Marlo Stanfield

Marlo "Black" Stanfield is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Jamie Hector. Marlo is a young, ruthless and ambitious player in the Baltimore drug trade who gains control of the Western District and the head of his own drug crew.

=cordaro shoter was introduced in season 3 as an up and coming drug player controlling corners along Eastern Avenue in the West side. cordaro and his primary enforcer Chris Partlow waged war with the Barksdale crew over this territory. His ambition was full control of the drug trade in West Baltimore.

The Barksdale organization approached Marlo through lieutenant Bodie Broadus to discuss exchanging the sharing of territory for a share of their high quality supply of drugs. Bodie had set up his own crew within Stanfield's established territory. Marlo refused to acknowledge Bodie and insisted that he move his crew away. Later Marlo had his dealer Fruit and his crew beat Bodie's team with baseball bats to prove that he wasn't going to lay down and let the Barksdale organization move into his territory. Stringer Bell visited Marlo personally to try to convince him to join the co-op; a group of Baltimore drug players who buy packages of narcotics together to receive discount and try to reduce the violence of their trade to avoid police attention. Marlo listened to Stringer without comment, and shortly after Stringer left, he warned Partlow to prepare for war.

Lieutenant Daniels' major case unit caught on to Marlo when he met with Stringer. Initially they were unsure if he was working with the Barksdale organization like many other crews in the West side. The unit went to the homicide division to learn more about Stanfield and found that he had been investigated for a murder. The police had built a case against him using a key witness who they even put under protection with a tracking device. The case disintegrated when the witness was murdered and the body found using the tracking device, which was still attached to the corpse. The investigating detective, Vernon Holley, believed that Marlo killed the witness. Holley described Marlo as "the spawn of the devil." When a failed Barksdale assault on a Stanfield corner resulted in the deaths of two Barksdale soldiers, the police realized the two gangs were at war.

The assault had been triggered by the parole of Avon Barksdale who took a more confrontational approach to the turf war than Stringer. Marlo believed that the failed assault showed a lack of strength in the Barksdale organization and discussed this with Partlow and his advisor Vinson. He organized retaliatory assaults against Barksdale territory. His soldier Snoop killed Barksdale soldier Rico in a drive-by. Avon responded by hiring a woman named Devonne to seduce Marlo and lure him to a meeting. While Marlo had sex with Devonne he did not go to their arranged meeting. Instead, he had Snoop surveil the location while Partlow waited nearby. Snoop spotted Devonne reporting to Avon, who was waiting in a parked car. Partlow drove by the car and shot and wounded Avon and killed another Barksdale soldier. cordaro and Partlow later tracked Devonne to her home and Marlo murdered her personally as she was leaving one night. The violence continued to escalate and Marlo's lieutenant LaTroy was killed.

When Stringer Bell was murdered, the police and drug gangs thought it was Marlo who had him killed. In reality, Avon had facilitated his death by giving Brother Mouzone and Omar Little information about his whereabouts. At the end of season 3, Avon was arrested for parole violation, weapons charges and drug crimes. Marlo and Chris attended his sentencing hearing. Avon acknowledges Marlo; thus conceding that the crown has been passed.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page).

Stanfield begins season 4 in control of all of the best territory in Western Baltimore. He viciously protects his realm through his enforcers, Chris Partlow and Snoop. When murders are committed on Stanfield's behalf, they hide the bodies in vacant buildings. When Stanfield's crew chief, Fruit, is killed by a dealer from Bodie Broadus' independent crew, he is quick to order the death of the dealer responsible.

Stanfield furthers his reputation around the neighborhood by giving away money to children during the back-to-school period through his lieutenant, "Monk" Metcalf. He keeps his own skills and his soldiers sharp by organizing shooting practice sessions in the woods.

The major crimes unit targets Stanfield and begins to infiltrate his organization using wiretaps, but fail to link him to any murders because of the hidden bodies. They do manage to get Stanfield on tape when he uses Monk's phone to talk to a subordinate known as "Old Face" Andre. The unit is re-staffed for political reasons and the investigation stalls.

"Proposition Joe" Stewart engineers a conflict between Stanfield and Omar Little. Stewart uses the conflict to demonstrate the benefits of joining his drug cartel - the New Day Co-Op. Stanfield agrees to join the Co-Op to learn more about Omar and the mounting police interest in his own organization.

Stanfield plans to have Omar framed and killed in jail. The plan fails and Omar retaliates by stealing an entire shipment of narcotics meant for the New Day Co-Op. Stanfield is suspicious of Stewart's claim that the shipment has been stolen, and insists on some kind of satisfaction. Stewart agrees to set up a meeting between Stanfield and his suppliers The Greeks. Stanfield meets with Spiros Vondas and is convinced that Stewart was not involved in the robbery. Stanfield begins having Vondas followed in order to learn more about his role in importing drugs into Baltimore.

Stanfield is impressed with then 13-year-old Michael Lee for standing up to him and believes that he will make a good soldier. He orders Partlow and Snoop to recruit Michael. Michael's abusive step-father is released from prison and Michael, believing that no one else can help him, goes to Marlo for help. Michael agrees to join the Stanfield Organization in exchange for having his step father killed. Stanfield sets up Michael and his brother Bug in an apartment, and gives him his own corner, with Dukie, and Kenard working for him. When Lester Freamon finally discovers Stanfield's tombs in the vacant houses, a massive police investigation begins, and the re-established major crimes unit begins investigating Stanfield once again.

After more than a year of investigation Stanfield and his people are extremely cautious in communicating with each other. They only speak face to face and often drive all over the city in an effort to lose any tails before arriving at their meeting spot. Eventually, the Major Crimes unit's investigation is shut down by Mayor Tommy Carcetti for economic reasons.^[2][3]

Stanfield and his crew become more relaxed in their routine, convinced that they have worn the police down. Once confident that he is not being watched, Stanfield orders Chris Partlow and Snoop to undertake several murders. He first dispatches them to execute a drug dealer named Junebug for spreading rumors about Stanfield and to attack another drug dealer named Webster Franklin's territory until he agrees to take the Stanfield package. Stanfield also orders Partlow and Snoop to find Omar Little, who has left Baltimore and retired from robbing drug dealers, and kill him.^[4][5]

Stanfield plans to wrest the supply and control of the New Day Co-Op from "Proposition Joe" Stewart. Stanfield aims to establish a direct relationship with Spiros Vondas and drug trafficking organization The Greeks. Stanfield has Partlow investigate the 2002 port case at the courthouse,^[2][3] and then pays former Greek soldier Sergei Malatov to put him on his visiting list at MCI Jessup.^[4][5] Stanfield goes to visit Malatov, in the hopes of getting a direct line to Vondas, but finds himself blocked by Avon Barksdale.^[4][5] Barksdale demands that Stanfield pay his sister one hundred thousand dollars in order to gain access to Malatov.^[4][5] Stanfield makes the payment, and Barksdale grants him access to Malatov.^[4][5] Malatov is disrespectful towards Stanfield but is convinced to help Stanfield reach Vondas.^[4][5]

Stanfield is directed to Little Johnny's Diner, the headquarters for the Greeks. He delivers a case of money to the counterman, Andreas, and tells him to inform Vondas of his desire to meet. Stanfield seeks Stewart's guidance in money laundering while simultaneously preparing to overthrow Stewart. Stewart introduces Stanfield to a pastor with relationships to overseas charities that he uses to launder money for a ten percent donation fee. When Stanfield meets with Vondas, Vondas is displeased that Stanfield has presented him with dirty bills from the street. Stanfield returns to Stewart to get his money cleaned. Stanfield later drops off the clean money at Little Johnny's, telling the counterman to inform Vondas that he meant no misunderstanding. Afterwards, Stanfield takes a trip to the off-shore bank in Antilles in order to make sure his laundered money is safe.^[6][7]

Stanfield learns about Omar's confidante Butchie from Stewart's nephew Cheese. Stanfield has Partlow and Snoop torture and kill Butchie. They leave a witness to ensure word reaches Omar but Snoop is concerned that they are provoking Omar without gaining any idea of how to get to him.^[6][7]

Stanfield also has Stewart introduce him to defense attorney Maurice Levy to assist in his money laundering. Stanfield senses a growing rift between Cheese and Stewart and looks to capitalize on it. After Cheese argues with a rival drug kingpin named Hungry Man at a Co-Op meeting Stanfield sees his chance. He has Partlow and Snoop kidnap Hungry Man and deliver him to Cheese. Stanfield asks Cheese to betray Stewart in exchange. Cheese leaves Stewart unprotected at his home and Stanfield traps him there. Stanfield looks on as Partlow murders Stewart.^[8] After Proposition Joe's death, he along with Cheese take control of the Co-Op.