Lemuel Idzik
Encyclopedia
Lemuel Idzik is a character, played by Joel Grey
, on the American
television
show Oz
.
In his first appearance, he is disguised as a reporter who is in Oz to do a story on Kareem Said
's efforts to self publish Augustus Hill
's memoirs. When Said walks up to shake his hand, Idzik pulls out a revolver, shooting Said twice in the torso before a guard disarms him. Said dies shortly afterwards, and Idzik is convicted of second degree murder, sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole
.
s and Omar White
. (Schillinger and other members of the Brotherhood attempt to befriend Idzik for murdering Said. Idzik quickly reveals his Jewish origin, and they leave as upset and confused as the rest of Oz.) Tim McManus
talks to both parties and convinces the former to give Idzik a wide berth. White, however, is not entirely compliant, and leaves McManus' office with uncertain intentions. When Idzik is made White's new cell mate, White becomes very agitated and conflicted, but eventually decides not to harm Idzik, much to Idzik's dismay. When repeatedly asked why he murdered Said, Idzik finally tells White he asked to come to Em City so someone would kill him, because the cosmos is coming to an end and he wants release but not by suicide. When, after a day of research, White refutes Idzik's prophecy and thus his desire to die, Idzik murders White in his sleep by slitting his throat.
For his second murder, Idzik is placed on death row
, but his conviction is overturned, again to his dismay. Finally, Sister Peter Marie Reimondo coaxes out an explanation for his death wish. He tells her of how, long ago, he met Kareem Said in Istanbul, before Said's conversion to Islam
. Said spoke passionately and convincingly of how the universe was ultimately doomed, and those words stuck to Idzik, changing him forever, sapping from him all purpose in life. He told Sister Pete that by killing Said, he stopped himself from doing something of a far greater danger to the world. After killing Said, he then kills Omar in hopes that he would, in turn, be executed. His sentence is overturned and he is sent back to Em City.
He is last seen on one of the evacuation buses in the closing scenes of the series.
Joel Grey
Joel Grey is an American stage and screen actor, singer, and dancer, best known for his role as the Master of Ceremonies in both the stage and film adaptation of the Kander & Ebb musical Cabaret. He has won the Academy Award, Tony Award and Golden Globe Award...
, 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 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 sentenced to death. Death sentenced overturned.In his first appearance, he is disguised as a reporter who is in Oz to do a story on Kareem Said
Kareem Said
Kareem Saïd is a character played by British actor Eamonn Walker on the American television show Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #97S444. Convicted June 6, 1997 - Arson in the second degree. Sentence: 18 years, eligible for parole in five...
's efforts to self publish 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:...
's memoirs. When Said walks up to shake his hand, Idzik pulls out a revolver, shooting Said twice in the torso before a guard disarms him. Said dies shortly afterwards, and Idzik is convicted of second degree murder, sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of 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...
.
Season 6
Idzik already has enemies in Oz - notably the MuslimMuslim
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...
s and 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...
. (Schillinger and other members of the Brotherhood attempt to befriend Idzik for murdering Said. Idzik quickly reveals his Jewish origin, and they leave as upset and confused as the rest of Oz.) 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...
talks to both parties and convinces the former to give Idzik a wide berth. White, however, is not entirely compliant, and leaves McManus' office with uncertain intentions. When Idzik is made White's new cell mate, White becomes very agitated and conflicted, but eventually decides not to harm Idzik, much to Idzik's dismay. When repeatedly asked why he murdered Said, Idzik finally tells White he asked to come to Em City so someone would kill him, because the cosmos is coming to an end and he wants release but not by suicide. When, after a day of research, White refutes Idzik's prophecy and thus his desire to die, Idzik murders White in his sleep by slitting his throat.
For his second murder, Idzik is placed on death row
Death row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
, but his conviction is overturned, again to his dismay. Finally, Sister Peter Marie Reimondo coaxes out an explanation for his death wish. He tells her of how, long ago, he met Kareem Said in Istanbul, before Said's conversion to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Said spoke passionately and convincingly of how the universe was ultimately doomed, and those words stuck to Idzik, changing him forever, sapping from him all purpose in life. He told Sister Pete that by killing Said, he stopped himself from doing something of a far greater danger to the world. After killing Said, he then kills Omar in hopes that he would, in turn, be executed. His sentence is overturned and he is sent back to Em City.
He is last seen on one of the evacuation buses in the closing scenes of the series.