Mel Bernstein (1934-1980) was a corrupt Miami police detective. In 1980, he was killed by Tony Montana for his association with Montana's former boss, Frank Lopez.
Biography
Mel Bernstein worked for the Miami-Dade Police Department as a detective, and he was known to be corrupt, working with drug lord Frank Lopez. He used this relationship to enrich himself, but he was wary to not include other departments or policemen in his corruption, not wanting to humiliate them. In 1980, Lopez sent Bernstein to extort money from his employee Tony Montana; Bernstein blackmailed Montana (whom he knew had killed Emilio Rebenga in Freedomtown and the Colombians at the Sun Ray Hotel) into paying him for information and stings on other drug lords; he also demanded first-class plane tickets to London for himself and his wife. Montana was nearly killed by hitmen that same night, and Montana drove to confront Lopez at Lopez Motors, also finding Bernstein there. Montana executed Lopez, and he then shot Bernstein in the chest. Bernstein told Montana that he could not kill a cop, but Montana told him that he could get him some "first-class tickets to the resurrection." Bernstein then shouted, "Fuck you!," and Montana shot him in the forehead, killing him.
Gallery
