Kareem Said
Encyclopedia
Kareem Saïd is a character played by British
actor
Eamonn Walker
on the American
television
show Oz
.
Saïd (born Goodson Truman), is a Muslim
and Black nationalist who was imprisoned for blowing up a white owned warehouse. In prison
, Saïd immediately took charge of the Muslim prisoners, who sometimes chafed at both his extreme moral code and his apparent violations of those same standards. Saïd is sometimes confused to be a member of the 'Nation of Islam
'. However, this indeed is not the case. In season 4 in one of his classes, it is written 'Muhammad
the last prophet of Allah'. This is contradictory to the Nation of Islam's beliefs. Furthermore, Nation of Islam members do not wear kufi
s or Tasbih
.
Until Saïd's death, he's one of the most powerful prisoners in Emerald City, but not powerful in the way other gang leaders are powerful, such as Nino Schibetta
or Burr Redding
. He has a large political influence and also a lot of contacts in the media. Kareem and the other Muslims renounce themselves from drugs and try to obviate the drug smuggling and drug use because it strongly violates their religion.
and the black Homeboy gang
. The Homeboys, who sell drugs, oppose Saïd's moral prohibition against drugs. Saïd, however, is not intimidated, and one of his fellow Muslims (at Saïd's insistence) repeatedly punches him in the head to prove himself tough in front of the Homeboys' leader, Jefferson Keane
. When he is diagnosed with a heart problem, another Muslim, Huseni Mershah
, who opposes Saïd's philosophy of non-violence, allows him to have a heart attack so that he may take control of the Muslims. Saïd exposes Mershah, and casts him out. Mershah attempts revenge
by telling Warden Leo Glynn
that Saïd is stockpiling weapons, and Glynn orders a shakedown. All the inmates who are found with drugs or weapons blame Mershah, and he commits suicide
in protective custody.
After Donald Groves
murder of Officer Smith leads to many CO's being suspended for attacking inmates, a sympathetic new CO leaves a gun in Saïd's laundry. Saïd is shown with the gun after the riot breaks out. However, he is only shown firing it once to gain the inmates' attention, and threatens Adebisi
after he starts going through heroin withdrawal.
The riot is eventually broken up by the S.O.R.T. team and the prisoners are transferred to General Population until the investigation is over. It is discovered during the investigation that Saïd's gun was used to shoot Tim McManus
. It is thought that he shot McManus until it is discovered that he threw the gun away when the S.O.R.T. team arrived, and it was picked up by Scott Ross
.
lets him and the rest of the inmates back into Emerald City, they both state their grievances but maintain a mutual respect for each other. Afterwards, the Muslims serve as a watchdog group, waiting to expose prison mismanagement. Saïd uses his legal knowledge to help Augustus Hill
and even Aryan leader Vernon Schillinger
fight their legal battles for hopes of reduced sentences. Saïd is eventually offered a pardon by Governor Devlin, in an attempt to gain favor among the Islamic voters. Said courageously refuses the offer and returns to Oz, leaving Governor Devlin humiliated.
the state for brutality during the Season 1 riot. Saïd grows attracted to Scott Ross' sister, Tricia Ross, who is white. This provokes taunting by both the Aryan and Homeboy gangs and, after the Muslims are humiliated, Saïd is removed as leader. Saïd's mentoring of white inmate Tobias Beecher
is also opposed by his followers, and Hamid Khan
takes leadership up until he is permanently brain damaged in a boxing match against Irish-American inmate Cyril O'Reily
. Meanwhile, Augustus Hill testifies against inmate Malcolm Coyle
for the brutal murder of an Italian-American family. Kenny Wangler
and the Homeboys seek to murder Hill, but Saïd convinces the Italians, Latinos, and even the Aryans to protect Hill, since every leader is a family man, and as such will benefit from Coyle's conviction. The Italians, led by Antonio Nappa
, go one step further by murdering Coyle as a way of telling the Homeboys to back off from Hill, which they do. As Saïd helps Beecher forgive various inmates to alleviate his personal guilt, a fight breaks out between Saïd, Beecher, and the Aryans who see an opportunity to eliminate both Saïd and Beecher. Khan and the other Muslims defend the two from the Aryans along with White inmate Chris Keller
who ends up hospitalizing Schillinger while protecting Beecher. As Beecher and Schillinger go to the hospital, Saïd, Khan, and Keller are sent to Ad Seg (short for Administrative Segregation) where CO Len Lopresti
, an Aryan Brotherhood
sympathizer, puts a rat in Saïd's cell. Afterwards, Homeboy leader Simon Adebisi
starts polarizing black inmates against white inmates as Oz's racial tension is at an all time high. As Adebisi organizes the Black inmates, Saïd is the only one amongst them who tries to prevent a race riot
.
and dies, Zahir Arif
takes over leadership of the Muslims, and Saïd offers no opposition. Arif naively buys into a plan by Adebisi to get an African American
to replace McManus. Saïd questions but does not oppose Arif's motives. They are successful and a Unit Manager named Martin Querns
is hired. In the meantime, Saïd helps a gay
inmate, Jason Cramer
, get a new trial by finding evidence that he was convicted for his sexual orientation
. Saïd wants him retried for his crime and found guilty for what he did, but he regrets this when Cramer goes free altogether. When Arif realizes that Adebisi has double crossed him and that Emerald City is out of control, Arif begs Saïd to lead the Muslims once again. Saïd accepts, but only because he is disgusted by the way in which Adebisi and his followers are ruining Emerald City. Schillinger tells McManus, who is now running Unit B, that Adebisi has turned Emerald City into a "ghetto
"; all the guards, with the exception of Claire Howell
, are now black, white inmates are scarce, and drugs are rampant. Saïd says at the same time that "A bad system ran by blacks is the same as a bad system ran by whites." Saïd agrees to help McManus take down Querns and Adebisi alike and, when Querns is fired, Adebisi makes an attempt on Saïd's life which backfires with Saïd killing Adebisi in self-defense.
The Aryan and Biker inmates wish revenge on the Muslims and other black inmates for Adebisi's transformation of power in the first half of the season. Both groups, however, focus on the Muslims and constantly torment them. They even hire a black inmate, Leroy Tidd
, who was an acquaintance of Adebisi's, to murder Saïd. When Tidd converts to Islam and follows Saïd as Salah Udeen, he is killed by the Brotherhood while protecting his new Imam
. Schillinger and James Robson taunt Saïd, and Saïd uncharacteristically resorts to violence, responding to Robson's racial slurs with "You want to see a nigger
in rage?", severely beating him while Arif knocks out Schillinger. They later call a truce, but Saïd threatens Schillinger when the Aryan plots to interfere with Beecher's parole
application. After his parole is denied, Schillinger taunts Beecher, and Saïd defends him by stabbing both Schillinger and Robson while stating "Adebisi lives".
Sister Peter Marie Reimondo arranges an interaction session with Schillinger, Saïd, and Beecher to prevent a war between the Muslims and Aryans. The Aryans instead go to war with the Italians when it is discovered that Chucky Pancamo
is responsible for the murder of Schillinger's son Hank. Schillinger is assisted by Robson in an attempt on Pancamo's life. Later, disgraced Italian Peter Schibetta
asks Saïd to help him murder Schillinger, but when Saïd refuses, Schibetta attempts to murder both Schillinger and Robson. Instead, Schibetta is rape
d by the Aryans. To make matters worse, Schillinger reminds Schibetta of being raped by Adebisi by harassing him about it and covering his penis
in black grease. All the black inmates are complacent with this war; if either side loses, the black inmates will grow stronger.
Saïd, in the meantime, is asked to help the disgraced drug addict Omar White
to become a better person, for McManus fears that Saïd is losing his sanity. Saïd is later angered when Muslim convert Ahmad Lalar is murdered by Robson, and Warden Glynn does little to convict him. In an interaction session when bringing up the subject of homosexuality
, Schillinger and Saïd denounce it as a "perversion" that goes against their religions. However, as Schillinger agrees, Saïd points out that Schillinger indulges in sodomy
, having previously raped Beecher and the mentally handicapped Irish
inmate Cyril O'Reily, among others. As Schillinger denies this, Beecher angrily attacks him during the interaction session. Later, Saïd brutally attacks Omar White when he is caught dealing drugs for Burr Redding
to inmate Reggie Rawls
and Saïd is sent to the hole as a result. White, however, remains drug-free and is successful in a singing program created by Suzanne Fitzgerald. Saïd and McManus are the first to congratulate White for coming through. Later, when the Muslims question Saïd's motives in helping White, he admits that he has been using several inmates to preserve his own image, and to killing Adebisi, a man who mocked everything he stood for. After hearing that Aryan initiate Wolfgang Cutler
plans to kill Saïd, White attacks and nearly kills him. Saïd argues with McManus that he should not be sent to solitary confinement, to no avail.
business. As Saïd sets up the book publishing business, he meets a man posing as a news reporter, Lemuel Idzik
, who shoots Saïd twice in the chest in the meeting room. Saïd's last words are to his friend Zahir Arif
: "Arif, don't harm him..." begging him not to kill Idzik. It turns out he drove Idzik to despair by telling him, before his conversion to Islam, about how the universe was doomed, and he was killed in revenge. It is not clear whether his last words were because he recognizes Idzik and felt guilty, or just didn't want his killer harmed in return. The reason why Saïd is killed is so that Eamonn Walker could film the movie Tears of the Sun
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Eamonn Walker
Eamonn Walker
Eamonn Walker is an English film, television and theatre actor. In the United States, he is known for playing Kareem Said in the HBO television series Oz, for which he won a CableACE Award, and elsewere as Winston, the gay, black thorn in Alf Garnett's side in In Sickness and in Health and John...
on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show Oz
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...
.
Character overview
Prisoner #97S444. Convicted June 6, 1997 - Arson in the second degree. Sentence: 18 years, eligible for parole in five. Later, found not guilty of one count of murder in the first degree, and pled guilty to two counts of attempted murder and sentenced to an unknown period of time.Saïd (born Goodson Truman), is a 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...
and Black nationalist who was imprisoned for blowing up a white owned warehouse. In prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
, Saïd immediately took charge of the Muslim prisoners, who sometimes chafed at both his extreme moral code and his apparent violations of those same standards. Saïd is sometimes confused to be a member of the 'Nation of Islam
Nation of Islam
The Nation of Islam is a mainly African-American new religious movement founded in Detroit, Michigan by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930 to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African-Americans in the United States of America. The movement teaches black pride and...
'. However, this indeed is not the case. In season 4 in one of his classes, it is written 'Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
the last prophet of Allah'. This is contradictory to the Nation of Islam's beliefs. Furthermore, Nation of Islam members do not wear kufi
Kufi
A kufi or kufi cap is a brimless, short, rounded cap worn by many populations in West Africa of all religions and throughout the African diaspora.-African and African-American Usage:...
s or Tasbih
Tasbih
A misbaha , subha , Tasbih , or tespih is a string of prayer beads which is traditionally used by Muslims to keep track of counting in tasbih....
.
Until Saïd's death, he's one of the most powerful prisoners in Emerald City, but not powerful in the way other gang leaders are powerful, such as Nino Schibetta
Nino Schibetta
Antonino "Nino" Schibetta, played by Tony Musante, is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #95S604. Convicted December 12, 1995 - Two counts of conspiracy to commit murder...
or Burr Redding
Burr Redding
Burr Redding is one of Oz's oldest inmates.-Character overview:Prisoner #01R289. Convicted January 11, 2001 - Murder in the first degree, seven counts of attempted murder...
. He has a large political influence and also a lot of contacts in the media. Kareem and the other Muslims renounce themselves from drugs and try to obviate the drug smuggling and drug use because it strongly violates their religion.
Season 1
Upon his arrival in Oz, Saïd takes control of the Muslim group, making himself one of the most powerful prisoners, held in high regard by the 78% majority of non-white prisoners. He is immediately viewed as a threat to the Aryan BrotherhoodThe Aryan Brotherhood in Oz
The Aryan Brotherhood in the TV series Oz is a gang of white supremacist inmates led by Vernon Schillinger.-Overview:The Aryans of Oz are a loosely organized gang of white supremacist inmates. As a minority, the Caucasian-American prisoners of the gang mostly come from criminal backgrounds already...
and the black Homeboy gang
Homeboys of Oz
The Homeboys are a gang of black prisoners in Oz involved in the prison drug trade. As 78% of Oz's prisoners are black , their membership is larger than any other prison gang in Oz.-Overview:...
. The Homeboys, who sell drugs, oppose Saïd's moral prohibition against drugs. Saïd, however, is not intimidated, and one of his fellow Muslims (at Saïd's insistence) repeatedly punches him in the head to prove himself tough in front of the Homeboys' leader, Jefferson Keane
Jefferson Keane
Jefferson Keane aka Tizi Ozuo is a fictional character in the HBO prison drama Oz played by American actor Leon Robinson.-Character overview:...
. When he is diagnosed with a heart problem, another Muslim, Huseni Mershah
Huseni Mershah
Huseni Mershah, aka James Monroe Madison, is a Muslim inmate on the HBO drama Oz played by Roger Guenveur Smith.-Character overview:Prisoner #97M688. Convicted August 11, 1997 - Attempted murder, first degree assault...
, who opposes Saïd's philosophy of non-violence, allows him to have a heart attack so that he may take control of the Muslims. Saïd exposes Mershah, and casts him out. Mershah attempts revenge
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
by telling Warden Leo Glynn
Warden Leo Glynn
Leo Glynn is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz. He is the warden of the Oswald state correctional facility-Character overview:...
that Saïd is stockpiling weapons, and Glynn orders a shakedown. All the inmates who are found with drugs or weapons blame Mershah, and he commits suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in protective custody.
After Donald Groves
Donald Groves
Donald Groves is a fictional character on the HBO prison drama Oz, played by Sean Whitesell.-Character overview:Prisoner 97G414. Convicted July 3, 1997 - Two counts of Murder in the first degree. Sentence: Life imprisonment without parole. Convicted later August 21, 1997 - One count of Murder in...
murder of Officer Smith leads to many CO's being suspended for attacking inmates, a sympathetic new CO leaves a gun in Saïd's laundry. Saïd is shown with the gun after the riot breaks out. However, he is only shown firing it once to gain the inmates' attention, and threatens Adebisi
Simon Adebisi
Simon Adebisi is a fictional character played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the HBO dramatic series Oz, set in an experimental prison unit.-Character overview:Prisoner #93A234. Convicted May 2, 1993 - Murder in the first degree...
after he starts going through heroin withdrawal.
The riot is eventually broken up by the S.O.R.T. team and the prisoners are transferred to General Population until the investigation is over. It is discovered during the investigation that Saïd's gun was used to shoot Tim McManus
Tim McManus
Tim McManus is a fictional character on HBO's prison drama Oz, played by Terry Kinney.-Character overview:McManus, the idealistic manager of Emerald City, is unlike the rest of the staff members at Oz as he has never been a CO, has a college education, and generally believes in the inmates as...
. It is thought that he shot McManus until it is discovered that he threw the gun away when the S.O.R.T. team arrived, and it was picked up by Scott Ross
Scott Ross
Scott Ross was a United States-born harpsichordist who lived in France for many years. His recordings include the first integral edition by a single performer of the 555 harpsichord sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti....
.
Season 2
This season starts off with law school dean Alvah Case investigating the riot, while Said is put into Solitary, along with O'Reily & Adebisi, the riot leaders. When Tim McManusTim McManus
Tim McManus is a fictional character on HBO's prison drama Oz, played by Terry Kinney.-Character overview:McManus, the idealistic manager of Emerald City, is unlike the rest of the staff members at Oz as he has never been a CO, has a college education, and generally believes in the inmates as...
lets him and the rest of the inmates back into Emerald City, they both state their grievances but maintain a mutual respect for each other. Afterwards, the Muslims serve as a watchdog group, waiting to expose prison mismanagement. Saïd uses his legal knowledge to help Augustus Hill
Augustus Hill
Augustus Hill is a fictional character, played by Harold Perrineau on the American television show Oz, serving as the show's narrator.-Character overview:...
and even Aryan leader Vernon Schillinger
Vernon Schillinger
Vernon Schillinger is a fictional character, played by American actor J. K. Simmons, on the HBO series Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #92S110. Convicted October 21, 1992 – Aggravated assault in the first degree. Sentence: Eight years, eligible for parole in five...
fight their legal battles for hopes of reduced sentences. Saïd is eventually offered a pardon by Governor Devlin, in an attempt to gain favor among the Islamic voters. Said courageously refuses the offer and returns to Oz, leaving Governor Devlin humiliated.
Season 3
Saïd enters this season with the intent to sueLawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
the state for brutality during the Season 1 riot. Saïd grows attracted to Scott Ross' sister, Tricia Ross, who is white. This provokes taunting by both the Aryan and Homeboy gangs and, after the Muslims are humiliated, Saïd is removed as leader. Saïd's mentoring of white inmate Tobias Beecher
Tobias Beecher
Tobias Beecher is a main character on the television show Oz, played by Lee Tergesen. He is one of only eight regular characters to survive the entire run of the show...
is also opposed by his followers, and Hamid Khan
Hamid Khan
Hamid Khan, played by Ernie Hudson Jr., is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz.- Character overview :Prisoner #99K515. Convicted March 6, 1999 - Aggravated assault. Sentence: 10 years, eligible for parole in five....
takes leadership up until he is permanently brain damaged in a boxing match against Irish-American inmate Cyril O'Reily
Cyril O'Reily
Cyril O'Reily is a fictional character, played by American actor Scott William Winters, on the HBO drama Oz. He is also mentioned in the companion book , p. 58.-Character overview:...
. Meanwhile, Augustus Hill testifies against inmate Malcolm Coyle
Malcolm Coyle
Malcolm "Snake" Coyle is a prisoner on the television show Oz played by Treach of the rap group Naughty By Nature.-Character overview:Prisoner #99C122. Convicted January 17, 1999 - Grand larceny, armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, assault of a police officer...
for the brutal murder of an Italian-American family. Kenny Wangler
Kenny Wangler
Kenny "Bricks" Wangler is a fictional character in the HBO drama Oz, played by actor J.D. Williams.-Character overview:Prisoner #97W566. Convicted July 6, 1997 - murder in the first degree . Sentence: 20 years, eligible for parole in six.He was sent to prison for murdering a student he was...
and the Homeboys seek to murder Hill, but Saïd convinces the Italians, Latinos, and even the Aryans to protect Hill, since every leader is a family man, and as such will benefit from Coyle's conviction. The Italians, led by Antonio Nappa
Antonio Nappa
Antonio Nappa is a fictional character played by Mark Margolis on the HBO dramatic series Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #98N744. Convicted June 4, 1998 - Murder in the second degree. Sentence: 80 years, eligible for parole in 50...
, go one step further by murdering Coyle as a way of telling the Homeboys to back off from Hill, which they do. As Saïd helps Beecher forgive various inmates to alleviate his personal guilt, a fight breaks out between Saïd, Beecher, and the Aryans who see an opportunity to eliminate both Saïd and Beecher. Khan and the other Muslims defend the two from the Aryans along with White inmate Chris Keller
Chris Keller
Chris Keller is a fictional character on the HBO series Oz, portrayed by Christopher Meloni from 1998 to 2003.-Character overview:Prisoner ID 98K514. Convicted June 16, 1998 - felony murder, two counts of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, driving under the influence and...
who ends up hospitalizing Schillinger while protecting Beecher. As Beecher and Schillinger go to the hospital, Saïd, Khan, and Keller are sent to Ad Seg (short for Administrative Segregation) where CO 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...
, an Aryan Brotherhood
Aryan Brotherhood
The Aryan Brotherhood, also known as The Brand, the AB, or the One-Two, is a white supremacist prison gang and organized crime syndicate in the United States with about 20,000 members in and out of prison...
sympathizer, puts a rat in Saïd's cell. Afterwards, Homeboy leader Simon Adebisi
Simon Adebisi
Simon Adebisi is a fictional character played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the HBO dramatic series Oz, set in an experimental prison unit.-Character overview:Prisoner #93A234. Convicted May 2, 1993 - Murder in the first degree...
starts polarizing black inmates against white inmates as Oz's racial tension is at an all time high. As Adebisi organizes the Black inmates, Saïd is the only one amongst them who tries to prevent a race riot
Race riot
A race riot or racial riot is an outbreak of violent civil disorder in which race is a key factor. A phenomenon frequently confused with the concept of 'race riot' is sectarian violence, which involves public mass violence or conflict over non-racial factors.-United States:The term had entered the...
.
Season 4
After Hamid Khan is taken off life supportLife support
Life support, in medicine is a broad term that applies to any therapy used to sustain a patient's life while they are critically ill or injured. There are many therapies and techniques that may be used by clinicians to achieve the goal of sustaining life...
and dies, Zahir Arif
Zahir Arif
Zahir Arif aka Jerome Van Dyke is a fictional character on the HBO series Oz, played by Granville Adams.-Character overview:Arif is a former drug addict in prison apparently for possession of stolen goods. In prison, he undergoes a spiritual transformation into one of the most well-behaved and...
takes over leadership of the Muslims, and Saïd offers no opposition. Arif naively buys into a plan by Adebisi to get an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
to replace McManus. Saïd questions but does not oppose Arif's motives. They are successful and a Unit Manager named Martin Querns
Martin Querns
Warden Martin Querns is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz, played by Reg E. Cathey.-Character overview:He is an African American prison unit manager who has a vast experience of handling various prison units. He is hired by Warden Leo Glynn after he is asked to find a competent black unit...
is hired. In the meantime, Saïd helps a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
inmate, Jason Cramer
Jason Cramer
Jason Cramer is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz played by Robert Bogue.-Character overview:Prisoner #98C931. Convicted September 6, 1998 - Murder in the first degree, Kidnapping, Assault with a dangerous instrument. Sentence: Life imprisonment without parole...
, get a new trial by finding evidence that he was convicted for his sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
. Saïd wants him retried for his crime and found guilty for what he did, but he regrets this when Cramer goes free altogether. When Arif realizes that Adebisi has double crossed him and that Emerald City is out of control, Arif begs Saïd to lead the Muslims once again. Saïd accepts, but only because he is disgusted by the way in which Adebisi and his followers are ruining Emerald City. Schillinger tells McManus, who is now running Unit B, that Adebisi has turned Emerald City into a "ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
"; all the guards, with the exception of Claire Howell
Claire Howell
Claire Howell is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz portrayed by Kristin Rohde.-Character overview:A sexual predator serving as a guard in the eponymous prison, she preys on all the men in her orbit, prisoners and guards alike, as human sex toys who exist for her to dominate...
, are now black, white inmates are scarce, and drugs are rampant. Saïd says at the same time that "A bad system ran by blacks is the same as a bad system ran by whites." Saïd agrees to help McManus take down Querns and Adebisi alike and, when Querns is fired, Adebisi makes an attempt on Saïd's life which backfires with Saïd killing Adebisi in self-defense.
The Aryan and Biker inmates wish revenge on the Muslims and other black inmates for Adebisi's transformation of power in the first half of the season. Both groups, however, focus on the Muslims and constantly torment them. They even hire a black inmate, Leroy Tidd
Leroy Tidd
Leroy Tidd is a fictional character on the series Oz, an African American inmate played by Jacques Smith.-Character overview:Prisoner #00T255. Convicted May 10, 2000 - Armed robbery, reckless endangerment. Sentence: 20 years, eligible for parole in 12.Imprisoned for armed robbery and running over a...
, who was an acquaintance of Adebisi's, to murder Saïd. When Tidd converts to Islam and follows Saïd as Salah Udeen, he is killed by the Brotherhood while protecting his new Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
. Schillinger and James Robson taunt Saïd, and Saïd uncharacteristically resorts to violence, responding to Robson's racial slurs with "You want to see a nigger
Nigger
Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...
in rage?", severely beating him while Arif knocks out Schillinger. They later call a truce, but Saïd threatens Schillinger when the Aryan plots to interfere with Beecher's parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
application. After his parole is denied, Schillinger taunts Beecher, and Saïd defends him by stabbing both Schillinger and Robson while stating "Adebisi lives".
Season 5
While in the isolation unit, Saïd agrees to plead guilty to attempted murder of both Schillinger and Robson. Later, prison psychiatristPsychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
Sister Peter Marie Reimondo arranges an interaction session with Schillinger, Saïd, and Beecher to prevent a war between the Muslims and Aryans. The Aryans instead go to war with the Italians when it is discovered that Chucky Pancamo
Chucky Pancamo
Charles "Chucky The Enforcer" Pancamo is a fictional character, played by Chuck Zito, on the HBO series Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #97P468. Convicted June 4, 1997 - Second degree murder. Sentence: 35 years, eligible for parole in 15....
is responsible for the murder of Schillinger's son Hank. Schillinger is assisted by Robson in an attempt on Pancamo's life. Later, disgraced Italian Peter Schibetta
Peter Schibetta
Peter Schibetta is a fictional character on the HBO series Oz, portrayed by Eddie Malavarca.-Character overview:Prisoner #98S112. Convicted May 19, 1998 - Five counts of extortion: money laundering. Sentence: 35 years, eligible for parole in 20....
asks Saïd to help him murder Schillinger, but when Saïd refuses, Schibetta attempts to murder both Schillinger and Robson. Instead, Schibetta is rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d by the Aryans. To make matters worse, Schillinger reminds Schibetta of being raped by Adebisi by harassing him about it and covering his penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
in black grease. All the black inmates are complacent with this war; if either side loses, the black inmates will grow stronger.
Saïd, in the meantime, is asked to help the disgraced drug addict Omar White
Omar White
Omar White is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz played by Michael Wright.-Character overview:Prisoner 01W711. Convicted January 4, 2001 - Murder in the first degree...
to become a better person, for McManus fears that Saïd is losing his sanity. Saïd is later angered when Muslim convert Ahmad Lalar is murdered by Robson, and Warden Glynn does little to convict him. In an interaction session when bringing up the subject of homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, Schillinger and Saïd denounce it as a "perversion" that goes against their religions. However, as Schillinger agrees, Saïd points out that Schillinger indulges in sodomy
Sodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
, having previously raped Beecher and the mentally handicapped Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
inmate Cyril O'Reily, among others. As Schillinger denies this, Beecher angrily attacks him during the interaction session. Later, Saïd brutally attacks Omar White when he is caught dealing drugs for Burr Redding
Burr Redding
Burr Redding is one of Oz's oldest inmates.-Character overview:Prisoner #01R289. Convicted January 11, 2001 - Murder in the first degree, seven counts of attempted murder...
to inmate Reggie Rawls
Reggie Rawls
Reggie Rawls is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz, played by Mtume Gant.-Character overview:Prisoner 01R934. Convicted January 10, 2001 - Aggreviated assault. Sentence: 12 years, up for parole in four....
and Saïd is sent to the hole as a result. White, however, remains drug-free and is successful in a singing program created by Suzanne Fitzgerald. Saïd and McManus are the first to congratulate White for coming through. Later, when the Muslims question Saïd's motives in helping White, he admits that he has been using several inmates to preserve his own image, and to killing Adebisi, a man who mocked everything he stood for. After hearing that Aryan initiate Wolfgang Cutler
Wolfgang Cutler
Wolfgang Cutler is a fictional character on the television show Oz, played by Brendan Kelly.-Character overview:Prisoner #02C773. Convicted February 20, 2003 - Murder in the first degree. Sentence: Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole....
plans to kill Saïd, White attacks and nearly kills him. Saïd argues with McManus that he should not be sent to solitary confinement, to no avail.
Season 6
This season takes place six months after last season's finale, where Augustus Hill dies protecting Redding from being stabbed. Saïd is asked in an exit letter to publish Hill's journal, and he decides to see it through. In the meantime, Redding is in mourning for the loss of his friend Hill, and lets the Homeboys get out of control, attacking various inmates with drug addictions. Saïd demands that Redding take control of his men, and as a result Redding takes them out of the drug trade and gets them to participate in a telemarketingTelemarketing
Telemarketing is a method of direct marketing in which a salesperson solicits prospective customers to buy products or services, either over the phone or through a subsequent face to face or Web conferencing appointment scheduled during the call.Telemarketing can also include recorded sales pitches...
business. As Saïd sets up the book publishing business, he meets a man posing as a news reporter, Lemuel Idzik
Lemuel Idzik
Lemuel Idzik is a character, played by Joel Grey, on the American television show Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner 03I462. Convicted February 2, 2003 - Murder in the second degree. Sentence: Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Convicted later that year of first degree murder and...
, who shoots Saïd twice in the chest in the meeting room. Saïd's last words are to his friend Zahir Arif
Zahir Arif
Zahir Arif aka Jerome Van Dyke is a fictional character on the HBO series Oz, played by Granville Adams.-Character overview:Arif is a former drug addict in prison apparently for possession of stolen goods. In prison, he undergoes a spiritual transformation into one of the most well-behaved and...
: "Arif, don't harm him..." begging him not to kill Idzik. It turns out he drove Idzik to despair by telling him, before his conversion to Islam, about how the universe was doomed, and he was killed in revenge. It is not clear whether his last words were because he recognizes Idzik and felt guilty, or just didn't want his killer harmed in return. The reason why Saïd is killed is so that Eamonn Walker could film the movie Tears of the Sun
Tears of the Sun
Tears of the Sun is a 2003 American war film, depicting a United States Navy SEAL team rescue mission amidst a civil war in the West African country of Nigeria. Lt. A.K. Waters commands the team sent to rescue U.S. citizen Dr. Lena Fiore Kendricks from the civil war en route to her jungle hospital...
.