Stuart Gharty
Encyclopedia
Stuart Gharty is a fictional character played by Peter Gerety
in the television series Homicide: Life on the Street
.
He is introduced in the season four one-shot episode "Scene of the Crime", as a cowardly patrolman who allows two drug dealers to murder each other rather than venture into a housing project to prevent the crime. This exercise in poor judgment, compounded by his failure to call for back-up, and his attempt to later cover up these failings, leads to a hearing in which he is exonerated. In the end of the episode, Detective Megan Russert
, the chief witness against Gharty, seems to be successful in her attempt to talk him into resigning and admitting to himself that he is not cut out for police work.
At the time of his introduction, Gharty is 54 years old, with a wife, Flora; a daughter, Ellen; and two granddaughters, Sarah and Sandra. He tells Russert that he is six months away from being able to transfer into a desk job and get off patrol duty, and that concern for his family's welfare was the main reason that he did not go in after the shooters.
He later returns in the two-part season five finale, "Partners and Other Strangers" and "Strangers and Other Partners", in which it is revealed that he not only did not resign, but was promoted to Detective and given a senior position in the Internal Investigations Division
— one of many unjust promotions featured in the show. He plays a key role in solving the murder of Detective Beau Felton
, who, Gharty reveals, had also been working for IID over the last six months. Russert and Sergeant Kay Howard
blame him for Felton's death and Frank Pembleton
originally does not want to work with him. Gharty later tells Pembleton that he suffered a brutal beating during an IID investigation and got over his fear of being hurt on the job. Afterwards, he works well with the homicide detectives and helps clear Felton's murder.
In season six, Gharty is transferred to homicide as a result of a "departmental rotation" program recently implemented in the Baltimore Police Department. As a homicide detective partnered with Laura Ballard (to whom he is extremely loyal), Gharty sometimes displays racist
paranoia and other forms of pettiness, but for the most part redeems himself as a police officer, demonstrating aptitude, confidence, and devotion he had not exhibited as a patrolman. In the season finale, he and Ballard are both wounded during a gunfight in the squad room; the shooter also kills three uniformed officers before being shot dead by several other detectives.
John Munch
, despite describing Gharty as a "buddy" on at least one occasion, is openly disdainful of his presence in the unit, and begins in Season 7 to openly question Stu's statement that he served in Vietnam
. Stu and Munch also clash when both fall for bartender Billie Lou, as Gharty had begun an affair with her that led to his divorce but she ended up with (and briefly married to) Munch. After Munch illegally obtains Gharty's service records and finds he received an "other than honorable" discharge, Gharty tells the whole story: he witnessed American troops committing atrocities against the residents of a village, and a superior officer ordered Gharty onto a waiting helicopter, only to then allow the unit to continue massacring the villagers.
Gharty gets a divorce from his wife early in Season 7, and begins drinking heavily later in that season before he is able to pull himself together.
, Gharty has replaced Lt. Giardello as homicide shift commander, since Giardello is running for Mayor. Gharty admits that he was promoted to Lieutenant because the bosses know they can push him around and that he was not going to last much longer on the streets. Gharty then sees Captain Roger Gaffney
push aside former detectives Pembleton and Tim Bayliss
, who return with the hopes of helping find Giardello's shooter. Despite Gharty's personal dislike for Pembleton, he respects the man's investigative skills and ignores the bosses (on Pembleton's advice), giving him and Bayliss the chance to solve Gee's shooting, which they do.
Peter Gerety
Peter Gerety is an American actor.Gerety began acting while a student at Boston University, participating in productions at the Charles Playhouse. In 1965, he joined the Trinity Square Repertory Company, a resident theater company in Providence, Rhode Island where he appeared in over 125...
in the television series Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
.
He is introduced in the season four one-shot episode "Scene of the Crime", as a cowardly patrolman who allows two drug dealers to murder each other rather than venture into a housing project to prevent the crime. This exercise in poor judgment, compounded by his failure to call for back-up, and his attempt to later cover up these failings, leads to a hearing in which he is exonerated. In the end of the episode, Detective Megan Russert
Megan Russert
Detective Megan Russert is a fictional character on Homicide: Life on the Street played by Isabella Hofmann. At the time of her introduction in the premiere episode of the third season, she is a lieutenant who takes charge of the homicide unit's second shift after the previous commander's retirement...
, the chief witness against Gharty, seems to be successful in her attempt to talk him into resigning and admitting to himself that he is not cut out for police work.
At the time of his introduction, Gharty is 54 years old, with a wife, Flora; a daughter, Ellen; and two granddaughters, Sarah and Sandra. He tells Russert that he is six months away from being able to transfer into a desk job and get off patrol duty, and that concern for his family's welfare was the main reason that he did not go in after the shooters.
He later returns in the two-part season five finale, "Partners and Other Strangers" and "Strangers and Other Partners", in which it is revealed that he not only did not resign, but was promoted to Detective and given a senior position in the Internal Investigations Division
Internal affairs (law enforcement)
The internal affairs division of a law enforcement agency investigates incidents and plausible suspicions of lawbreaking and professional misconduct attributed to officers on the force...
— one of many unjust promotions featured in the show. He plays a key role in solving the murder of Detective Beau Felton
Beau Felton
Det. Beauregard D. 'Beau' Felton is a fictional character on the television drama series Homicide: Life on the Street portrayed by Daniel Baldwin for seasons 1-3. He was loosely based on Det...
, who, Gharty reveals, had also been working for IID over the last six months. Russert and Sergeant Kay Howard
Kay Howard
Kay Howard is a fictional homicide detective from Homicide: Life on the Street. She was played by actress Melissa Leo. In the first two seasons of the show her character was the only female detective or member of the main cast. This was in keeping with the book and the actual Homicide unit in...
blame him for Felton's death and Frank Pembleton
Frank Pembleton
Francis Xavier "Frank" Pembleton is a fictional homicide detective on the television drama series Homicide: Life on the Street portrayed by Emmy Award winning actor Andre Braugher. He is a primary character of the show through the first six seasons...
originally does not want to work with him. Gharty later tells Pembleton that he suffered a brutal beating during an IID investigation and got over his fear of being hurt on the job. Afterwards, he works well with the homicide detectives and helps clear Felton's murder.
In season six, Gharty is transferred to homicide as a result of a "departmental rotation" program recently implemented in the Baltimore Police Department. As a homicide detective partnered with Laura Ballard (to whom he is extremely loyal), Gharty sometimes displays racist
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
paranoia and other forms of pettiness, but for the most part redeems himself as a police officer, demonstrating aptitude, confidence, and devotion he had not exhibited as a patrolman. In the season finale, he and Ballard are both wounded during a gunfight in the squad room; the shooter also kills three uniformed officers before being shot dead by several other detectives.
John Munch
John Munch
Sergeant John Munch is a fictional character played by actor Richard Belzer. Munch first appeared on Homicide: Life on the Street. Upon that series' cancellation, the character was transplanted to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the first spin-off of the Law & Order franchise...
, despite describing Gharty as a "buddy" on at least one occasion, is openly disdainful of his presence in the unit, and begins in Season 7 to openly question Stu's statement that he served in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Stu and Munch also clash when both fall for bartender Billie Lou, as Gharty had begun an affair with her that led to his divorce but she ended up with (and briefly married to) Munch. After Munch illegally obtains Gharty's service records and finds he received an "other than honorable" discharge, Gharty tells the whole story: he witnessed American troops committing atrocities against the residents of a village, and a superior officer ordered Gharty onto a waiting helicopter, only to then allow the unit to continue massacring the villagers.
Gharty gets a divorce from his wife early in Season 7, and begins drinking heavily later in that season before he is able to pull himself together.
The Movie
In Homicide: The MovieHomicide: The Movie
Homicide: The Movie is a television movie that aired 13 February 2000, one year after the completion of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street...
, Gharty has replaced Lt. Giardello as homicide shift commander, since Giardello is running for Mayor. Gharty admits that he was promoted to Lieutenant because the bosses know they can push him around and that he was not going to last much longer on the streets. Gharty then sees Captain Roger Gaffney
Roger Gaffney
Roger Gaffney is a fictional police officer of the Baltimore Police Department on Homicide: Life on the Street. He was played by Walt MacPherson....
push aside former detectives Pembleton and Tim Bayliss
Tim Bayliss
Timothy Bayliss is a fictional detective on Homicide: Life on the Street. He was a primary character, and was played by Kyle Secor. He was loosely based on the real-life Det...
, who return with the hopes of helping find Giardello's shooter. Despite Gharty's personal dislike for Pembleton, he respects the man's investigative skills and ignores the bosses (on Pembleton's advice), giving him and Bayliss the chance to solve Gee's shooting, which they do.