Nicky Barnes, New York drug lord known as Mr Untouchable, dead at 78
Victoria Bekiempis 10 hrs ago
Nicky Barnes, an ostentatious New York City drug lord who was played by Cuba Gooding Jr in the Ridley Scott film American Gangster, is dead.
According to the New York Times, Barnes died aged 78 – or possibly 79 – in 2012. The news was not known until now, the newspaper said, because Barnes had entered the federal witness protection program. The Guardian could not independently confirm the report.
The report of Barnes’ death came a week after the death at 88 of Frank Lucas, a rival Harlem heroin kingpin of the same era who was was the lead character in the 2007 film, played by Denzel Washington. American Gangster also starred Russell Crowe as a cop.
Put on trial in 1977, Barnes was convicted and sent to prison for life without parole. As it turned out, he spent more than 20 years behind bars. While in jail, the Times said, Barnes became so incensed that his former associates were ruining his drug empire that he decided to testify against them. Following his release in 1998, federal authorities put him in witness protection, under a new name.
Poster Comment:
None of these guys could hold a candle to the Outfit in Chicago. Plus they did not mess around with drugs. ;)