# American Gangster Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-gangster-question/436145>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 3, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-gangster-question/436145 "2008-02-03T21:49:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Two\_and\_a\_Half\_Inches\_of\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_and_a_Half_Inches_of_Fun)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-gangster-question/436145/1 "2008-02-03T21:49:57Z")

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Is there any truth to idea that the character that Russell Crowe plays was both the lead detective and the lead prosecutor in real life? Is this something that could ever happen in real life? Or was it just a way to increase the size of the part Crowe plays?

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**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-gangster-question/436145/2 "2008-02-04T04:08:07Z")

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Not only that…

but later, he was also Frank Lucas’ defense attorney.

Wikipedia says [it’s all true](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richie_Roberts) but it is hard to believe.