'Oz' Actor Charged in Elevator Shaft Death

Feb. 4, 2007 — -- An actor who played a prisoner on HBO's "Oz" series may well be on his way to the real slammer.

Granville Adams, 43, was arrested late Saturday on criminally negligent homicide charges after a dispute at a posh New York nightclub sent another man plummeting down an elevator shaft.

According to police reports, the victim, Orlando Valle, was celebrating his 35th birthday at BED New York when he got into a dispute with Adams early Saturday morning.

According to police, Adams pushed Valle against the sixth-floor elevator doors -- and the impact was so powerful the doors opened and Valle fell into the shaft.

Luz Ruiz was celebrating with Valle. He told the Associated Press Valle "tried to hold on with his left hand. He just fell. It happened so fast."

Valle plummeted four floors, landing on top of the elevator car at the second floor of the converted warehouse space. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

HBO, which aired "Oz," had no comment. A spokesperson for the network said they have had no dealings with Adams since the series ended several years ago.

Adams played Zahir Arif, "Prisoner 97A622." He also portrayed a police officer in 11 episodes of NBC's "Homicide: Life on the Street."

Celebrity-watchers say after Saturday's incident, his next role may be harder to come by.