The Legendary Larry Davis has finally gone home to meet his maker after being juxed in Shawangunk prison in upstate New York.

Perhaps some of you are to young to remember Larry Davis.  Larry Davis (41 at the time of his death) was my first “American Gangster.”  Way back in 1986 Davis, a drug kingpin became infamous in the then crack covered streets of New York after after wounding six NYPD officers in a western style shoot out in an housing complex. Somehow he was able to escape the completely surrounded building through a window, leading police on a 17 day manhunt captivating the attention of police, the media and New Yorkers at large.  He was eventually tracked to a housing project where one of his sisters lived but was not convicted of any crime involving the incident after he claimed self defense.

Davis was killed Wednesday evening by another inmate, Luis Rosado, who was said to be weilding a home-made shank and inflicted wounds to his arms, head, back, upper thigh and chest. He had been serving 25 years to life for the murder of five rival drug dealers.  Serving this warrant was what ignited the infamous fire fight.

It was a really interesting story.  Mad rappers have included reference to his escape in their ryhmes like Jeru the Damaja.  I don’t believe BET did an “American Gangster” feature on him but should have.  There however is a Larry Davis Story documentary which examines Police involvement in narcotics trading which lead to his arrest after he failed to cooperate.  Worth checking out.  That was a wild boy.