Daniel Phelan

From The Wire

Daniel Phelan
First appearance	"The Target"
Details
Gender	Male

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Daniel Phelan is a Baltimore circuit court judge.

[edit] Biography

Judge Phelan is a friend of Detective Jimmy McNulty's who presided over the D'Angelo Barksdale murder trial, watching the jury gave a not guilty verdict when a witness changed her statement. After he learned the witness was paid off (and possibly intimidated), and that D'Angelo was part of a much larger drug dealing operation, Phelan insisted that Police Deputy Commissioner Ervin Burrell set up a detail to investigate. When Phelan speaks to the press about the murder of another witness from the trial, McNulty felt that Phelan had gone behind his back and their relationship was soured for a time.

Over the course of the investigation, he was always willing to sign court documents authorizing wiretaps. When Phelan realized his actions had cost him political capital, his passion for the case waned. Assistant States Attorney Rhonda Pearlman used Phelan's obvious attraction to her to keep him interested on the case.

In Season two, Phelan presided over the trial of Marquis "Bird" Hilton for the murder of Gant, during which he was amused by Omar Little's testimony, and pleased to give Bird a strict sentence.

Phelan reconciled with McNulty in Season three when the judge authorized a wiretap on Russell "Stringer" Bell's cell phone.

[edit] Behind the scenes

Phelan is played by Peter Gerety. Gerety had a previuos starring role on Homicide: Life on the Street.

[edit] Appearances

Season one

• "The Target"
• "The Detail"
• "Old Cases"
• "The Pager"
• "One Arrest"
• "Lessons"
• "The Cost"
• "The Hunt"
• "Sentencing"

Season two

• "All Prologue"

Season three:

• "Reformation"
• "Middle Ground"

Season five:

• "The Dickensian Aspect"