED program earlier than Devlin anticipated. Off camera, Devlin tells McManus that this ploy will ultimately make no difference as to what the registered voters in the state think.
Things get somewhat complicated for Devlin when a new inmate named Jiggy Walker
Jiggy Walker
Jiggy Walker is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz, played by American hip hop artist and actor LL Cool J.-Character Overview:Prisoner 98W504, Jiggy Walker. Convicted on July 12, 1998 for murder in second degree. Sentence of 28 years, up for parole in 20.Walker was arrested for killing a...
accuses Devlin of purchasing crack cocaine
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
from him. As Devlin is actually innocent, he holds a press conference discrediting Walker and proving his innocence. Warden Glynn wonders if Devlin indeed bribed
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
Walker as a means of setting up the whole press conference, which he apparently did not. Finally, during the month of Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
, Devlin decides to pardon a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
inmate as a means of increasing his popularity in both the Muslim and African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
communities throughout the state. He pardons Kareem Saïd, who then humiliates him at the press conference by refusing his pardon. Furthermore, Saïd accuses Devlin of instigating the riot.
Season 3
Devlin does not appear that often this season as he mainly deals with issues regarding Dr. Gloria Nathan. Dr. Nathan has problems with the Weigart corporation led by Dr. Frederick Garvey, who is looking to privatize the health care system within Oz. Things mainly center around inmate Miguel AlvarezMiguel Alvarez
Miguel Alvarez is a fictional character played by American actor Kirk Acevedo on the television show Oz. He is the main Latino inmate in the series. He is a gang member of El Norte and of Cuban descent.-Character overview:...
, who Garvey takes off of his medication as a way of reducing the costs of medical care. Dr. Nathan ardently objects, as Alvarez has a history of depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
and is potentially suicidal
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. When Miguel is found trying to hang
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
himself within solitary confinement
Solitary confinement
Solitary confinement is a special form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from any human contact, though often with the exception of members of prison staff. It is sometimes employed as a form of punishment beyond incarceration for a prisoner, and has been cited as an additional...
, Dr. Nathan ardently objects to him being taken off anti-depressants and protests Garvey's profit-based motives. Dr. Garvey then makes an economical decision to fire Dr. Nathan — but is ultimately fired himself when Devlin pulls the plug on Weigart after Alvarez attempts suicide. It is even discovered that Garvey was at one time an illegal abortion clinic
Abortion clinic
An abortion clinic is a medical facility that primarily performs or specializes in abortions. Such clinics may be public medical centers or private medical practices.-Canada:*There were 197 abortion providers in Canada in 2001....
doctor and Devlin uses this as leverage to re-hire Dr. Nathan so that he can look compassionate to voters.
Season 4 Part I
It is re-election time and Alvah Case is running against Devlin for governor. Racial issues are present in this election, as the Republican Party has a tarnished relationship with the state's African American voters; the fact that Case is black doesn't help Devlin's chances.As a result, Devlin's assistant Wendy asks Warden Leo Glynn, who is both black and as conservative as Devlin, if he would like to run as Devlin's Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
. Glynn says yes, even though he realizes that he would be serving as a token
Tokenism
In the arts, employment, and politics, tokenism is a policy or practice of limited inclusion or artistic and/or political representation of members of a traditionally marginalized group, usually creating a false appearance of inclusive practices rather than discrimination, intentional or not...
minority in an otherwise all-white campaign. The first step of the campaign involves the Governor's office pushing Glynn to fire Tim McManus. At this time, a gun-smuggling incident within Oz results in the death of several African American prisoners and staff members, while McManus behaves in a self-destructive and racially insensitive manner at the funeral of guard Joseph Howard. Later two inmates, Agamemnon Busmalis
Agamemnon Busmalis
Agamemnon "Aggie" Busmalis a.k.a. The Mole is a fictional character of the television series Oz, portrayed by Tom Mardirosian. He is also referenced in OZ: Behind These Walls: The Journal of Augustus Hill.-Character's backstory:...
and Miguel Alvarez, escape, and Devlin's office suggests that while a prison break is initially appealing to the public, the public wants the prisoners captured and returned promptly. Busmalis is captured and Glynn is then told that, according to a straw poll
Straw poll
A straw poll or straw vote is a vote with nonbinding results. Straw polls provide dialogue among movements within large groups, reflecting trends like organization and motivation...
, the public's faith in the prison system has increased.
However, the execution of a female prisoner, Shirley Bellinger
Shirley Bellinger
Shirley Bellinger is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz played by Kathryn Erbe and also referenced in the related book OZ: Behind These Walls: The Journal of Augustus Hill.-Character overview:...
, is approaching and Glynn is told that the inevitable public backlash would be best balanced by recovering Miguel Alvarez. Devlin suggests to Glynn throughout the campaign that the voters like a politician they can personally relate to and that Glynn should expose some personal details pertaining to crime within his family to help better his image. At a press conference, Glynn reveals his brother's life sentence for murder and his daughter's rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
as a means of telling the public he understands "all aspects of crime." To further improve his image, Glynn hires Martin Querns
Martin Querns
Warden Martin Querns is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz, played by Reg E. Cathey.-Character overview:He is an African American prison unit manager who has a vast experience of handling various prison units. He is hired by Warden Leo Glynn after he is asked to find a competent black unit...
, an African American replacement for Tim McManus, to run Emerald City. Querns makes the prison also look statistically better by reducing violent incidents immediately, but his methods of discipline are not yet known to everyone outside of his cell block. Throughout the campaign, Clayton Hughes
Clayton Hughes
Clayton Hughes is a character played by Seth Gilliam on the HBO dramatic series Oz, which takes place in an experimental prison unit.He started out as a corrections officer. Warden Glynn did not want Clayton to work in Oz. The main reason was that Clayton's father, Samuel Hughes, was murdered in Oz...
, the man who smuggled the gun into Oz, makes numerous speeches condemning Devlin as representing all that is evil within white society. Devlin tries to get Glynn, who is the closest thing Hughes has to a father, to shut him up, but is unsuccessful; Hughes ultimately attempts to assassinate Devlin at a press conference. When Devlin is shot, he is taken immediately to the ER. For a time after this, he needs to use a wheelchair. Hughes stands trial for attempted murder, while Glynn drops out of the race. Devlin stays in the race, however, and ultimately wins re-election.
Season 4 Part II
Devlin is inaugurated for his second term as governor but not before allowing a television crew to investigate happenings at Oz. The TV crew does not air their footage, and Devlin is then seen at Oz's annual warden's conference in crutches. While there, he mockingly tells Warden Glynn to thank Clayton Hughes for helping him win the election.Devlin finds controversy in the death sentence of William Giles
William Giles (Oz)
William Giles is a fictional character on HBO's prison drama Oz played by Austin Pendleton. Other than his erratic speech patterns, he also delivered the quote: "I kill, but never lie!"-Character overview:...
who wishes to be stoned to death
Stoning
Stoning, or lapidation, is a form of capital punishment whereby a group throws stones at a person until the person dies. No individual among the group can be identified as the one who kills the subject, yet everyone involved plainly bears some degree of moral culpability. This is in contrast to the...
. After Sister Pete makes an unsuccessful attempt to change the forms of capital punishment, other psychiatrists deem Giles as insane, and his death sentence is overturned.
Season 5
Devlin appoints a state liaison, Eleanor O'Connor, to Oz to make political concerns easier to address from Oz's staff to the Governor's office. O'Connor is also McManus' ex-wife. Devlin restates his support of the death penalty during the sentencing of Oz inmate Cyril O'ReilyCyril O'Reily
Cyril O'Reily is a fictional character, played by American actor Scott William Winters, on the HBO drama Oz. He is also mentioned in the companion book , p. 58.-Character overview:...
for murdering inmate Li Chen
Li Chen
Prisoner 02L333, Li Chen. Convicted January 4, 2002 for four counts of attempted murder. Sentence of 32 years, up for parole in 20.Li Chen, played by Nelson Lee was a character in the HBO series Oz...
. As O'Reily's IQ is 51, Cyril's execution draws the ire of several liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
groups who protest for an appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
and overturned sentence. Devlin's public perception then diminishes courtesy of the support of Cyril O'Reily's protesters, although they are ultimately unable to save O'Reily.
Season 6
A race riotRace riot
A race riot or racial riot is an outbreak of violent civil disorder in which race is a key factor. A phenomenon frequently confused with the concept of 'race riot' is sectarian violence, which involves public mass violence or conflict over non-racial factors.-United States:The term had entered the...
erupts in the city after city mayor Wilson Loewen
Wilson Loewen
Wilson Loewen is a fictional character at HBO's drama Oz played by Tom Atkins.-Character Overview:Mayor Wilson Loewen was a politician who helped Governor James Devlin get elected. He was arrested after the police discovered he was involved with two murders of Black-Americans girls in 1963 during...
, a powerful politician who helped Devlin get elected, goes on trial for his assistance to the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
in a 1963 murder of two African American girls. The flames are fueled when Devlin off the record claims that he will pardon Loewen if he is convicted. As Loewen is found guilty, Devlin disagrees with the sentence but publicly states he will not pardon Loewen due to the volatility of the situation; Devlin further has him sent to Oz as a means of placating the African American community. However, Devlin states in Glynn's office that he will pardon Loewen after the public uproar dies out, and tells Glynn to protect Loewen while he is incarcerated. Loewen is housed in the safer Unit J, the unit for corrupt police officers, which currently houses Tobias Beecher
Tobias Beecher
Tobias Beecher is a main character on the television show Oz, played by Lee Tergesen. He is one of only eight regular characters to survive the entire run of the show...
and Alvin Yood
Alvin Yood
Alvin Yood is a character at HBO drama Oz played by Tom Ligon.-Character Overview:Prisoner 01Y218. Convicted January 20, 2001 for aggravated assault of a minor. Sentence of 12 years, up for parole in seven....
, neither of whom is black. Loewen blackmails Devlin for an immediate pardon, saying that if Devlin refuses he will reveal his onetime ally's crimes. Devlin then uses his African American assistant Perry Loftus
Perry Loftus
Perry Loftus is a fictional character at HBO drama Oz played by Christopher Neal Jackson.-Character Overview:An intelligent African American young man, Perry Loftus studied with Oz's CO Adrian Johnson. After getting out of the University, Loftus became Governor James Devlin's assistant.-Season...
to use staff member Adrian Johnson
Adrian Johnson
Adrian Johnson, played by Cyrus Farmer, is one of the African American corrections officer on the HBO drama Oz.-Character overview:He first appears as one of the several African American corrections officers to work in Emerald City under the management of Martin Querns...
to order Loewen's murder discretely. Inmates Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt (Oz)
William "Willy" Brandt is a fictional character at HBO drama Oz. Willy Brandt is played by Matthew Cowles.-Character Overview:Prisoner 96B339, William "Willy" Brandt....
and Lionel Kelsch set up the murder in the hospital ward on payment from Johnson.
In the meantime, to stopgag anti-death penalty protests, Devlin suggests Cyril O'Reily undergo ECT
ECT
-Automotive:* Electronically controlled transmission, found in premium automobiles* Engine coolant temperature-Industry & Technology:* Eddy-current testing, a nondestructive testing technique for metal objects...
treatment. As this happens, O'Reily's family and attorneys are unable to stop it. As Detective McGorry and Glynn investigate Loewen's murder, they discover Johnson's involvement. Johnson calls Loftus to let them know what's happening, and Devlin then has McGorry replaced by Tarnowski as a means of speeding up the investigation and drawing suspicion away from himself. Glynn ultimately learns the truth, motivating Devlin to have Perry order Johnson to arrange for Glynn's death. Lionel Kelsch then kills Glynn after a payment from Johnson, angering Oz's staff members. Leo's death causes a speedy investigation from Tim McManus who pieces all the information he can together as a means of implicating Devlin's office in Loewen's murder. Devlin then orders Martin Querns, Glynn's replacement as Warden, to fire McManus.
As Oz is evacuated during an anthrax attack, Devlin realizes that, because of McManus, his days in office may be numbered. During the final episode, there were several official state signs that showed former warden Leo Glynn's name being removed for new warden Martin Querns. These signs continued to show James Devlin's name on it, suggesting he managed to remain in office. However, McManus is still shown in his position, making the ultimate outcome inconclusive.