Moses Deyell
Encyclopedia
Moses Deyell is a character in HBO's 1997-2003 drama Oz
played by Erik King
. Deyell appeared in episodes from 2000 to 2001.
"Prisoner 00D718. Convicted February 3, 2000 - Two counts of murder in the first degree. Sentence: Death."
Deyell is on death row
for killing his girlfriend
and her husband after discovering she was still married.
, Moses befriends fellow inmates Nat Ginzburg, an AIDS
victim, and Shirley Bellinger
despite her being renowned for holding racist views. Moses shows a lot of disdain towards inmate Mark Miles as Miles is on death row
for murdering two of his own families in cold blood. (He married a second time after serving time in a psych ward for the first murder.) Miles responds by calling Moses a racial slur, leading both to be constantly at each others' throats. Moses and Shirley Bellinger develop somewhat of an attraction to one another despite her views on African-Americans, and Shirley tries to share a kiss with Moses while being briefly let out of her cell. They are rudely interrupted by a bitter Miles calling their supervising C.O. (Aryan sympathizer Len Lopresti
). Some nights, Moses masturbates watching Shirley having sex
with Lopresti. When Shirley is executed, Nat Ginzburg starts to succumb to AIDS symptoms, much to Miles's annoyance who had begun to paint a self portrait on his wall. When Moses shows concern for Ginzburg's well-being, Miles decides to mock Moses with more racist jokes. During one angry attack, Moses punches the wall, breaking his own arm. While being treated for his wounds Moses asks Dr. Gloria Nathan to visit Ginzburg and make her own diagnosis of his condition. She does and tells Ginzburg he'd be transferred to the AIDS ward. Ginzburg however asks for the date of his execution to be moved up instead, which is granted.
Ultimately Ginzburg would die from AIDS days before his execution leaving just Moses and Miles on death row. Moses then meets with his lawyer who had been trying to appeal his case: She informs him that his appeal was denied and that the next step would be to appeal to the state court which could take a year to get processed, angering Moses. His lawyer however also informs Moses that the judge of the state supreme court has prostate cancer and that, with some time, if he dies or retires Moses's case might be viewed differently. When Moses returns from the meeting Miles takes delight in insulting Moses, using different racist dialects to berate him. Angered, Moses started to dig a tunnel in the wall that divides his and Miles's cells: He had received a pick by black inmate Leroy Tidd during their meal call. Some days before Miles's execution, Moses breaks the wall and strangles Mark to death.
is convicted to death for the homicide of his Latino inmate Louis Bevilaqua and is sent to death row. When Giles has to decide how he wants to die, he declares that he wants to be stoned to death. Due the inviability of such a manner of death, Governor James Devlin
re-writes the death penalty laws, allowing only lethal injection
and electric chair
as possibilities. Giles's sentence is overturned, and he was sent to solitary confinement. Inspired by Giles, Moses meets with Muslim
leader Kareem Said
and tells him his book changed his mind and he now wants to donate his organs. Moses then meets the blind man who is to receive his eyes and enters a van to go to the hospital. The television news later announces that Moses Deyell died while trying to escape from the moving van. It's presumed that this was Deyell's plan all along as before he went to the hospital for pre-donating tests, he says "so long" to Said in a manner that suggested he was never coming back to Oz for his execution.
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 Erik King
Erik King
Erik King is an American actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Sgt. Doakes on Showtime's television series Dexter.-Early life:King attended Morehouse College, where he won a varsity letter in track and field and graduated summa cum laude. For his honors thesis, he adapted the 1985 film...
. Deyell appeared in episodes from 2000 to 2001.
"Prisoner 00D718. Convicted February 3, 2000 - Two counts of murder in the first degree. Sentence: Death."
Deyell is on death row
Death row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
for killing his girlfriend
Girlfriend
Girlfriend is a term that can refer to either a female partner in a non-marital romantic relationship or a female non-romantic friend that is closer than other friends....
and her husband after discovering she was still married.
Season 4, Part 1
While on death rowDeath row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
, Moses befriends fellow inmates Nat Ginzburg, an AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
victim, and 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:...
despite her being renowned for holding racist views. Moses shows a lot of disdain towards inmate Mark Miles as Miles is on death row
Death row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
for murdering two of his own families in cold blood. (He married a second time after serving time in a psych ward for the first murder.) Miles responds by calling Moses a racial slur, leading both to be constantly at each others' throats. Moses and Shirley Bellinger develop somewhat of an attraction to one another despite her views on African-Americans, and Shirley tries to share a kiss with Moses while being briefly let out of her cell. They are rudely interrupted by a bitter Miles calling their supervising C.O. (Aryan sympathizer Len Lopresti
Len Lopresti
Len Lopresti is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz, played by Carl DiMaggio.-Character overview:A corrections cfficer in the prison, Lopresti is a mean-spirited, racist bully who terrorizes non-white inmates...
). Some nights, Moses masturbates watching Shirley having sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
with Lopresti. When Shirley is executed, Nat Ginzburg starts to succumb to AIDS symptoms, much to Miles's annoyance who had begun to paint a self portrait on his wall. When Moses shows concern for Ginzburg's well-being, Miles decides to mock Moses with more racist jokes. During one angry attack, Moses punches the wall, breaking his own arm. While being treated for his wounds Moses asks Dr. Gloria Nathan to visit Ginzburg and make her own diagnosis of his condition. She does and tells Ginzburg he'd be transferred to the AIDS ward. Ginzburg however asks for the date of his execution to be moved up instead, which is granted.
Ultimately Ginzburg would die from AIDS days before his execution leaving just Moses and Miles on death row. Moses then meets with his lawyer who had been trying to appeal his case: She informs him that his appeal was denied and that the next step would be to appeal to the state court which could take a year to get processed, angering Moses. His lawyer however also informs Moses that the judge of the state supreme court has prostate cancer and that, with some time, if he dies or retires Moses's case might be viewed differently. When Moses returns from the meeting Miles takes delight in insulting Moses, using different racist dialects to berate him. Angered, Moses started to dig a tunnel in the wall that divides his and Miles's cells: He had received a pick by black inmate Leroy Tidd during their meal call. Some days before Miles's execution, Moses breaks the wall and strangles Mark to death.
Season 4, Part 2
As a result of killing Miles, his lawyer tells him that his chances of an appeal are gone and even if he were somehow granted one, he would be more likely to face the death penalty for either one or both of his crimes. Being now the only inmate at Oz on the death row, Moses shows some regret over murdering Miles. Shortly afterwards, insane inmate William GilesWilliam 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:...
is convicted to death for the homicide of his Latino inmate Louis Bevilaqua and is sent to death row. When Giles has to decide how he wants to die, he declares that he wants to be stoned to death. Due the inviability of such a manner of death, Governor James Devlin
Governor James Devlin
Governor James Devlin is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz, played by Željko Ivanek.-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...
re-writes the death penalty laws, allowing only lethal injection
Lethal injection
Lethal injection is the practice of injecting a person with a fatal dose of drugs for the express purpose of causing the immediate death of the subject. The main application for this procedure is capital punishment, but the term may also be applied in a broad sense to euthanasia and suicide...
and electric chair
Electric chair
Execution by electrocution, usually performed using an electric chair, is an execution method originating in the United States in which the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body...
as possibilities. Giles's sentence is overturned, and he was sent to solitary confinement. Inspired by Giles, Moses meets with 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...
leader Kareem Said
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 tells him his book changed his mind and he now wants to donate his organs. Moses then meets the blind man who is to receive his eyes and enters a van to go to the hospital. The television news later announces that Moses Deyell died while trying to escape from the moving van. It's presumed that this was Deyell's plan all along as before he went to the hospital for pre-donating tests, he says "so long" to Said in a manner that suggested he was never coming back to Oz for his execution.