Richie Roberts
Encyclopedia
Richard M. "Richie" Roberts (born June 23, 1929) is a former detective
, Essex County
Prosecutor
and is currently a defense attorney
. He is most widely recognized for the arrest, prosecution and later defense of Harlem
drug lord Frank Lucas
.
. Roberts was raised by his grandparents in the Bronx until he moved to Newark with his parents when he was eight years old. He attended Weequahic High School
, where he was a star football and baseball player. Roberts served for six years in the United States Marine Corps
after high school and reached the rank of sergeant
. He later enrolled at Upsala College
in East Orange, New Jersey
, but flunked out his senior year due to poor attendance. He later completed his undergraduate work at Rutgers University
and received his law degree
from the Seton Hall University School of Law
. 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
in August 1971. After working as a prosecutor, Roberts became a criminal defense attorney, and still worked as one as of 2010. The first person he defended was Frank Lucas
.
in the 2007 film American Gangster.
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
, Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
Prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
and is currently a defense attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. He is most widely recognized for the arrest, prosecution and later defense of Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
drug lord Frank Lucas
Frank Lucas (drug lord)
Frank Lucas is a former U.S. heroin dealer and organized crime boss who operated in Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was particularly known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from his source in the Golden Triangle...
.
Career
Roberts is a Bronx native of Jewish background who was raised in Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. Roberts was raised by his grandparents in the Bronx until he moved to Newark with his parents when he was eight years old. He attended Weequahic High School
Weequahic High School
Weequahic High School is a public high school in Newark in Essex County, New Jersey. The school is operated by the Newark Public Schools and is located at 279 Chancellor Avenue....
, where he was a star football and baseball player. Roberts served for six years in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
after high school and reached the rank of sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. He later enrolled at Upsala College
Upsala College
Upsala College was a private college in East Orange, New Jersey, USA, founded in 1893. Construction of the campus started in 1900. The college closed in 1995, after several years of financial problems.-History:...
in East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange is a city in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city's population 64,270, making it the state's 20th largest municipality, having dropped 5,554 residents from its population of 69,824 in the 2000 Census, when it was the state's 14th most...
, but flunked out his senior year due to poor attendance. He later completed his undergraduate work at Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
and received his law degree
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the Seton Hall University School of Law
Seton Hall University School of Law
The Seton Hall University School of Law is part of Seton Hall University, and is located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Seton Hall Law School is the only private law school in New Jersey, and is the top-ranked of the three law schools in the state...
. 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
Bar examination
A bar examination is an examination conducted at regular intervals to determine whether a candidate is qualified to practice law in a given jurisdiction.-Brazil:...
in August 1971. After working as a prosecutor, Roberts became a criminal defense attorney, and still worked as one as of 2010. The first person he defended was Frank Lucas
Frank Lucas
Frank D. Lucas is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1994. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district, the largest in the state and one of the largest in the country, stretches from the Panhandle to the fringes of the Tulsa suburbs—almost half of the state's land mass.-Early...
.
In media
Roberts was portrayed by Russell CroweRussell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
in the 2007 film American Gangster.