He was best known for his role as Zahir Arif on the HBO television series Oz.
He also had a recurring role on the NBC series Homicide: Life on the Street as Officer Jeff Westby.
On February 4, 2007, Adams was arrested and charged with criminally negligent homicide for the death of a man in a nightclub.
He was accused of pushing Valle against the elevator doors of the sixth floor club, causing the doors to become unhinged and Valle to fall down the shaft to his death.
[4] Valle's family filed a civil suit against Adams.