Irvin Cartagena, also known as Green Eyes, sold the drug "in broad daylight in New York City, feeding addiction and causing tragedy", said lawyer Damien Williams. His death saw an outpouring of emotion and tributes from a host of famous faces, including the film director Spike Lee, actress Viola Davis and author Stephen King, who described Williams as "fantastically talented". Interviewed together years before Williams' death, Pierce said his co-star's performance gave voice and flesh to characters "that most people would have never given the same humanity to… opening a window to a world of men that we pass by or don't know about"