Al Neri

Albert Neri
Al Neri as portrayed by Richard Bright in The Godfather Part II.
First appearance	The Godfather
Last appearance	The Godfather's Revenge
Created by	Mario Puzo
Portrayed by	Richard Bright Gary Chalk
Information
Gender	Male
Occupation	Patrolman, enforcer, assassin
Family	Tommy Neri

Albert "Al" Neri is a fictional character appearing in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather and Francis Ford Coppola's trilogy of films based on it. In all three motion pictures, he is portrayed by actor Richard Bright. He functions as Michael Corleone's personal enforcer and assassin.

In the novel The Godfather, Neri begins his career as a New York City police officer, where he earns a reputation for a fierce temper, quick reflexes, and physical strength. He frequently patrols with a large flashlight, which he uses to assault Italian youths who run with gangs or shattering the windshields of diplomats who disregard traffic or parking laws. After his wife leaves him, Neri kills a drug dealer and pimp by cracking his skull with the flashlight and is convicted of manslaughter.

Tom Hagen and Peter Clemenza see Neri as a potential replacement for Luca Brasi, Vito Corleone's feared enforcer, and arrange his release from prison. Normally, policemen are barred from becoming made men, but they were impressed enough with Neri to recommend that Michael intercede. Michael, appealing to Neri's sense of loyalty and Sicilian-American roots, recruits him into Clemenza's regime. Clemenza is initially impressed by the ferocity that Neri displays in their first meeting. Neri later "makes his bones" and becomes Michael's chief lieutenant by personally murdering Moe Greene and Emilio Barzini on Michael's behalf. Neri carries out the latter murder while disguised in his old police uniform. After Salvatore Tessio is executed for betraying Michael, Neri is promoted to caporegime of Tessio's former crew, and plays a key role in the wave of murders that reestablishes the Corleones as the most powerful crime family in the nation. When Michael and his family move to Nevada, Neri becomes head of security for all hotels controlled by the Corleones.