Alvah Case

Alvah Case, played by Charles S. Dutton, is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz.

A law school dean, Case is sent to investigate the causes of the 1997 riot at the request of Governor James Devlin. Devlin chooses Case to investigate as he feels he will clear his hands of any charges. The incentive associated with heading the investigation is a chance to be the state's new Attorney General. As he is investigating he discovers that an inmate Scott Ross was murdered by CO Diane Wittlesey and sees it as the entire problem associated with Oz. At the urging of Warden Leo Glynn, he officially states that Ross died accidentally. Through the investigation, Case recommends filing no charges against the prisoners as the riot was the direct result of anti-prisoner legislation passed by Devlin and his staff. This angers Devlin who announces that he will not get his Attorney General position. Case however turns the tables on him announcing that he has instead chosen to run for Governor in the next election. When the next election occurs in 2000, Case runs as the Democratic candidate. Because Case is African American and Devlin's Republican Administration has a tarnished reputation with the state's black voters, they ask Glynn, who is also black, to run as Devlin's Lieutenant. It is a close race until former Oz CO Clayton Hughes attempts to murder Devlin. Glynn drops out of the race at that point, but Devlin wins, as he remained in the race even after being shot.

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