 Paul in 1964 | |
 Paul in 2003 | |
| Paul Nelson | |
| Portrayed by | Unknown (1964) Paul Vincent O'Connor (2003) |
| Episode | A Time to Hate |
| Status | Alive |
Paul Nelson was a police officer. At twenty two years old, he would begin his career and was assigned to be the bagman for Captain John Russo's Raiders. He would collect the money Anthony DeSica's uncle would pay to the cops to let them know when a raid was coming.
The night of Daniel Holtz's murder, Nelson was approached by Daniel after he and his boyfriend, Henry Phillips had Chinese takeout thrown on them. He took the complaint, but did nothing to the three assailants, which would turn out to be Daniel Holtz's murderers.
Later that same night, Nelson saw Danny again, when he participated in the raid on The Hush Room. Nelson says he and his partner chased a patron of the bar into the alley behind it and he saw Daniel being confronted by three guys he knew from the neighborhood.
As Nelson watched, Timmy O'Brien and his two friends/accomplices began to beat Daniel with their feet and his baseball bat. Nelson's partner pulled him away, and he took one last look at Danny as he was pushed behind a dumpster and finally beaten to death with his own bat. Paul Nelson later called the murder into dispatch, but did not give his name.
Years later, a tip from Henry leads to Detectives Lilly Rush and Scotty Valens to question Paul about the night Daniel Holtz was murdered. They spur him on to tell them what he knows, by implying that it was a cop who killed Daniel, even though they know it wasn't.
Nelson eventually admits that he saw the beginning of the assault on Daniel Holtz, but he and his partner looked the other way. Nelson claims that he didn't know he was going to die and didn't know who they were. Lilly tells him, "You can't not know. It's what you're here for."
Nelson then shows them a picture from his wallet. The picture turns out to be a picture of Nelson's son and his partner. Nelson says he doesn't want his son to know because he believes he's a good guy.
Scotty and Lilly urge him to come forward to prove to his son that he is a good guy. Nelson tells them that it was Timmy and his two buddies who murdered Daniel.
Paul is seen at the memorial for Danny in the alley where he was murdered. He sees the spirit of Daniel Holtz and smiles at him. Daniel smiles back.