Richie Roberts

Infobox police officer
name = Richard M. Roberts


caption =
born = Birth date and age|1941|6|23
died =
badgenumber =
placeofbirth = Bronx, New York, USA
nickname = Richie
department = New Jersey Police Detective for Essex County
serviceyears =
rank = Detective
awards =
relations =
laterwork = Criminal Defense Attorney

Richard M. "Richie" Roberts (born June 23, 1941) is a former New Jersey police detective and defense attorney. He is most widely recognized for the arrest, prosecution and later defense of Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas.

Career

Roberts is a Bronx native of Jewish background who was raised in Newark, New Jersey. He attended Weequahic High School in Newark, New Jersey, Upsala College in East Orange, New Jersey and later graduated from Seton Hall Law School. Roberts also served in the United States Marine Corps. An Essex County detective since 1963, Roberts eventually became an Essex County Assistant Prosecutor, heading the Bureau of Narcotics after passing the New Jersey Bar Examination. He is portrayed by Russell Crowe in the film "American Gangster" (2007) as the detective who brings down Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas. After working as a prosecutor, Roberts became a criminal defense attorney, and still works as one today. Ironically, the first person he defended was Lucas, for the same crime for which he prosecuted him. [William Kleinknecht, "From Foes to Friends and Now on to Fame", "The Star-Ledger", October 5, 2006.]

Fictional portrayals

Richie Roberts' detective career was the real detective role in Ridley Scott's 2007 film "American Gangster", which starred Russell Crowe as Richie.

ee also

*Leslie "Ike" Atkinson
*Frank Lucas

References

* [http://www.charlierose.com/guests/richie-roberts Interview by Charlie Rose of Frank Lucas, Ritchie Roberts and others]
* [http://www.lawcrossing.com/article/index.php?id=3768 Article about Richie Roberts at lawcrossing.com (engl.)]
* [http://www.murphsplace.com/crowe/gangster/times-pic.html Unlikely friendship piques Hollywood interest]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/01/nyregion/01gangster.html? A New Jersey Crime Story’s Hollywood Ending]