Marcus Sweeton, also known as "Sweety," was a main character in the seventh season of the FX series Justified.
Biography[]
City Primeval/Season 7[]
It is said that Marcus Sweeton IS Detroit. He is a former musician who once played bass with George Clinton. he now runs a bar that is considered a refuge to the dispossessed and where he continues to play music, while also running a few illegal scams on the side. He once ran with "The Oklahoma Wildman," a mistake he can never undo, but hopes for just one more opportunity to get out from under him. He was a shirt-tail uncle to the Wildman's lawyer, Carolyn Wilder. He has a partner of seven years named Trennell. He is known as someone who is willing to help other people around Detroit, but has been growing tired of people taking advantage of his kindness.
In "City Primeval," Sweety witnesses a scene between Carolyn Wilder and her ex-husband or boyfriend, Jamal, in which Jamal threatens her, threatening to drag her into his mess if she doesn't get money to pay back some creditors. After he is gone, Sweety asks her why she still gives him the time of day and she claims to be a sucker for a sweet face. He then hands her envelope, thanking her for helping out Tyrone, a friend of his and her client. He tells her that it's less than what they talked about, but she waves this off, saying that she owes him for a lifetime of watching out for her. She asks why more people can't just do the right thing and he comments that it's too early for the big questions. As she leaves, he takes a call from Clement Mansell, who asks him how he's doing. Clement and his girl, Sandy Stanton, then pay a visit to the bar. Sweety comments that he thought Clement had it with the Motor City, but Clement tells him he has something that he's been working on. He asks Sweety to hook Sandy up with some marijuana while he uses the restroom. Unbeknownst to Sweety, in the restroom, Clement removes a gun he stashed long ago in a ceiling panel.
In "The Oklahoma Wildman," a flashback to 2017 shows that Sweety was part of a group known as the Wrecking Crew, dealing drugs. He sold out his crew in order to get a payday and Clement shot his crew, killing all of them but one, whom he thought he had killed, but actually survived. Afterwards, Clement called him, realizing he was about to be arrested, and advised him to find him a lawyer, lest he start talking. Sweety then contacted Carolyn Wilder, who managed to get him off on a federal detainer statute.
In the present day, Sandy Stanton returns to Sweety's bar, ostensibly for more marijuana. Like Clement, she claims a need to go the restroom, and once there, she stashes the gun used by Clement back in the ceiling panel, a gun that has now been used to kill Judge Alvin Guy and his assistant, Rose Doyle. Later, Sweety is paid a visit by Detective Wendell Robinson and U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens. The two insinuate that Sandy might have stashed a gun there at the behest of Clement Mansell, noting Sweety's past history with the Wrecking Crew. In response, Sweety reveals three firearms that he owns legally, telling them that if they want to search for any others, there's something he has to do first. He then puts in a call to Carolyn Wilder. When Carolyn arrives, she chastises Wendell and Raylan for harassing her client without calling her first. Wendell claims that they were only talking, but Clement tells her that they were looking for a gun. Carolyn asks if they have a warrant, telling them to leave and not come back until they do. After they are gone, she asks Sweety if there's something she needs to know. He tells her that Clement Mansell is back in town, but she tells him that she already knows. She tells him that he came to her and made it clear that she still represents him if she wants to keep Sweety out of trouble. She asks him what that's about and he compares Clement Mansell to Apophis, the snake of Egyptian legend who tried to swallow the sun. He tells her that bad stuff happens whenever Clement shows up, but she replies that last she checked, the sun still rises.
In "Backstabbers," Sweety arrives to find the police tearing his place apart, having succeeded in obtaining a search warrant to look for the gun. They are none too gentle, basically wrecking the place and he lowers his head and sobs as Detective Norbert Bryl shows him the warrant, commenting that they too have a wrecking crew. They later take him in to the police station for questioning. Detective Maureen Downey comments that he's been somebody that they can turn to now for a long time, that he understands the streets. She says that it's fair enough if he doesn't snitch, but that he has his eyes on the city, the community and his tranquil patch therein. He asks if she's singing his funeral song and she tells him he's in the hot seat on a press case double homicide. "Maybe I am," he agrees. Back at his bar, he works to sweep up the mess with his employee, Trennell. He tells him that he's been living there a long time and that he can't go back. Trennell tells him he doesn't have to do one thing he doesn't want. Sweety pulls out the gun, which the police did not manage to find in their search. He explains to Trennell what it is, saying that Clement thought he was slick, stashing it there. Trennell tells him to get rid of it, but Sweety instead says that Clement might think he has an ace in the hole, but he can't wait to see the look on his face when he gets got. He later meets Carolyn Wilder in her office, where he tells her that hypothetically he might have the murder weapon that killed the judge and took out several in the Wrecking Crew killings. He asks her where it would leave him if it were to show itself and she replies that he's talking as if she's just his lawyer, as if she didn't do her homework sitting at his barstool. She advises him to turn it in, saying that they can finally get Clement Mansell off of them for good. He says that he would go to prison and she tells him that she knows someone who could get him an immunity deal. He asks her to work her magic.
In "Kokomo," Sweety puts in a call to his insurance company, trying to make a claim for the damages to his tavern. However, despite his premium being up to date, he is told that he cannot make a claim because it was the police who did the damage. Frustrated, he says that he'll call them back as Clement and Sandy arrive. Clement comments that they did a number on the place and Sweety replies that they did a number because of him. He asks what he did and Sweety replies that the police came in looking for the gun that killed Judge Alvin Guy and Rose Doyle. He He tells Sweety that if there is such a gun, it certainly isn't there because Sandy took it and sunk it to the bottom of the Detroit River. At this, Sandy tells him that it isn't as easy he makes it sound, that there were people everywhere and one of them could have seen her. He complains about her smoking weed, but she tells him that she wasn't just being paranoid, that she got a bad feeling, so she came back and hid it there at the tavern. Sweety suggests that this might have been what Clement told her to do in the first place, that he was setting him up to take his rap. Sweety tells him that she only put it there because it was where Clement had hidden it. Sweety says that he thought it looked familiar, admitting that he found it and this was why the cops didn't find it. Clement tells him that it's messed up what the police did there and that he'd love to make it up to him. Sweety tells him he can start by paying to fix up the tavern. "Can do," Clement tells him, indicating a ring on Sandy's finger and telling him that it's a genuine antique from Albania and would go for a few grand in any pawn shop. Sweety asks him if a "hot ass rock" is all he really has for him and he asks him how much he knows about Judge Alvin Guy. He shows him a notebook he stole from the judge filled with figures, telling him there's money in the pages.
Later, Sweety returns to Carolyn Wilder. She tells him that she got someone in the county prosecutor's office to talk to her. She tells him that she got him a deal: that if he hands over the murder weapon and testifies to what he knows about the Wrecking Kill killings, then he'll get immunity. He says that this would make him a snitch and she counters that Clement has been holding this over his head for years and this is how he can stop being his collateral damage. He tells her he's never asked the system to solve his problems for him and she notes that he had asked her for this. He says that last time he didn't understand Clement, but that now he does and that he has an opportunity to take him down and get what's coming to him in the process. She asks just what he means and he asks if she's sure she really wants to hear it. She tells him that she does and he says that the gun isn't the only thing in play from the night of the judge's murder. "Do you mean his little black book?" asks Carolyn in awe, asking if it's really real. He tells her that it's like a key to the city, that there's enough dirt in it to make some real moves, even put her in the judge's seat if she wanted. She tells him that wading around in murky waters like this is how you get bit, asking if he really wants to mess around with a killer like Clement Mansell. He tells her he's tired of waiting around for the right thing to happen.
In "You Good?," Sweety meets with Clement at a cafe to discuss how to make use of Judge Guy's notebook. Sweety tells Clement that the real question isn't how, but rather who. Clement tells him they need ot play things hard and heavy, but he says that it isn't like anything they've ever done before and calls for finesse. They start going through names, Clement suggesting somebody named "Roger Block." Sweety dismisses the suggestion, saying that he's a war hero and likely has a hard bark. They come to the name "Meynard Delvina," but Sweety rejects this one too, saying that Meynard is Albanian and he doesn't want to be peeled like an orange. Hearing this, Sandy Stanton, who came with Clement, comes over faint and walks out. Sweety finds another name - Burt Dickey. He tells Clement that he's known as "Bulldozer Burt," that he rips down old buildings to put up condos. He describes as being a white-collar ex-con and a walk in the park. Clement agrees that they should give him a try.
Sweety texts Burt a picture of his entry in Judge Guy's notebook, then takes his call. He coerces him into a meeting at hi s home at 4 P.M. that afternoon. When they get there, Burt takes issue with Clement being there as well, but Sweety claims him to be his half-brother, Martin. Burt tells themt hat he made a mistake and mishandled his affairs, which led to his entry in Judge Guy's notebook. He asks who hasn't lost their head over a lady. "Me," deadpans Sweety, looking stoney-faced. Burt asks where they're at and Sweety tells him that they want $30,000. Burt offers $5,000 and Sweety asks him if they look like they're there for chicken-feed, saying they won't walk out for less than $20,000. Burt asks if they really think he has piles of cash just lying around and Sweety says this is a fair point, with everything being electronic these days. He asks Clement if they can live with $17,500. "Not really, no," says Clement and Burt says that $10,000 is the best he can do, that it's a lot for a slip of paper. Clement then points out a painting, asking about it, then says that the price is, in fact, $50,000. Sweety, however, gets up, saying that $10,000 will be fine. He hands Burt a page from the notebook. Back in their car, Clement complains that Burt surely had $50,000, but Sweety says that the point was not the money, but simply to see if the book would work. Sweety replies that he's not saying the point is always the money, but when it comes to extortion, the point is the money. Sweety says that the point is he told him to be cool and Clement asks if he pulled a gun or threatened the man. He says they nearly could have gotten 40 grand more, but Sweety says that the point is that it worked. Clement says that he thinks they're talking in circles. That evening, he returns to Burt without Sweety and steals the painting.
In "Adios," Sweety and Clement await their latest mark at a raised parking lot. Clement discusses his preference for classic cars with Sweety, telling him that you have to go pre-90s to find one with a tape deck. Sweety asks him why he doesn't just buy a tape deck, but he says that walking around with a "ghetto blaster" like he's on Fat Albert isn't a solution. The mark arrives and Clement asks Sweety if he has his page from Judge Guy's notebook. He says he does. "Well, then..." says Clement, but Sweety tells him that they discussed it and he does the face-to-face. "Have it your way," agrees Clement, but when Sweety returns, he is annoyed to find that the envelope of cash he has brought back contains not the $15,000 they had agreed on with the guy, but only $12,000. He asks Sweety why this is and he tells them the man had said it was all he had and he said he had to consult with his partner. Clement calls it bull, saying that anyone who has $12,000 surely has $15,000. He tells Sweety to wait there and goes after the guy, but the man runs, all the way to the edge of and over the parking garage's railing, falling down on the ground dead, his head cracked open. As Sweety comes over, Clement tells him that he surely had the rest in his wallet. "So the wallet's down there, then?" asks Sweety, not amused, asking if he wants to get them out of there.
Back at the penthouse, Sandy wonders why Clement is so mad. "Yeah, why you so mad?" Clement asks of Sweety, saying that he can't let two guys rip them off in a row and be taken seriously. When Sweety doesn't answer, Clement comments that he can sulk all he wants, but he knows he's right. Sweety replies that the first guy didn't rip them off, that it was Clement who changed the price at the last minute. Clement says that he's been thinking about that and he still thinks it was the right play, that it's kind of like buying a car. Sweety asks just when he's ever actually bought a car, but he says that his father used to sell cars and at signing it would be a couple hundred dollars more, that this was the "extended warranty." Sandy asks why they aren't already packing for a tropical home and Clement reminds her that Sweety gets half the money. Meanwhile, Sweety ignores his frantically buzzing phone and instead notes the painting that Clement has hung on the wall. "You goddamn didn't," he says, asking if he really went back to Burt's. He agrees that he did and, irritated, answers his phone. It turns out to be his partner, Trennell, calling. He tells him it's a bad time, but Trennell says that the next time he sends him to voicemail, it'd better be because he's dead. He says that there's a white man at the tavern to see him by the name of Lonnie and that he doesn't seem to be from the bank or police, but looks like he's done time. He tells Sweety to get back there. After ending the call, Sweety asks Clement if he knows anyone named Lonnie, but he claims not to.
Sweety returns to his tavern and meets with Lonnie. Lonnie tells him that he's heard a lot about Sweety and how he's willing to help out others. Before they can get very far into the conversation, however, Trennell interrupts and tells him that he has a call. Sweety tells him to take a message and returns to talking with Lonnie. Lonnie tells him that this is about the painting that Clement stole from Bulldozer Burt. Sweety asks why all the trouble for that and Lonnie just says that you never know what things people will care about. He asks why Sweety was messing with Burt and he tells him that maybe he's tired of loaning his car to people only for them to return it saying the scratch was already there, or people saying that he used to be something. Burt tells him he has to get paid, saying that if he just tells him where the painting is, he'll take it and that'll be that. Just then, Trennell shouts for Sweety come and answer the phone. He comes over and asks Sweety if he wants to tell him about the book, saying that the lady on the phone said he should tell him it's about the book. Sweety takes the call, which turns out to be from Diane Rogers, a county prosecutor. She tells him that her name is in the book, asking what it would take to get the page destroyed. He says it's up to her and she offers $30,000, which he agrees to. They make an arrangement to meet in a park that evening. He then tells Trennell that he may have just found a way out. He returns to Lonnie, handing him $6,000, and offering him the $30,000 that Diane is bringing if he kills Clement Mansell when he arrives for the meeting.
Sweety meets with Clement, who suggests that the two of them take a ride together in his latest stolen car. Sweety, however, claims that he has a "little thing" he has to do. Clement asks just what this is and he tells him that it's about the book, that he's going to collect a payment. "Without me?" protests Clement and Sweety points out the fact that he threw someone off the roof the roof of a parking garage. "He was provoking me," protests Clement, but Sweety tells him that he's too easy to provoke, that this is his point. He continues that he's looking to get paid, not strung up for murder. He says it's better if he just does it on his own, but Clement tells him this wasn't what they agreed to. Sweety tells him that he didn't agree to him acting like a maniac either, and Clement asks if he's saying he can't handle himself. He tells him to give him the page and he'll find the person and get the money. He tells him he won't have him casting aspersions, saying that he's way calmer than him, most of the time. Sweety tells him that if he thinks he can handle it, it's his, giving him the page and the time and place of the meeting, thus laying the trap. After Clement is gone, he gets a call from Carolyn Wilder, who tells him that things are happening that day that could put an end to the whole drama with Clement. He replies that he's been working on some plays of his own, but she says that it would a be a great day for him to put as much distance as possible between himself and her client. He replies that it sounds like her stuff could get in the way of his, but she just tells him to rein it in. He says that he needs to make a phone call and she tells him to be careful. He then calls Lonnie, but ends up going to voicemail. He tells Lonnie that he needs to call him back before he does what they talked about, that it's important.
Later, Sweety is sitting alone in his tavern when Lonnie enters. He tells him that the whole thing was a setup. Sweety agrees that he heard and Lonnie continues that there were cops all over the place the second he landed. He says that he just walked away, but that he got Sweety's message after. "It looks like maybe they rolled up white boy, though," he tells Sweety, but just then, Clement comes through the door, asking "You mean this white boy?" Carrying a tape deck, he asks Sweety what he missed, but Sweety says that he didn't miss anything, that they were just talking. Clement asks who his friend is and Sweety introduces him as Lonnie. As Lonnie remains quiet, Clement suggests that they continue talking, that they weren't having any problem with it before. Lonnie's phone rings and Clement suggests that he answers, but when he does, he shoots him in the head. He tells Sweety that he thought about what he said about a tape deck and that he agrees that the portability is a big plus. He continues that it occurred to him that Sweety has never heard him sing before and he thought "What's it going to hurt now?" Sweety asks him just what this means and he says that he thinks he's ready for him to hear one of his tunes, that one is all they have time for. He asks Sweety to silence his jukebox. As Sweety walks over to the jukebox, he says that the thought they had a gentleman's agreement and that he didn't have to watch his back with him.
Sweety replies that he has ends in this too, asking why he would do something like that to him.Clement replies that he doesn't know, that he might just not be thinking straight, but that it nags at him that Sweety keeps his hands clean while he does the scut work. He says that it feels like he's carrying the full load and he doesn't understand why he's paying him half if this is so. He tells him again to kill the jukebox, but he says that he doesn't feel like listening to his "raggedy-ass tune." Clement then points the gun at him, demanding that he unplug it. He does so and Clement starts up the tape deck, playing his cover of the song "Seven Nation Army." "So?" he asks Sweety, but Sweety tells him he won't talk to him unless he puts the gun away. Clement asks what he thinks but he asks if he's really asking him this right now. Clement asks him what he hears with his big ears, if he has what it takes. He asks if he really can't lie, even when he has a gun on him. He tells Sweety to close his eyes, but Sweety just curses. He tells him that if he has to go listening to his "honky chicken-fat cover song bullshit," then he has to look him in the eye. Clement shoots him in the heart. He then goes over to the bar, grabs a bottle of booze and begins pouring it all over it. He sets the place ablaze, leaving Sweety's body to burn.
In "The Smoking Gun," a flashback shows Sweety at a younger age, Carolyn Wilder still a child. He shows Carolyn and a group of friends something that he's been working on, telling them that it's his bar, or that it will, that he put down a down payment. He tells them that while it may not look like much now, he's going to put a bar, a pool table, some booths and a big jukebox. He tells them that he's getting to old for the life he's living now, that he's going to play only the music he wants to play and serve only those he wants to serve. "I think it's going to be fucking cool," Carolyn says and Sweety, though astonished by her language, agrees that it will be cool. In the present day, Trennell, grieving Sweety's loss, provides Raylan with the gun to implicate Clement Mansell. He asks him if he can use it, and he assures him he can. Later that day, Clement tells Carolyn Wilder a story of how he murdered his own mother. She tells him that she doesn't care about his mother, that he took away the only father she ever knew. She tells him that she doesn't represent him anymore. He, however, tells her that he came because he thought she'd understand and warns her that he can come back anytime he wants.
Trivia[]
Appearances[]
Season seven appearances | ||||
City Primeval | The Oklahoma Wildman | Backstabbers | Kokomo | |
You Good? | Adios | The Smoking Gun | The Question |