Customer Reviews

The Mexican Mafia

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I'm not sure what Publishers Weekly wanted from Tony Rafael's debut book, The Mexican Mafia. It seems they don't know either. If they're looking for an academic work, a courtroom drama, or a "just the facts, m'am" retelling, they won't find it here. This book isn't an in-depth biography of District Attorney Anthony Manzella, either. Instead, this is a guided tour of the sticky, tangled, messy, dangerous webs of the Mexican Mafia--La Eme--a prison-born, and prison-based group of top-level gang members who set policy and practice for many Hispanic Southern California gangsters on the street.

In this part of the spider web are the multiple murder and conspiracy trials of eight gangsters from the Avenues sets in Highland Park, CA, a suburb of Los Angeles. Rafael uses theses trials as the setting for examining how the intertwining of law enforcement policy, politics, street gangs, the justice system, public perception and the mainstream media in Southern California have all played a part in the establishment and rise of La Eme. By picking apart the events of these trials, giving us the back stories, the histories, and the voices of the players, both big and small, Rafael guides us to the center of the web, where many of the Carnales, the "brothers," who make up La Eme's power brokers, sit in their cells in prisons across California and the United States. It's the flow of gangsters and these Emeros' orders, money and drugs, rules and penalties for behavior and misbehavior, from Pelican Bay, the SuperMax in Florence, CO, and the Los Angeles County jails to the streets of California and back to prison that has maintained the secrecy, power and control of the Mexican Mafia over the street level gangs that spread all over Southern California. It's this flow of orders that rests at the heart of these trials--that these murders and many other crimes are committed on the street level by Eme-controlled gang members, on the orders of these Carnales.

This book doesn't tie things up in a neat and tidy bow. It can't, because it's just a small glimpse of a much larger, ongoing problem. It isn't a quick and easy read either, but it is riveting, even compelling, in how raw, far-reaching, and unchecked the Eme's activities are. Rafael pulls no "politically correct" punches in looking at how political power plays, racial hatred, public funding of gang intervention programs, failures of law enforcement and more, have all helped to hide and inadvertently support this organization. Some parts of the book are largely repetitive, going over the same testimony of a handful of people over the course of several trials, and it may take some re-reading to follow the back stories and histories involved, and keep track of the many people and their associates, but this is a book well-worth reading. Like watching a spider consuming the fly it catches, it made me a little nauseous, but I couldn't tear my eyes away.

I am impelled to begin my review of Tony's book with a brief response to Rob Thomas (the 1st of Mr. Rafael's reviewers- see below):

Mr. Thomas complains that the 'worst' part of Rafael's work is its 'right wing slant'.

Perhaps Thomas would have been happier with a decidedly 'liberal' slant on the book, in which Rafael blamed the gang epidemic (and the pervasive influence of the 'M') on Bush and Cheney.....or the absence of affirmative action programs??

Perhaps instead of holding parents (and individuals) responsible for their own bad choices, Tony should have elected to blame the government (or better yet, the 'white man') for the success of gangsterism?? That way, he would have almost certainly been guaranteed a lectureship at UCLA!

Mr. Thomas further laments Rafael's book cover, declaring it to have 'Mexican Immigration Xenophobia' written all over it.

This is laughable!

Here Thomas again betrays his own (obviously) liberal worldview. (Perhaps Mr. Rafael should have used a Swedish flag on the cover, in order to avoid the ever-present possibility of offending the PC thought police?)

By the way, Mr. Thomas, since the book's cover also portays the image of a 9mm Baretta (an Italian-made firearm), does it follow that Rafael's intention was to disparage the Italians too?

You're right, Mr. Thomas. The 'M' IS an American-born organization (particularly a California-born organization). But I haven't heard of any 'Emeros' lately waving the American flag or quoting the Federalist Papers. Have you?

Call me crazy, but the charter members of 'M' named themselves 'La Mafia Mexicana' (their designation, not ours). Many of them sport tattoes which read 'Cien por ciento Mexicano' or 'Orgulloso Mexicano', etc.

Moreover, along with most rank-and-file Surenos, many 'Emeros' portray themselves as Aztec warriors, who are carrying on their Mexican heritage.

Perhaps simply stating the obvious ought to be avoided in the interest of not sounding 'Xenophobic' to those who interpret EVERYTHING through the politically-correct (and always RACE-CONSCIOUS) lenses of a liberal political ideology??

Anyway, onward toward my actual review of Tony's book...

The book was enjoyable and educational, and it provides the reader with a fair understanding of the relationship between the 'M' and street gangs in California.

I applaud the way in which Tony takes his readers into the courtroom, and into the seldom-seen world of police (and DA) investigations.

Although (as mentioned) much of the material is meticulously-detailed and, in some cases, repetitious (after all, the book covers not one, but several different, although related, criminal trials), it was certainly not a major detraction from the overall enjoyment of the book.

One interesting fact from the book that I was previously unaware of:

Following the 'American Me' executions, Edward James Olmos was taxed $50k by the 'M', in order to get himself out of the hat. (As Mr. Rafael suggests, it's too bad that the other 'green-lighted' consultants didn't have the cash to get themselves off the list too)

The book also provides at least one chapter of historical background for 'M', discussing the influence of 1st and 2nd generation "Emeros" such as Cheyenne Cadena and Joe Morgan. (This is a good chapter for those who are relatively new in studying the subject)

My only real disappointment with the book is that I had hoped for some detailed, biographical discussion regarding some of the present-day 'leaders' and 'drop outs' in the 'M'. (The former would include 'carnales' like Alfie Sosa, Tupi Hernandez, Huero Shy and 'Champ', while the latter would include, most notably, "Boxer" Enriquez)

Since Mundo's CD-Rom "From Altar Boy to Hitman" covered the late-1950's through the early 80's, I had hoped that Mr. Rafael's book would, in a manner of speaking, pick up the story where Mundo left off. (Another book begs to be written from the perspective of someone like "Boxer" Enriquez, in order to provide an insider's perspective on "M in the 21st century")

However, to be fair, Tony Rafael explicitly states that he was not seeking to provide a biographical sketch of one or two high-ranking 'Carnales'. Rather, his work is written primarily from the perspective of law enforcement, and as an investigative reporter.

In conclusion, Mr. Rafael has performed a public service by writing his book. As Gava Joe (in his wisdom) rightly points out, this book is important "for anyone concerned about the fate of our children".

Well said, Gava Joe.

Buy Tony's book.......right wing slant notwithstanding.

With respect,

The Mexican Mafia by Tony Rafael is another in a series of books on the EME that will satifsy those interested in the subject. It is what it is: an account of a major trial (The Avenues Trial) that covers a lineup of new characters which many of us are unfamiliar with. Ramon "Mundo" Mendoza's CD "Mexican Mafia: From Altar Boy to Hitman" stands alone as a historical firsthand account of the EME's history complete with graphic details and photos. Rene "Boxer" Enriquez is currently collaborating with a writer and his book (due to be released by November-2007, according to informed sources) picks up where Mundo's ends. Getting it from the "horse's mouth" is unique and I look forward to firsthand accounts. But, with that said, there's room for good books such as Tony Rafael's who conducted years of research and strove for accuracy. Then you have the "joke" presented by Robert "Moco" Morrill's "The Mexican Mafia - The Story" who intentionally misleads readers into believing that the sky is red. He uses what he calls "Mocomatics" to support his assertions and displays a photograph in which he not only represents it to be Rudy "Cheyenne" Cadena's EME funeral, but places an arrow on an individual who he hints is "Moco" himself walking away from the EME "carnales" at this same funeral. Since then, several reliable sources have come forward to identify this photo as one taken in 1976 at the EME funeral of one Jesse "Chuy" Fraijo (from Norwalk) who died of a heroin overdose. Furthermore, using this "Mocomatics" reasoning, he should have known that half of these carnales were still in CDC when Cheyenne's funeral took place. Compared to this Fairy Tale, Mr. Rafael's attempt is a breath of fresh air for those who seek truth and accuracy.

"Champ" Amador

I have to say that this is one of the worse books I have ever read and Mr. Rafael one of the worse writers I have ever come across. I am of Mexican heritage, a law student, and my father was a police officer. I can tell you in all honesty that this is not a book about the Mexican Mafia. This is a book where Mr. Rafael is only interested in golrifying a DA and the Los Angeles police dept. As the daughter of a police officer I cannot but agree that police officers do try to maintain our streets safe and that they risk their lives during the process, but this book is supossed to be about the Mexican Mafia, not a series of cases where Mr. Rafael practicaly worships a DA. The book was grossly unedited and had many repetitive pages with countless errors in spelling, not only in English, but in Spanish. The book was also dry, very difficult to read, and had entire pages repeated word for word in several chapters. Do not buy this book if you want to read or learn about the Mexican Mafia, it is like buying a book to learn about horses where the author only writes about how much he loves cats.

This book was a grave disappointment to me. I was looking for something that was a comprehensive look at the history and culture of the Mexican Mafia gang. Instead, this was a play-by-play of just one specific murder trial that did not give a wider picture of the gang at all. I felt like Tony Rafael might as well have been a court stenographer, just recording every line and nuance of the trials, rather than giving us true insight and in-depth, varied reporting on one of the world's most notorious gangs. If Rafael had done his homework and did some more interviews and research, he could have given us a much more skillful picture of how this gang developed and the role it plays in the prison system and in the great fabric of gang life in the United States. A missed opportunity.

What a waste of time. Its called the Mexican Mafia and has almost nothing in it about the Mexican Mafia. It seems to be about a series of trials in L.A involving low level drug dealers with an adoring look at a prosecutor whom the author seems to know. As a new kindle owner, this piece of trash taught me to read the the reviews before you buy a book because of the title.

Being the first book I read on the Mexican Mafia, I was expecting a detailed chronology of the Mafia's violent history and its evolution, into an a crime syndicate which brutally controls Hispanic gangs in California. Sadly, much like some other reviewers, I found this book to be anything but that.

Half the content of the book focuses on bestowing praise upon the officer's and District Attorneys Mr. Rafael knows. Although, I'm not privy to the workings of the LAPD and their efficiency, it was obvious that facts were skewed, as Mr. Rafael goes to great lengths to describe incidents of cops allegedly unfairly reprimanded. What I read this book as was " The case for the LAPD and the District Attorney", as there was a glaring LAPD apologist disposition. Moreover,his only source of information for his work is the PD and the DA's office.There was very little objective research done, as he has lazily collected police reports and compressed them in his book. There are no interviews with ex or current Mexican Mafia members or even the correctional officers who administers the prisons housing them. He also frequently goes on a tirade against another author who was skeptical of the LAPD in his book.

It's ironic, I learned more about the nafia during a 5 minute conversation withone of my correctional officer friends, than reading Mr Rafael's entire book.

"The Mexican Mafia", Tony Rafael, NY, Encounter Books, 2007, ISBN: -13: 978-1-5 9403-195-3-, HC, 362 (372) pgs. Includes Introd. 6 pg., Contents 1 pg., & Prologue 4 pg., & chart of 37 Eme members, associates, workers, etc., & Index 10 pgs. 9 1/4" x 6 1/2".

A writer based in Los Angeles with a decade of active gangland researching via live interviews with gang members gives his revealing accounting of the history of Hispanic gangs, the Mexican Mafia, and the methodology used by law in securing convictions for murder, thievery and drug sales.

The author gives a skillful chronicle of the rise of the Hispanic Gangs and the formation of the Mexican Mafia in Los Angeles and how the initial attempts to suppress gang activity actually led to its dispersion throughout the penal system. We are introduced to the lifestyle of the gangs, their activities including the names of the more prominent gangs in Greater Los Angeles, as the "Avenues" of Highland Park, a collection of 2nd and 3rds generation Mexicans.

We learn, for example that Mexican Mafia, La Mafia Mexicana, or simply "Eme" (Spanish pronunciation of the letter "M"), was the brain-child of Luis "Huero" Buff Flores, member of the Hawaiian Gardens (California) Street Gang, in 1957. His idea was to create a "super gang" of institutionalized criminal inmates within the California Department of Corrections, beginning with Deuel Vocational Institution (DVI) in Tracy, CA where new inmates are sent for evaluation before final disposition for incarceration. Strict rules were made and membership involved "blood in" and "blood out", hierarchy of rules on "signing", tattoos, drug running and collecting taxes, pimping, homosexuality, doing drugs, etc. and those "green lighting" rules on executing others as for 'ratting', etc.

Missing, unfortunately, are several simple inveiglements that would have added much clarity to the book such as maps of the gangs' territories and depicting those zones where many of the murders took place. There is too much redundancy and wordiness in the later chapters that should have been easily deleted without injuring the story, suggesting an inconvenient "rush to publish". For anyone and everyone interested in gangs and gangsters, this is a basic book deserving to be read which profiles the ever successful attempts of the gangster Mexicans, many illegals, to terrorize American citizens and plunder their own, both within and outside of the penal correctional facilities.

WE ALL SHOULD READ A BOOK SUCH AS THIS. IT IS EYE OPENING TO SAY THE LEAST. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

The following is strictly my opinion: I have worked in Law Enforcment and I have been a defense investigator. The author knows some of these cops in his book are corrupt. They engage in activities that other citizens would be in prison if they did the same acts. He talks about the good police work some of them do. Look up these names on the Federal Court website and see how many times these cops have been sued for Civil Rights violations. One of them has over 15 cases against him. The gangsters named in this book are bad guys but some of the cops are on the same playing field as the gangsters. Next time be honest about the information you put in your books and use GOOD cops as your charactors.