Anton "Stinkum" Artis (1978–2002) was a lieutenant in the Barksdale Organization of Baltimore. He was killed by Omar Little in 2002 as revenge for having partaken in the death of his partner Brandon Wright.
Biography[]
Artis was born in 1978 to an African-American family in West Baltimore. He became a drug dealer and joined the Barksdale Organization led by Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell, which controlled narcotics operations in the Lexington Terrace area, and Artis supervised distribution from the apartments to the low-rise housing projects known as "the Pit". In 2002, he was present at the murder trial of Barksdale's nephew D'Angelo, intimidating eyewitness Nakeesha Lyles into remaining silent, which got D'Angelo acquitted. Barksdale then assigned him on a hit team comprised of Roland Brice, Savino Bratton and Marquis Hilton to search after Omar Little and his associates Brandon Wright and John Bailey for having robbed several of the organization's stash houses. Coupled with his new responsibilities of running the Edmonson Village turf, this awarded Artis with the chance to sit in on private meetings with Barksdale, Bell and Brice. During the hunt for Little and his men, Bailey was rapidly dispatched and Wright was located thanks to a tipoff from D'Angelo's underling Wallace, who spotted him at an arcade business on the West Side, which gave Artis, Brice and Hilton the chance to apprehend him and torture him to death, leaving his charred and mangled corpse tied to a car and put on display as a message to rival dealers. At this time, the Baltimore Police Department was conducting an investigation into Barksdale and his gang, and Artis emerged as a prime target, being tailed by Narcotics officers along with Kevin Johnston, who got out of Artis' car with five packages of heroin to make sure Artis wouldn't be connected to it, though he was subsequently detained. Despite the setback, Edmonson Avenue still needed to be claimed, and Artis celebrated a party in honor of his new territory with Brice, Wintell Royce, Wendell Blocker, Bratton, D'Angelo, and several prostitutes, one of whom overdosed on heroin and died during the debauchery.
Death[]
Artis after being shot dead by Omar Little.
Artis and Brice were preparing to take the Edmonson Avenue corners from a small-time street gang. Artis exited their vehicle with his hoodie over his head, armed with his handgun and ready to take out the gang's leader with Brice backing him up from the other side. However, as he approached them, he saw Little emerging from a street corner, having anticipated their presence and lying in wait for them. Little raised his shotgun and blasted Artis in the chest, killing him instantly; in the ensuing shootout, Brice was injured in his left leg, and the attack renewed the rivalry between the Barksdales and Little.