A Brief History of Seven Killings

Marlon James A Brief History of Seven Killings

To Maurice James

An extraordinary gentleman in a league of his own.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

GREATER KINGSTON from 1959

Sir Arthur Jennings, former politician, deceased

The Singer, reggae superstar of the world

Peter Nasser, politician, strategist

Nina Burgess, former receptionist, presently unemployed

Kim-Marie Burgess, her sister

Ras Trent, Kim-Marie’s lover

Doctor Love / Luis Hernán Rodrigo de las Casas, CIA consultant

Barry Diflorio, CIA station chief, Jamaica

Claire Diflorio, his wife

William Adler, former field officer, CIA, now rogue

Alex Pierce, journalist, Rolling Stone

Mark Lansing, filmmaker, son of Richard Lansing, former CIA director

Louis Johnson, field officer, CIA

Mr. Clark, field officer, CIA

Bill Bilson, journalist, the Jamaica Gleaner

Sally Q, fixer, informant

Tony McFerson, politician

Officer Watson, police

Officer Nevis, police

Officer Grant, police

Copenhagen City

Papa-Lo / Raymond Clarke, don of Copenhagen City, 1960–1979

Josey Wales, head enforcer, don of Copenhagen City, 1979–1991, leader of the Storm Posse

Weeper, gang enforcer, Storm Posse head enforcer, Manhattan/Brooklyn

Demus, gang member

Heckle, gang member

Bam-Bam, gang member

Funky Chicken, gang member

Renton, gang member

Leggo Beast, gang member

Tony Pavarotti, enforcer, sniper

Priest, messenger, informer

Junior Soul, informer/rumored Eight Lanes spy

The Wang Gang, gang based in Wang Sang Lands, affiliated with Copenhagen City

Copper, gang enforcer

Chinaman, gang leader near Copenhagen City

Treetop, gang member

Bullman, enforcer

The Eight Lanes

Shotta Sherrif / Roland Palmer, don of the Eight Lanes, 1975–1980

Funnyboy, gang enforcer and second-in-command

Buntin-Banton, coleader and don of the Eight Lanes, 1972–1975

Dishrag, coleader and don of the Eight Lanes, 1972–1975

Outside Jamaica, 1976–1979

Donald Casserley, drug trafficker, president, Jamaica Freedom League

Richard Lansing, CIA director, 1973–1976

Lindon Wolfsbricker, American ambassador to Yugoslavia

Admiral Warren Tunney, CIA director, 1977–1981

Roger Theroux, field officer, CIA

Miles Copeland, CIA station chief, Cairo

Edgar Anatolyevich Cheporov, reporter, Novosti News Agency

Freddy Lugo, operative, Alpha 66, United Revolutionary Organizations, AMBLOOD

Hernán Ricardo Lozano, operative, Alpha 66, United Revolutionary Organizations, AMBLOOD

Orlando Bosch, operative Omega 7, United Revolutionary Organizations, AMBLOOD

Gael and Freddy, operatives, Omega 7, United Revolutionary Organizations, AMBLOOD

Sal Resnick, journalist, New York Times

Montego Bay, 1979

Kim Clarke, unemployed

Charles/Chuck, engineer, Alcorp Bauxite

Miami and New York, 1985–1991

Storm Posse, Jamaican drug syndicate

Ranking Dons, rival Jamaican drug syndicate

Eubie, head enforcer, Storm Posse, Queens/Bronx

A-Plus, associate of Tristan Phillips

Pig Tails, enforcer, Storm Posse, Queens/Bronx

Ren-Dog, enforcer, Storm Posse, Queens/Bronx

Omar, enforcer, Storm Posse, Manhattan/Brooklyn

Romeo, drug dealer, Storm Posse, Brooklyn

Tristan Phillips, inmate, Rikers, member of Ranking Dons

John-John K, hit man, carjacker

Paco, carjacker

Griselda Blanco, drug lord, Medellín cartel Miami operations

Baxter, enforcer for Griselda Blanco

The Hawaiian Shirts, enforcers for Griselda Blanco

Kenneth Colthirst, New York resident, 5th Avenue

Gaston Colthirst, his son

Gail Colthirst, his daughter-in-law

Dorcas Palmer, caregiver

Millicent Segree, student nurse

Miss Betsy, manager, God Bless Employment Agency

Monifah Thibodeaux, drug addict

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEVEN KILLINGS

Gonna tell the truth about it,

Honey, that’s the hardest part

— BONNIE RAITT, “Tangled and Dark”

If it no go so, it go near so.

— Jamaican proverb

Sir Arthur George Jennings

Listen.