Latin Kings

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A gang member with relevant tattoos: lion with five-pointed crown, typical hand sign

The Latin Kings (also Almighty Latin King Nation or ALKN) are a street and prison gang that is primarily recruited from Puerto Rican Americans and other Hispanics and, in addition to their country of origin, the USA, is also widespread in Central and South America and Spain , where it is also mainly composed of Latin Americans. It is particularly associated with drug trafficking offenses and gang-specific homicides. The number of members is estimated at 20,000–35,000 in the United States.

history

Even if some publications date the gang back to the 1940s, the Latin Kings probably originated in the mid- 1960s . Like many gangs in Chicago, the gang emerged from a social work project that actually tried to prevent the creation of gangs, but was instrumentalized by the gangs. Thus, the Latin Kings first appeared in the YMCA - newsletters on. Initially founded to counter social exclusion, they changed their philosophy and opened up to crime. The Latin Kings first spread to Chicago and Connecticut. Mainly two organizations, comparable to the different Mafia families, were in charge. On the one hand “King Motherland Chicago” (KMC), quasi the first organization under this name, and The Bloodline (“the bloodline”) from New York. The latter was founded by Luis Felipe , who then started the gang in the New York prison system. In the mid-1990s there were spectacular police actions against the gang's activities, as a result of which several gang leaders, including Felipe, were sentenced to long prison terms. In 2009, KMC comprised 160 chapters in 158 cities and 31 states. The number of members is between 20,000 and 35,000 people. Its members describe themselves as belonging to the "Almighty Latin King Nation" (ALKN). The Bloodline is slightly smaller and includes 2,200 to 7,500 people in 15 cities and five states. They describe themselves as belonging to the "Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation" (ALKQN). Both splinter groups use the same values ​​and cultures, respect each other, but each work autonomously. The gang is financed by trafficking in cocaine , crack , heroin and marijuana . The gang is organized in the People Nation, an amalgamation of different gangs. Even if origins and manifestations suggest a Hispanic background, the Latin Kings are open to all ethnicities. They are considered to be one of the most liberal gangs in terms of membership structure and are open to women, the so-called "Latin Queens", and homosexuals . The latter is frowned upon in many street gangs.

In the late 1990s, the Latin Kings, above all the new New York boss Antonio Fernandez, tried to present themselves as a social organization with a positive message. These efforts also included working with political groups and the media. These efforts suffered a setback with the arrest of over a hundred Kings and the sentencing of Fernandez to twelve years in prison. To this day, the Kings present themselves as a community that promotes values ​​such as education and unity and also passes them on to its members through workshops.

Latin Kings as a prison gang

Originally founded as a street gang, incarcerated gang members quickly began to use the US prison system. Unlike many other gangs, the Latin Kings did not recruit in prisons. Compared to other gangs, their number was therefore to be regarded as small. In prison, the Latin Kings primarily exercise a protective function against their members and are less involved in crime within the prison. So they supported the ALAS program, which tried to help prisoners with insufficient language skills, and in 1971 they even ended the quarrels in the various Hispanic gangs in Chicago while in prison. The latter resulted in a six month peace. This behavior changed in the mid-1980s. They are now represented as prison gang in over 34 states. In some states, such as Massachusetts , the three largest gangs make up nearly half of the gang members. It can therefore be assumed that imprisoned bosses can still influence the actions of the group outside the prison. Luis Felipe himself is serving his life imprisonment in a Supermax prison in Colorado .

hierarchy

The gang is organized in a very hierarchical manner. At the top is the respective “Inca” or “Sun-King” of the state, also known as the “Supreme Crown Authority”, usually an older gang member. He is advised by the “Supreme Team”, usually five members. There are councils among them. The individual chapters are called “tribes” and are controlled by local leaders who, in turn, answer to the council. For a long time, the individual members even had ID cards with their king's name and an identification number.

Identification marks and rituals

Values ​​and attitudes

Started as a social union that opposed racism and exclusion, the Latin Kings developed their own value system with philosophical and religious approaches. These can still be found in the corridor today. Many of the gait rituals, their values ​​and the meaning of their symbols are set out in writing in the so-called “King Manifesto”. The book also includes prayers and idealistic guidelines called the Code of Kingism. One of their motto is, for example, “Love and respect children of all races, sexes, cults and religions. Protect them with your life for they are the leaders of tomorrow's Nations. "(Eng." Love and respect children of all races, genders, cults and religions. Protect them with your life, for they are the leaders of the future nations. ") It local versions of the book exist. It also contains guidelines for behavior in prison, including a prohibition on friendly dealings with law enforcement officers.

Next to the letters ALKN or ALKQN ("Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation" - the Latin Queens are the female counterpart) there is a five-pointed crown - the points symbolize "love, respect, willingness to make sacrifices, honor and obedience" - and the colors gold and Black to identify the Latin Kings.

Individual characters / terms

Logo of the Latin Kings (left), right: Amor de Rey (Love of the King)
  • Gear colors: black and gold (yellow)
  • Gang names: King or Queen, for example "King Ceazan"
  • "Inca": Boss of a tribe
  • Numeric code: 360 (three-sixty)
  • Abbreviations: ALKN or ALKQN , LK
  • Symbols: five-pointed crown, lion, sun, diamond cross, king's head ("The Master"), pentagonal lock, number 5
  • Hand signals: similar to the Mano cornuta , but with the thumb, index and little finger spread
  • further symbols: yellow and black prayer beads
  • Mottos: "Once a King, always a King", "Amor de Rey" (Love of the King)

Criminal machinations: Most famous cases

Motherland

  • In 2006, the FBI arrested Fernando "Ace" King and 20 others who were caught by an FBI decoy trading crack. A total of $ 1.8 million in cocaine was reportedly traded. King was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
  • In 2008, the authorities hit the gang with the greatest blow. 40 members of the Latin Kings in Little Village were arrested and charged in a lightning bolt action, above all high-ranking members of the rank of "Incas", above all Vicente Garcia, who was extradited from Mexico and is considered number 2.
  • Augustin Zambrano was arrested in 2009. The "Corona" is considered the highest-ranking gang member of the Chicago Latin Kings currently in custody. He was sentenced to 60 years in prison under the Rico Act for illicit drug trafficking, violent crimes and smuggling.
  • In 2011, cases of police corruption became known. When fifteen gang members and accomplices of the Latin Kings who were active in a smuggling ring were arrested, two police officers were among them. In the same year, two police officers were arrested for allegedly forwarding weapons, money and drugs to the Latin Kings.
  • In 2012, 31 members of the Latin Kings were arrested , smashing the entire chapter in Holland , Michigan , which had existed since 1993 . In a two-year trial, prison sentences between 2 and 30 years were pronounced.

Bloodline

  • In 1997, Luis Felipe, the top member of Bloodline, was sentenced to 250 years in prison, including the first 45 in solitary confinement . It was the highest single sentence imposed in the United States since World War II. Another 39 co-defendants were sentenced to an average of 20 years in prison.
  • In 1997, his successor Antonio Fernandez was also arrested. He organized protests against the trial. The proceedings against him threatened to break. After he was released on a large bail, he was later sentenced to house arrest . In 1998, however, he pleaded guilty to selling heroin and was sentenced to 13 years in prison, initially in solitary confinement.

literature

  • David Brotherton, Luis Barrios: The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation: Street Politics and the Transformation of a New York City Gang . Columbia University Press 2004. ISBN 978-0-231-11418-9
  • Reymundo Sanchez: My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King . Chicago Review Press 2000. ISBN 978-1-55652-427-1 (biography of a dropout)
  • Reymundo Sanchez: Once a King, Always a King: The Unmaking of a Latin King . Chicago Review Press 2004. ISBN 978-1-56976-235-6 (second part of biography)
  • Reymundo Sanchez, Sonia Rodriguez: Lady Q: The Rise and Fall of a Latin Queen Chicago Review Press 2010, ISBN 978-1-56976-285-1

Movies

Web links

Commons : Latin Kings  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Latin Kings. (No longer available online.) North Carolina Gang Investigators Association, archived from the original on December 16, 2014 ; Retrieved November 27, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.ncgangcops.org
  2. ↑ a b Latin Kings. (No longer available online.) Gangs.umd.emu, archived from the original on November 21, 2014 ; Retrieved November 27, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / gangs.umd.edu
  3. ↑ George W. Knox: Gang Profile: The Latin Kings. (No longer available online.) Bational Gang Crime Research Center, 2000, archived from the original on February 19, 2014 ; Retrieved November 27, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.ngcrc.com
  4. ^ National Drug Intelligence Center (Ed.): National Gang Threat Assessment 2009 . 2009, p. 31 ( online PDF).
  5. ^ Carlos Rovira: 'Speak out against racism & they call you a gangster' Interview with Latin Kings & Queens leaderWorkers World newspaper . In: Workers World . December 11, 1997 ( online ).
  6. ^ John Richardson: The Conscience of the King . In: New York Magazine . February 17, 1997, p. 28-37 ( online Google Books).
  7. ↑ a b c Chris Markuns: Latin Kings Live, Die By Rigid Organization . In: The Eagle-Tribune . Lawrence, MA February 29, 2004 ( Latin Kings Live, Die By Rigid Organization ( January 7, 2010 memento on the Internet Archive )). Latin Kings Live, Die By Rigid Organization ( Memento of the original from January 7, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gangwar.com
  8. ↑ James B. Jacobs: Street Gangs behind Bars . In: Social Problems . Vol. 21, No. 3, 1974, p. 395-409 .
  9. ^ David Brotherton, Luis Barrios: The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation: Street Politics and the Transformation of a New York City Gang . Columbia University Press 2004. ISBN 978-0-231-11418-9 . P. 135
  10. ^ Latin Kings and Queens Information. Segag.org, accessed November 27, 2014 .
  11. ^ Street Gangs - Chicago Based or Influenced. Florida Department of Corrections, accessed November 27, 2014 .
  12. ↑ Matthew Antonio SALCEDO v. COMMONWEALTH of Virginia. Record No. 1325-10-3. Court of Appeals of Virginia, Salem. July 19, 2011. Google Scholar
  13. ↑ Marcus Gilmer: Chicago Latin King Leader Convicted. (No longer available online.) Chicagoist July 22, 2008, archived from the original on November 8, 2017 ; Retrieved November 28, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / chicagoist.com
  14. ^ Latin King fugitive found in Mexico. Chicago Tribune , January 6, 2009, accessed November 28, 2014 .
  15. ^ Latin Kings' Nationwide Leader Gets 60 Years in Prison. Policemag.com, November 1, 2012, accessed November 28, 2014 .
  16. ^ Sarah Tompkins: Chicago cops accused of working for Latin Kings held without bond. Nwitimes.com, November 21, 2011, accessed November 28, 2014 .
  17. ^ Last of Holland Latin Kings sentenced to prison. Grand Haven Tribune , November 18, 2014, accessed November 29, 2014 .
  18. ^ David Brotherton, Luis Barrios: The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation: Street Politics and the Transformation of a New York City Gang . Columbia University Press 2004. ISBN 978-0-231-11418-9 pages xvi – xix, 158, 159
  19. ^ Latin Kings: A Street Gang Story (documentary), 2003