Not for Attribution

For the eponymous category of journalistic sourcing, see Journalism sourcing.

"Not for Attribution"
The Wire episode
Episode no.	Season 5 Episode 3
Directed by	Scott Kecken Joy Kecken
Teleplay by	Chris Collins
Story by	David Simon Chris Collins
Original air date	January 20, 2008 (2008-01-20)
Guest stars
see below
Season 5 episodes
January 6, 2008 – March 9, 2008 "More with Less" "Unconfirmed Reports" "Not for Attribution" "Transitions" "React Quotes" "The Dickensian Aspect" "Took" "Clarifications" "Late Editions" "–30–"
List of The Wire episodes

"Not for Attribution" is the third episode of the fifth season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by Chris Collins from a story by David Simon & Chris Collins and was directed by Scott and Joy Kecken.^[1] It aired on January 20, 2008.^[2]

Production

Title reference

The title, which means off the record, refers to the fabricated quote produced by Sun writer Scott Templeton regarding Daniels' backstabbing Commissioner Burrell. The title also references other plot lines, including Cheese feeding information in confidence to Chris Partlow regarding Omar's associates, Norman Wilson leaking the Burrell story to the Sun, and Detective McNulty's attempt to create a homeless serial killer on the record.

Epigraph

“	They're dead where it doesn't count.	”
—Fletcher

Fletcher is referring to decision-making on the newspaper concerning whose life (or death) is worthy of being covered in the increasingly shrinking amount of space the Baltimore Sun provides for information to local readers. The quote nicely aligns with the amount of determination the BPD exhibits in solving a crime, depending on the victim.

Credits

Starring cast

Although credited, Seth Gilliam, Domenick Lombardozzi, and Michael Kostroff do not appear in this episode.

Guest stars

• Frankie Faison as Ervin Burrell
• Paul Ben-Victor as Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos
• Robert F. Chew as Proposition Joe
• S. Robert Morgan as Butchie
• Delaney Williams as Jay Landsman
• David Costabile as Thomas Klebanow
• Sam Freed as James Whiting
• Bruce Kikpatrick as Roger Twigg
• Maria Broom as Marla Daniels
• Al Brown as Stanislaus Valchek
• Donnell Rawlings as Damien "Day Day" Price
• Anwan Glover as Slim Charles
• Method Man as Cheese
• Felicia Pearson as Snoop
• Michael Stone Forrest as Frank Barlow
• Todd Scofield as Jeff Price
• Brandon Young as Mike Fletcher
• Lenny Hamm as Homicide Detective
• Ramon Rodriquez as Renaldo
• Gregory L. Williams as Michael Crutchfield
• Donald Worden as Donald Worden
• Damon Henderson as Pastor
• Thuliso Dingwall as Kenard
• Kwame Patterson as Monk
• Edward Green as Spider
• Keenon Brice as Bug
• Dominick Cicco as Andreas
• Sarah Desage as Bank Teller
• Michael Rivera as Renaldo’s friend
• Baye C. Harrell as Hack driver
• Kristian King Lewman as Assistant Medical Examiner Diane Lerner
• Eric Messner as Alma's Boyfriend
• Joey Perillo as Medical Examiner
• Tracey Teague as McNulty's date
• Vincent M. Ward as Butchie's Bodyguard
• John Brennon as Banker #2
• Gary D'Addario as Gary DiPasquale
• Sarah Grace Hart as Six Flags girl #1
• Christine Lee as Store Clerk
• Jim Scopeletis as Banker #1
• Sophia Wang as Six flags girl #2

Two real BPD officers, former Homicide Detective Donald Worden and former Commissioner Leonard Hamm, appear in the episode's opening as midnight shift homicide detectives. Worden utters the first phrase of the episode: "Type quieter, asshole."

Uncredited appearances

• Robert Poletick as Steven Luxenberg
• Derrick Purvey as Big Guy
• Kara Quick as Rebecca Corbett
• Steve Luxenberg as Sun staff member

Plot

Summary

McNulty

Detective Jimmy McNulty continues his efforts to create the illusion of a serial killer and draw attention and funding for the police department. He falsifies a connection between two old cases involving homeless victims and the corpse which he had earlier staged to appear as a strangulation murder. The plan fails when both the media and his superiors are uninterested. Bunk Moreland remains outraged at McNulty’s plan and after several attempts to talk him out of it enlists the help of Lester Freamon. This strategy backfires when Freamon makes suggestions to improve McNulty’s plan by sensationalizing the killer. In a deleted scene from this episode, Freamon mentions the old arrest of Monk Metcalf and an unnamed associate of his. Monk is addressed for the first and only time by his real name, Bernard.

Politics

Deputy Commissioner of Administration Stanislaus Valchek leaks department statistics to Mayor Tommy Carcetti that indicate a rising crime rate. When Commissioner Ervin Burrell delivers manipulated statistics to Carcetti, the mayor finally has the political ammunition he needs to fire Burrell. He plans to replace Burrell with Cedric Daniels but is worried that he will not be accepted by Burrell’s supporters. Carcetti has ex-reporter Norman Wilson leak news of the plan to Sun editor Gus Haynes to test the waters.

Rhonda Pearlman begins presenting evidence before the grand jury in preparation for seeking an indictment against Clay Davis on corruption charges. Business associates of Davis testify, under subpoena, before the grand jury. Meanwhile, Davis tries desperately, but without success, to convince his former allies to protect him.

Baltimore Sun

Alma Gutierrez is disappointed when her story on the Junebug triple homicide doesn’t make the front page.

The Baltimore Sun faces major budgetary cuts from its owners and copes by closing foreign bureaus and offering reporters "buy-outs" to leave their jobs. One reporter forced to accept a buy-out is crime beat veteran Roger Twigg. Twigg puts his institutional knowledge into play for a final time to deliver the commissioner story. Scott Templeton is disappointed when Twigg is given the story and responds by producing a strongly worded "react" quote which implicates Daniels in deposing Burrell. Daniels is mortified by the quote and confides in his ex-wife Marla Daniels about his fears that Burrell will use information about corruption in Daniels' past to end his career.

Michael

Michael Lee is withdrawn following his involvement in the home invasion murders and Duquan "Dukie" Weems convinces him that the two of them should take Bug on a day trip to Six Flags America in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. Michael hires a hack cab to transport them to and from Six Flags. The three boys enjoy the rides and games at the park, winning stuffed animal prizes at one of the carnival-style booths. The two older boys also meet and flirt with similarly-aged girls from Fairfax County, Virginia, an affluent Washington suburb. Upon their return, Michael is reprimanded by Monk for leaving his drug dealing corner untended.

Stanfield Organization

Marlo Stanfield approaches Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos with a monetary gift which is rejected because the bundled bills are "dirty". Stanfield seeks help from Proposition Joe both in acquiring clean bills as well as in laundering his money through Caribbean-based charities. Stanfield also offers a bounty on anyone connected to Omar Little. Joe accommodates Stanfield's financial requests but avoids helping him find Omar. Stanfield visits the Antilles to check on his laundered money and gives a second, clean gift to The Greeks. Joe tells his nephew, Cheese, that he fears provoking Omar into returning to Baltimore. Cheese ignores his wishes and gives Chris Partlow information on Omar's associate Butchie in secret for the $50,000 bounty.

Partlow and Snoop torture and kill Butchie, leaving a witness alive to ensure that word of their actions reaches Omar.

Omar

The message sent by Chris and Snoop finds Omar in idyllic retirement with Renaldo in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and shatters his peace.^[3][4]

Deceased

Butchie's bodyguard - shot in the head by Snoop Pearson.

Butchie - tortured and killed by Chris Partlow.

References

1. ^ "Season 5 crew". HBO. 2007. http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/crew/season_5.shtml. Retrieved 2007-12-12. 
2. ^ "HBO Schedule: THE WIRE 53: NOT FOR ATTRIBUTION". HBO. 2008. http://www.hbo.com/apps/schedule/ScheduleServlet?ACTION_DETAIL=DETAIL&FOCUS_ID=650527. Retrieved 2007-12-01. 
3. ^ "Not for Attribution". Scott and Joy Kecken, Writ. Chris Collins (story and teleplay), David Simon (story). The Wire. HBO. 2008-01-20. No. 3, season 5.
4. ^ "The Wire episode guide - episode 53 Not for Attribution". HBO. 2008. http://www.hbo.com/thewire/episode/season5/episode53.shtml. Retrieved 2008-01-22.