Lloyd Triple

Lloyd Triple is the Deputy Mayor of Chicago who made his sole appearance in "The Deputy Mayor".

History

Lloyd Triple grew up in Maywood, Illinois, where he befriended Fred Hampton. Fred, wanting to speak up against police brutality and government oppression, joined the Black Panther Party, although he was assassinated by the FBI. Around the same time, Lloyd was drafted into the Vietnam War. He also befriended Robert F. Kennedy and drove down to Indiana give him support when Kennedy ran for office. Lloyd eventually became the Deputy Mayor of Chicago, having been chosen to be a part of Mayor Bobby Novak's administration to cater to the older crowd. For many years, Lloyd attempted to have a street in Chicago named after Fred, but his efforts were shut down by Novak, as it was a hot-button issue due to Fred being a Black Panther.

After Novak takes the day off work to secretly tend to Stephanie Novak's well-being, placing city attorney Keri Allen in charge of the day-to-day, Lloyd attempted take advantage of Novak's absence by pushing forth his agenda to have a street in Chicago named after Fred, although his attempt was shut down by Jessica Pearson.

Lloyd then pays Keri a visit in her office to discuss his campaign; Keri, however, informs him that as a member of the Black Panther Party, Fred is viewed as a militant and that the Chicago Police Department would be against it, and thus would negatively affect Novak's tenure in office. Knowing that Lloyd is firm, Keri approaches press secretary Derrick Mayes and tells him to team up with Lloyd and claim his plan has been approved, with the intention being to string him along until Novak returns. Derrick is reluctant, not wanting to lie to Lloyd after lying to the press, and Keri reminds him where he works and tells him to find a way to wrestle with his conscience.

Derrick goes to Lloyd's office, notifying him that he had won Keri over. Derrick then notices photos of Lloyd with Bobby Kennedy as well as Lloyd's time serving in Vietnam. Lloyd wants Fred to be remembered, upset that Derrick, a black man born and raised in Chicago and attended college in Chicago as well, had no clue who Fred was. Lloyd proposes they discuss the matter with City Council, but as Derrick is tasked to stall him, he notifies Lloyd that they must follow protocol and gain signatures. Lloyd is suspicious, claiming that citing protocol is a tactic to string him along, although Derrick convinces him of his sincerity; in response, Lloyd informs Derrick that the pair would go out canvassing the neighborhood for signatures.

The next day, Lloyd and Derrick are in the neighborhood collecting signatures. Derrick asks why commemorating Fred Hampton is so important to him, and Lloyd divulges that he and Fred were childhood friends, and that Fred was merely fighting government oppression and police brutality when the FBI raided his house and shot him, putting two more bullets in his head when the first one did not kill him. He adds that he had spoken with Fred the day he had died, wanting to hang out together, although Fred refused, claiming that it would not be safe for Lloyd to be seen with him.

Lloyd returns to his office in City Hall, where Keri reveals to him that her supposed acceptance in his campaign was a ploy to waste his time, adding that Novak has no intention of supporting his campaign to have Fred Hampton commemorated as the police department would not support it. Keri is shocked when Lloyd admits he knows Novak is ending to his wife at the Mayo Clinic, claiming that as he knows the truth regarding Novak's whereabouts, he should understand her shutting his agenda was not done as a power play but out of loyalty to Novak, who would not approve it. As Keri is about to leave, Lloyd asks her if he could give her some advice, and when she accepts, warns her that she should not let her loyalty to Novak allow her to become what she hates, adding that Fred Hampton fought to help those in poverty while she helped Pat McGann kick poor people out into the streets.^[1]

Appearances

References