The Story of Rene Boxer Enriquez and His Life in the Mexican Mafia

I feel like this book could've been written slightly better but overall it was very good. The story goes into detail of the struggles he faced on his rise to power and everything he had to do to get there.

What a good book full interesting facts about the life of a gang member but its real life and this is really happening today. The book had some funny parts but also its emotional moments its a book i'd read again because it educated me in more then one way. Thanks for telling the story it was a story worthy of its reading and a book I couldn't put down.

At the halfway point, I feel no empathy for Boxer. Perhaps this will change when I'm done with the book. As of now, I'm sickened by the pictures of him smiling after dropping out of La eMe. By his own prideful description of "the code," his death should be certain, and rightfully so. I'm not innocent by any means... I grew up on Maxon Road in Monte, subsequently lived in the Alhambra/San Gabriel area, and knew one of the three MV members who was hit when the MVs refused to pay the "tax." But this book outlines some truly next level evil, seemingly without guilt or remorse (at the half way point). I suppose the author of this book should, in theory, be green lighted as well. That'd be an interesting headline to read.

I don't condole these behaviors but was curious to get inside information on living your life in prison. This is a good book that I would recommend to all. Not much to review without making it a spoiler so I'll end by saying a very Great book!!!

Mr. Enrique was able to paint a picture worthy to hang on anybody's wall with the writing of this book. It stuck to the truth and never wavered from that. His ability to deliver his story is clear, to the point, and engrossing.

I liked the detail but sometimes it got overwhelming keeping track of the names, nonetheless I think it was inevitable dealing with a topic like this. It truly opened my eyes about something I new very little about. Good read!

Very informative 5 stars jfjcjncnjfj jcjcjncnxjkxjmdmfm jcjcjncnxjkxjmdmfm jfjcjncnjfj jfjcjncnjfj jcjcjncnxjkxjmdmfm jfjcjncnjfj jcjcjncnxjkxjmdmfm jfjcjncnjfj jfjcjncnjfj hbdnxjnb hcjcjj jfjcjncnjfj jfjcjncnjfj jcjcjncnxjkxjmdmfm jfjcjncnjfj jcjjcj

My first acquaintence with Rene Enriquez came in the early 1990's, during a week-long, Chris Blatchford exclusive on the Mexican Mafia.

In that early 90's report, Blatchford revealed 'Boxer' as a cold-hearted Eme leader who (during his double-murder, double-attempted murder trial) turned calmly toward the camera lens of a courtroom news crew and broke into 'shoulder -shaking laughter'. Since then, I have been anxious to know more about this man.

Like Blatchford himself, I too was floored when I learned (a few years ago) that Rene Enriquez had chosen to 'debrief' and to turn aside from his Gang. After all, not only had 'Boxer' previously demonstrated the Can't-stop-won't-stop mentality of a loyal Eme soldier (by laughing in the face of a possible death penalty situation) but had also risen through the ranks of Eme leadership to the highest echelons of Mafia power.

Blatchford's long-anticipated book on Rene Enriquez does not, by any means, disappoint! To the contrary, it is perhaps the best first-hand account of the Eme's power, influence, ruthlessness and depraved potential in print today. (While "Mundo" Mendoza's seminal work provides an in-depth understanding and historical background of the first 25 years of the Eme's existence, Blatchford/ Enriquez bring readers up to speed on 'M' into the 21st century)

Blatchford covers Rene Enriquez from his childhood in Cerritos (then surrounded by dairy farms) to his initiation (following his older brother's footsteps) into 'Arta/ Artesia X3', to his teenage years gang-banging against the likes of Hawaiian Gardens, Tokers Town & Norwalk, getting high, doing robberies and growing increasingly rebellious against his parents and against authorities.

Blatchford follows Rene's graduation from Los Padrinos to Boys Republic to OC County Jail to Soledad, San Quentin & beyond. Rene speaks at length about his relationships with Eme leaders like "Black Dan" Barela who "read his Bible every day, but yet had a kill-first-talk-about-it-later attitude", "Topo" Peters who, after stabbing "Mon" 26 times in the LA County Jail's attorney room, urged "Boxer" to 'just plead guilty so we can go to our cells at Pelican Bay and watch color TV'.

He talks about the execution of Nico Velasquez for converting from Eme to Christianity (an action which Rene Enriquez himself disagreed with strongly), and about "Kilroy" Roybal's conversion to Christianity after being stabbed in Tehachapi, and a plethora of other interesting facts.

So much more can be said about Rene Enriquez's evolution/ redemption and about Blatchford's book. Much more than a mere book review can capture. The thing that struck me hardest, perhaps, was how utterly contrary to the popular/ romanticized version of Mafia the actual reality is.

Contrary to the notion of Eme being a closely-knit fraternity of brothers bound by loyalty to one another, Rene portrays the incessant backstabbing, politicking and scheming of 'carnales' against one another; about the never-ending anxiety that "Boxer" carried with him from day one of someday ending up "In the hat" (ostracized and marked for death by his own 'brothers') for some small, inconsequential infraction.

Contrary to the popular notion that power and 'palabra' (in the criminal world) is the be-all and end-all of life, Rene portrays with sober clarity that nothing could be further from the truth. Both Joe Morgan and "Topo" Peters died alone (and lonely) and in prison. (Not to mention that there were only a half-dozen attendees at "Topo's" funeral service).

To end with a theological reflection: the devil's a LIAR...and a thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy. For those youngsters who aspire to become 'carnales' and who are starstruck by the 'Big Homies' you hear and read about: don't take my word for it! Take it from "Boxer" Enriquez...someone who reached the heights of power in both the streets and the pinta...and concluded that it's all a massive (and evil) deception, and definitely NOT worth it!

Way too many discrepancies, and some details, contradicted themselves. In the opening
chapter his height was give as 5"8, in one of the last chapters his height was give at 5'9".
Many of the situations I found impossible to believe, they just did not add up. Reads like an over
glorified version of the Italian Mafia. The book gave an over simplified description of the real
Mexican Mafia.

For more than a decade the name Boxer carried weight from the streets of Southern California through the cell blocks of the nations largest and most sophisticated prison system. Having viewed the build up to the release of Black Hand, I fully expected this book to be an action packed first person retelling of the life, times and crimes of one Rene "Boxer" Enriquez. What I found instead was an author referring to CDC, district attorney, police, FBI files and media accounts for much of the information contained within. Why promote this as an autobiography when most of the story telling is done by Blatchford? It appears as though the extent of Boxer's involvement was lending his name and reputation to a project which reads more like a CDC hand book or mission statement than a true retelling of Enriquez's involvement with the Mexican Mafia. Certainly there are nuggets interspursed here and there but again it is hard to discern if these are statements the author lifted from Boxer's debriefing interviews or if Enriquez actually wrote or participated in interview sessions which formed the book.

Obviously Rene brings a level of credibility to the project which is unmatched. The book is most interesting in the areas where Rene's story is told. It is here where you got what you pay for with the recalling of people and events in a rapid fire action packed manner which keeps the reader engrossed with tales of betrayal, intrigue and prison gang politics.

Rene's admission that the Mexican Mafia's "well oiled" criminal syndicated is administered by leaders "most of whom suffer from serious drug or psychological problems," may surprise some but fits the profile perfectly of most repeat offenders in California prisons. The book details Enriquez's own battle with heroin addiction which at one point left him near death on the floor of an L.A., county jail cell.

Other high points include the exploits of Bat Marquez, Chuy Martinez and Topo Peters, not to mention revelations that the brothers routinely break most of the rules they ridgedly enforce with ruthless efficiency on those who due their bidding or seek their favor behind bars. Infighting, politics and competition could ultimately topple what is often touted as California's dominant criminal organization.

The low point of the book coincidently comes toward the end where the author begins to espouse the right-wing rhetoric synonymous with the California Department of Corrections. It is doubtful that a man who has spent as much time in solitary confinement as Enriquez would wish that sort of torture on his worst enemies unless of course he remains the amoral personification of evil the CDC portrayed him as before his denunciation of the brothers he loved so until he politicked himself into the hat. Whatever the case the 7 "suggestions" attributed to the books namesake are policies which the CDC employed long before Enriquez became a "good guy."

1. View the Mexican Mafia as organized crime and a domestic terrorist group. - The justice department already considers all street gangs as criminal organizations which make them eligible for prosecution under the RICO act and the Department of Homeland Security, again views street gangs as domestic terror organizations "See the El Rukn case."

2. Shut off Mafia communications "using injunctions." - The federal government authorized a study of the use of injunctions to study the impact they had on curbing gang crime. The study found they were most effective spreading crime to neighboring communities and neighborhoods.

3. Totally isolate Eme members in prison. - This was the justification for SHU units several years ago. Currently the most secure SHU unit is at Pelican Bay a place the ACLU and United Nations denounced as cruel and unusual punishment. This book details the methods in which prisoners secret messages in and out of the system despite the best efforts to stop them. Or we have a problem with those policing the prisoners, you be the judge.

4. Prevent Eme members from receiving money. - Not a problem but that increases the amount of money the state has to pay toward inmate goods such as tooth paste and other personal items.

5. Seize the funds Eme members have in prison trust accounts. - There was never any need to allow them to have trust accounts to begin with.

6. Prosecute Wives, girlfriends and family members as co-conspirators. - This is already being done "see the case of Sally Peters."

7. Prosecute all in custody for criminal conduct, including murders and cold cases. - This has no impact upon inmates serving multiple life sentences "see the comments of Tupi Hernandez." A death penalty also has no impact upon an inmate serving multiple life sentences considering he will probably receive more freedom on Death Row than in a SHU setting.

8. Seek capital punishment for murders. - This is already an option that most DA's allow the inmates to plea out of. Unless a change in the judicial system occurs this is nothing more than political posturing. I believe this was thrown in to start a debate on reducing the amount of time California inmates spend awaiting execution.

As you can see the book is filled with interesting tidbits as well as interesting insight into the mind of those who run the nations most populous and profitable prison industry. Consider the importance of promoting increasingly draconian prison policies in a time of economic insecurity. Law enforcement is one of the few areas taxpayers are willing to part with millions of dollars "Pelican Bay consumed $218 million tax dollars to build and the state spends an additional $115 +- million a year to operate it." Coupled with the fact that prison industry is one of the top two industries in the country in terms of revenue generated with a growth rate of 6 % annually, then there is no question that we will continue to see more CDC generated manifestos to justify the incarceration of 2 million people nationwide.

The subject matter is undoubtedly interesting: the Mexican Mafia and its violent history. Unfortunately the writing is mediocre and at times even amateurish. To make matters worse, the writer was determined to present the focus of his book, Rene Enriquez, as a near hero. Enriquez is a psychopath and a cowardly killer and it was disgusting to read the positive presentation of his story. Don't read this.

This is not a subject matter that would be at the top of my list for books. But it was a free read with prime so I thought I would give it a try. Great book. Usually a book this long will be filled with fluff just to make the book bigger. That is not the case with this book. It is very well written and will keep your interest from start to finish. I would highly recommend, even if you have to buy the book.

I had to read this for my criminal justice class (gangs and threat groups in America) and I must say, it was worth the read. It is very detailed and has both ghory and sad details so be aware. This book deals with the Mexican Mafia so you shouldn't expect anything less. As for Rene "Boxer" Enríquez, I feel that this book doesn't do him justice. He's a smart person and this book doesn't fully show that. It has a lot of stories about others but it's mainly to show the ways of the Mafia and how it affected him and others. Overall, it's a good read and I'd recommend this book if you're into this topic.

If you are unaware of the dark world of the Mexican Mafia and all it's shadowy characters than you need to check this book out. It is a real eye opener.I had no idea what the black hand meant. Apparently it is a tat(check cover of book) that indicates Mexican Mafia member. This is true crime stories that are hard to believe because they are s.o cruel. In this book , which was meticulously researched by author Chris Blatchford you will hear the voice of Rene "Boxer" Enriquez as he explains the inner workings of the Mexican Mafia, including his role and views. You will learn of gangsters who participated in some pretty heinous crimes including the murder( one shot in the eye)of two children, one only six months old and her innocent mother in the process of carrying out a hit on several Mexican Mafia thugs. One of the major themes of this book of horrors is how brutal the Mexican Mafia is. They are constantly killing each other when one falls out of favor or goes against the code of the Mexican Mafia or La Eme as it is known. The guy and his accomplice who carried out the hit that I just described were both caught and sentenced to die by the state. Since the killer violated the code of the Eme they killed him in prison within three weeks of death row imprisonment. Maybe we should let the Eme take care of some of the other murderers on death row and save the tax payer's money for lengthy 20 plus years of appeals. Back to the book, it is so chilling and captivating that I had trouble putting it down once I started reading it. I had never heard of these characters, including Enriquez, or new much about the notorious Eme so this was a brand new world for me. My eyes were really opened to this criminal element and how they operate. The book has photographs that compliment the unfolding story of Enriquez and other Eme members. Since I didn't know much about this , actually nothing outside of the romanticized movie version portrayed in American Me [HD DVD] I learned a lot about the thug life. I came to find out that they actually had a hit ordered on Edward James Olmos (he supposedly was extorted for 50k)and actually did murder a woman gang counselor. The photographs help put faces on the names of the major players as it can be confusing to keep track of all the names, especially since they all seem to have nick names. Anyway in this book you'll follow Enriquez from childhood troubles to his graduation to ultimately prison for double murder and most importantly, his walking away from Eme and talking to federal authorities. It really is a fascinating look at the criminal element and the mentality that goes with it. The ties between the street gangs and the Eme is a dangerous urban threat to all of America, not just to the major cities of the southwest,like Los Angeles but everywhere because they are branching out. As a result of reading this book I did some further research about Enriquez and the Eme. I have watched several videos on You Tube including an interview with Rene Enriquez. He obviously is super intelligent and quite eloquent. It is a shame he wasted his life on crime. I hope that he is sincere in his turning his life around and maybe he can do some good in this life. He has begun by revealing the secrets of the Eme but I believe he can do good on the outside too. That is, if the Eme doesn't take him out. The ties to what is going on in Mexico is scary. The genie(Eme) is out of the bottle and rampant but maybe the youth will see that thug life is no life. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is concerned about the state of America today.

This book is the story about Rene "Boxer" Enriquez and his involvement in the Mexican Mafia in Southern California. This book is very candid and descriptive about his involvment in various crimes. I remember reading it and the lasting impression it had on my mind.

Rene Enriquez career as a criminal in the Mexican Mafia may have taken away his freedom but he has found a newfound peace in prison unlike in his previous life. He states about his life and the events that led to the joining of the gang. One doesn't just join a gang, a member is groomed much like a cult member. The initiation process into gangs are often vicious, vindictive, violent, and inhumane in order to prove their worthiness to the gang. Gang members don't leave once in unless they are dead.

There are many reasons not to join a gang nor join a cult. In many instances, some of the members come from vulnerable backgrounds and see the gang as their surrogate family. There will always be gangs but law enforcement and the community must address the issues of gangs in the community as more than just avoiding them. They have to be dealt rather than ignored. As they say, ignorance is bliss.

This book should help deter gang members or help those in similar situations. Much like a cult, gangs can be difficult to leave as well and have a normal life. The gangs know too much and the ex-member knows too much. They don't just go after gang members but they're family and friends after they've left the group.

If you want to discourage the mafia lifestyle and culture in California, this book should be recommended reading for those impressionable young males. The story is about a Mexican mob killer who came out of a good family and went to prison only to emerge as a killer and a mob leader. Rene "Boxer" Enriquez's story would be told in explicit detail after he left the lifestyle and the gang-culture behind. The author, Chris Blatchford, does a remarkable job telling his point of view and how he ended up in the gang lifestyle and how he evolved into a killing machine for the sake of the mafia. He wasn't born into it. It was more like a prison rite of passage in California. He didn't need to join but he really didn't have much of a choice in the prison world where gangs ruled from behind bars. Slowly, he initiates into the group of the Mexican mafia, La Eme, which was not only a privilege but an exclusive gang who didn't just invite anybody into their world. Rene comes across as a likable person if he didn't know that he was a killer. He was a father, son, and husband at one time. His prison years had turned him into a killer which he wasn't before he went in to the system. There he emerged a powerful player in and outside of the California prisons where the gang cultures multiply and recruit possible members. Of course, there is no way but death. His life as a leader in the Mexican mafia would take the darkest turns. It's a powerful book and makes you think about how the prison system appears to making bad situations into worse.

Street life can be brutal, even for those who think they hold the winning hand.

Investigative reporter Chris Blatchford delves into the shadows of La Eme, the Mexican Mafia, in this authorized biography of former gang enforcer Rene Enriquez. The tentacles of this monster of urban terrorism spans several continents and grips the halls of government, businesses and neighborhoods by day, while brutally dealing drugs, extortion, vice and murder under the darkness of night.

And Enriquez - who is serving a life-sentence for crimes perpetrated for the gang - was once a player in the largest street gang in Los Angeles. Enriquez learned the ropes while growing up on the street of East L.A. and showed the smarts and muscle to find his way into La Eme.

His life of violence and the reasons he finally broke away, along with what happened when he began to publicly renounce the gang, makes for a compelling and urgent story. But Blatchford connects the dots in the puzzle that makes La Eme a force in North, Central and South America, with a growing army of gang members and supporters who have massive influence within a web of operations.

This is not some Hollywood version of wise guys or a fictionalized account of "honorable" men in a dishonorable profession; this is the hands of terror that are scooping up power and slapping aside those honest enough to stand in their way.

It is a call from the "Boxer" to stop the onslaught by the thugs before it is too late.

A fascinating and vivid look into the world of the Mexican Mafia otherwise
know as the Eme. This criminal organization has been looked at before in
movies like American Me and books like From Alterboy to Hitman and Blood
in, Blood out but this account through the eyes of Mexican Mafia higher up
turned snitch boxer Enriquez is the real deal. The book gives all the in
and outs of the gang that is concentrated in California prisons, most
notably Pelican Bay, the states supermax. Boxer recounts how the
Carnalitos as they are known control everything from the prison yards to
the streets and barios of east LA. He names all the names and gives up the
hierarchy of the gang and how they operate. The book is really the first
of its kind and sheds some light on a criminal organization, which is
really powerful and doesn't want their secrets being shared. The
gangbanging southsider Sureno mentality and culture is explicitly
expressed in this book and it even goes into the history of some of the
Eme legends like Joe Morgan and others. If you like true crime reads this
is a must.

This book is very informative and gives a glimpse of how evil the mafia is. The author starts the book of with too much information that is mixed but later the story starts sinking in. This book is a must read for anyone that thinks the "gangster'' lifestyle is glamorous. Follow Rene Enriquez on his path to redemption.

Just finished reading this book, and I have to say it started off gripping me. Became slightly redundant in the middle, but finished strong. I almost put it down after 200 pages, but then I saw the word 'Redemption' on the cover; and had to find out what happened to Rene. I might read 2 or 3 books a year, and I found this a really easy read.

The introduction catches your attention as they paint a portrait of a young man with a lot of opportunity that decides to take a all too easy, and typical path for youth involved in drugs and gangs. He quickly graduates from druggy gang banger, to robber, then to inmate/mafioso. Then the book turns into a real life horror novel for about the next 100 pages--as it describes the most brutal sick murders from an insiders perspective.

As one reviewer stated it becomes quite redundant after awhile. They continue to rattle off names of gang members, law enforcement, crimes, and mafia politics without any way furthering the story. Seemed like filler to get this bad boy to 300 pages..

I was pleasantly surprised toward the end as Rene (Boxer) reflects back on his life, his choices, his current state, and analyzes it all in a really critical sense. His conclusions are so simple, yet uplifting and true.

Then it all ends, unfinished, on with bitter sweet note--not to give away too much. Check it out!

This book is a fascinating, but brutally intense character study of Rene "Boxer" Enriquez along with a history lesson of The Mexican Mafia. The Mexican Mafia known as La Eme (pronounced EH-meh) "is the Spanish phonetic pronunciation of the letter "M" - for Mafia." Boxer's story is told from his childhood in a nice home in Southern California with a hard working Father... to a teenage life of petty crime and drugs... to becoming a serious heroin addict by the time he was sixteen... to armed robberies... to prison(s)... to gang membership... to becoming such a *COLD-BLOODED-MURDERER*... that he was feared and respected in the eyes of the animalistic soulless den of the devil incarnate... LA-EME-THE MEXICAN MAFIA. When Boxer becomes a "CARNAL" or made-man, he rises to the highest echelons of "Eme" power. What is amazing to the reader is how absolute callously murders are ordered up... and executed. Even more amazing is the constant political in-fighting that is an everyday occurrence in Eme. It is immediately apparent to the reader that once a "VATO LOCO" becomes a "CARNAL" he worries more about being heartlessly murdered by his own brotherhood than he does by an outsider.

The reader follows Rene (he doesn't really like his nickname Boxer) from one lockup to the next. From L.A. County jail... to San Quentin... to Folsom... to Pelican Bay State Prison (PBSP) a maximum security prison... and back and forth... between said prisons... and others... in a dizzying amount of transfers. The author educates the reader of prison life run by gangs such as La-Eme... the Aryan Brotherhood (AB)... and the Black Guerilla Family (BGF)... of which the Mexican Mafia is by far the most powerful, and is one of the biggest problems facing prison administers to this day. The reader will find out first hand that things they see in prison movies that they feel are phony... fake... they could never do that in real life... are an understatement of reality. Drugs inside prison are rampant. One of the main methods of smuggling drugs into prison is through lawyers and legal "runners". Guards are not allowed to look at legal documents... so outsiders, iron tar heroin onto hundreds of pages of legal documents. "HEROIN CAME SEALED INSIDE CEREAL BOXES AND PACKS OF CARAMEL CORN. COCAINE WAS STASHED INSIDE OREO COOKIES AND BARS OF SOAP. MARIJUANA CAME DISGUISED INSIDE RITZ CRACKER BOXES. CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS AND GREETING CARDS WERE SOAKED IN METHAMPHETAMINE. PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS IN THE SHAPE OF PILLS WERE PRESSED INSIDE CHIPS AHOY COOKIES. TAR HEROIN WAS SEALED INSIDE TWO POSTCARDS STUCK TOGETHER TO LOOK LIKE ONE."

"Shanks" (knives) were as prevalent as rice in China and murders were an everyday occurrence in the yard... in the shower... in the cells. Six inch shanks were hidden in an inmate's rectum (called a "keister") in order to get them into the yard to culminate their murderous assignment. There is even an agonizing picture of an x-ray of a shank being "KEISTERED" in the book, along with a multitude of murder scene pictures that are depicted throughout this sombering tale. How bad are the "killing-fields" we know as prisons? "DANIEL VASQUEZ, WHO STARTED HIS TEN-YEAR TENURE AS WARDEN AT SAN QUENTIN IN LATE 1983, SAYS, "THERE WERE SIX HUNDRED SHOTS FIRED BY GUARDS BECAUSE OF YARD VIOLENCE DURING MY FIRST SIX MONTHS ON THE JOB. I STOPPED COUNTING INMATE STABBINGS AND ASSAULTS AT TWO-HUNDRED-FIFTY ABOUT A YEAR AFTER I ARRIVED." After Rene finished an earlier nine-year-eight-month prison sentence he said: "I WENT IN A CROOK AND CAME OUT A KILLER-MORE DANGEROUS THAN EVER."

No one is immune to the murderous tentacles of "LA-EME"... they have murdered a religious Cardinal... they have murdered each other while in a holding cell in the L.A. County Courthouse... they have killed in prison and out. One carnal, who followed orders, is spending the rest of his life in jail for MURDERING A MURDERER WHO OFFENDED ANOTHER MURDERER! And it doesn't matter if you're a "nobody" or famous... actor/director Edward James Olmos who produced and starred in the movie "American Me" was threatened because "La-Eme" didn't like the way he portrayed one of the early leaders of their organization in the movie. They demanded... from prison... a copy of the script... got it... didn't like the portrayal... threatened Olmos... there were rumors he paid "La-Eme" protection money... and two consultants on the movie with prior ties to "La-Eme" were murdered... Olmos tried to get law enforcement involved but when Olmos was called to testify... HE DIDN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING!

Nationwide the "MEXICAN-MAFIA" is estimated at close to one-hundred-thousand members and growing. It is the biggest organized crime problem that faces the United States. Once a gang member becomes a "carnal" there's no way out and this self-imposed nightmare is best described by a current member: "IT'S LIKE BEING IN A TANK OF PIRANHAS WITH NO FOOD, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, SOMEBODY STARTS MOVING A CERTAIN WAY, AND THEY ARE ALL ON THEM."

.
The first third of the book is about a Southern Californian man who enters and rises in the Mexican mafia. This is pretty interesting. The mores and reach of the organization are perhaps unappreciated by the public.

The last two-thirds, when he is in prison, becomes very tedious.

The stated purpose is to dissuade possible entrants by showing membership is not glamorous. To accomplish this, they would have to stay awake.

One of the surprising things about the gang is what lousy shots they are. Members are forever shooting people, cars, houses. An incredible number of times, the targets live. Portrayed as big and scary, the group comes off as bumbling.

"Eme is the new La Cosa Nostra...in southern California their army of loyal Latino gang members numbers in the tens of thousands. La Cosa Nostra in the U.S. never had anything close to those numbers to build on." [PG303]

"...[La Eme] represent the single greatest threat to the internal security of the nation because their power is derived from a 'choke-hold' on the prison system at the federal, state, and local levels. That power is growing rather than receding in the years since 9/11, when law enforcement took its eye off the ball. Eme was battered and bruised in the late 1990s and into 2000-2001 - on the verge of extinction - but law enforcement at every level left the field, and Eme has undergone resurgence. Today they are at the pinnacle of the crime pyramid in the USA." [PG 301] I heard that 30% of today's U.S. prisoners are Latino. With rising crime committed by illegals, I thought, tho a high percentage, that was the explanation for it. This quote gave me pause.

"Thank God most of them are heroin addicts. It keeps them from doing what they have the potential of doing." - Gang expert & retired L.A. County sheriff's sergeant Richard Valdemar [PG 303]

"I don't think the public understands the ramifications of what the Mexican Mafia has grown into - and right now it's in its nascency. THERE IS A BIG SHIFT TOWARD MAKING GUYS WHO AREN'T LIFERS AND DO NOT USE DRUGS. - Rene Enriquez [PG 303]

"They ran it essentially like a corporation." [PG 300]

"Rene invested his drug 'tax' dollars in U.S. Treasury bonds, CDs, and double-e series U.S. savings bonds. ... He and other inmates legally set up interest-earning banks accounts at Bank of America...some Mafiosi even play the stock market." [PG264]

I just heard that some MS-13 members were arrested. You've probably heard of them. Pretty scary people. Glad to hear that law enforcement is gettin' it done, right? But here's what Richard Valdemar said on PG 298:
"The irony here...is that MS-13 is the junior varsity. MS-13 pays tribute to La Eme. That number '13' marks MS loyalty to the Mexican Mafia. ...La Eme is the big-time, not MS." Couple this up with the info above that imprisonment is no obstacle to continued criminal activity...

SO WHY DO WE HEAR ALMOST ZILCH ABOUT LA EME IN THE MEDIA? WONDER WHY I DON'T RECALL AMERICA'S MOST WANTED EVER COVERING THEM? I'd love to hear whether a year's time has changed the status of this threat.

THIS BOOK WAS PRETTY DANG SCARY. THESE PEOPLE ARE SHOCKINGLY BRUTAL, WELL-FUNDED, WELL-ARMED, WITH TIES TO THOUSANDS OF OTHER GANG MEMBERS, WELL-SPREAD OUT IN MANY STATES. Rene's story is beyond compelling, his redemption inspiring. He deserves a measure of gratitude for opening up to us the reality of this 'cancer' that has permeated throughout our country. AND how difficult La Eme is to counteract. In his debriefing he made many good suggestions for how to interfere with Eme operations; POLITICS, POLITICIANS, COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS AND PRISON RIGHTS GROUPS interfered with implementing his recommendations. Disillusioned, some he described as 'idiots,' others 'corrupt' or cowardly, yet others "well-meaning...who do not understand who they are dealing with. ...Do-gooders should run from [Eme people] like their hair is on fire." [PG292] Some connections fanned out to La Raza and United Farm Workers. There's one recent reviewer here (he's clearly in denial that EVIL DOES exist among us) that thinks Senator Gloria Romero should SUE for mentions of her in the book. Maybe so (tho I don't think she has since the 2008 publication), but any time there's people with power (legal or illegal) and plenty of money, it's like a magnet to some, whether it be due to misguided ideology, greed or vicarious thrills/playing with fire. Luckily most of us can go about our lives unaffected, but we aren't ALL stupid and gullible! Here's one last telling quote which hopefully knocks out some naivete: "['Popeye' Barron, connected to Mexico, wanted to hook up with La Eme] was a 'terrorist' with major supplies of assault weapons, drugs and money and connections in Europe, Colombia, Japan, Jamaica, and Italy. ...the influence Popeye...had with politicians, judges, military officials, and law enforcement. Those contacts extended to a bail bonds company, U.S. embassy workers, Dept of Motor Vehicles employees, Border Patrol agents, a San Diego County sheriff's deputy, and even social services workers..." [PG 210] Get the picture?!

Enriquez takes the cover off and exposes a serious threat, and doesn't flinch at sorting out the 'good guys' and the 'bad.' He freed himself from "that twisted bizarro existence that confused right and wrong." "I don't want to kill anyone ever again. My greatest desire is to be a better man. I want my sons to someday be able to say that their father was a good person who made a lot of terrible mistakes but finally learned - that I ultimately had some positive impact, made a difference." My husband and I did some prison ministry for awhile; we developed discernment because convicts are notoriously skilled manipulators. Enriquez is highly credible in my opinion. Ignore his warnings at your (and our country's) peril.

Great book detailing violent events and the inner workings of La Eme. Sometimes it reads more like a newspaper but there is a story to be told. A very true to life about prison and how things operate. Bone chilling.

A +

What a disappointing story of ruthless, no-good thugs who have less value for the innocent lives of those caught in the crossfire and gang wars. They should find an island somewhere where they can fight their turf battles and kill each other all day long. This story was not worth the words the space took up.

I read terror and horror fiction all the time and it doesn't bother me a bit. This is not fiction but it is filled with horror and terror. I could not finish this book. It was just too much...even for me. Sounds like Boxer and his friends really enjoyed what they did. Disturbing. I give it three stars because it was well written.

Besides the unnecessary description of everyone, this book was pretty interesting. I did hate how the author jumped from one situation to another . Definitely a book to give to someone who is on the wrong path.

Must read. Very interesting and hard to put down. Very horrific and graphic tales. Racist Mexican mafia. Power to the PEOPLE . Blk and proud . Did time with some of them. They're junkies and have no life outside the walls of prisons. They use and abuse their own people

If you are curious about the organization of prison gangs and insight into why individuals join them, this book is for you. A rare account from a high ranking Mexican Mafia member details the complexity of gangs and how to stop them. Rene's accounts are credible with no personal glorification to his former life, just a very raw and honest account.

Excellent book on the Mexican Mafia's inner workings as related by Rene "Boxer" Enriquez. Chris Blatchford does his homework and tells it like it is and like it was.

The Black Hand is a perfect part of The Trilogy of Mexican Mafia (or, EME) books that I consider required reading. 1)Mexican Mafia: From Altar Boy to Hitman by Ramon Mendoza - Written by Ramon "Mundo" Mendoza and takes us to the EME's beginnings and through the deadly evolution of this prison-spawned gang which spilled it's violence to the streets of L.A. and beyond), 2)The Mexican Mafia by Tony Rafael - Covers one of the longest EME trials in U.S. penal history and introduces the reader to many of the contemporary Mobsters who terrorize the streets of L.A., and 3)The Black Hand by Chris Blatchford. These three books will give EME aficionados a great insight into this deadly American-born cartel.

Enriquez' story is unique and, chronologically speaking, picks up where Mundo Mendoza's story leaves off. It introduces us to the Mexican Mafia members of the Pepsi Generation (EME younger "carnales", or brothers) and also brings us up to date with many of the old timers who were either killed, became informants or are serving life or extended sentences in California and federal prisons.

The Black Hand is a must read.

This book is a very interesting read, but it is a little exagerated and not from the hit man Boxers point of view. It is from Chris Blatchfords point of view. Chris Blatchford makes the book interesting, but it is pretty obvious as one reads that Blatchford grew up in a suburb away from anything known as a gang. At times he seems almost scared or as if exagerating his points of view in order to scare the readers. With that in mind the book is still a great book to read for anyone in the criminology field.

I have read quite a few books about gangs. This is one of the most graphic and descriptive of how security threat groups tend to be underestimated in our prison system. I work in a female prison and I was talking to an inmate from California a little bit about la eme. She was amazed at how much I knew about The Mexican Mafia. She said her brother is incarcerated in California and is a member. Some of the things I talked to her about stunned her and she wanted to know how I knew so much about them. Chris Blatchford exposes how Boxer and the gang members exploited the system for their own needs. I liked this book better than Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member.

This book is interesting, but not as compelling as I was hoping for. I found the story did not draw my interest as much as I wanted it to. It is well written, but maybe a bit dry. The subject matter is terrifying, but I did not get a sense of the magnitude of the problem from most of the text. Still informative.

Chris Blatchford did his homework with, The Black Hand. A deep look inside the Mexican Mafia through the eyes of "Boxer", a street soldier who took his job seriously until he found the end of the road was filled with betrayal. An incredible piece of literature. Roll Call

After having read Rene's story and I before I go on ,I must add,that I served time in the joint along with all these dudes. I even met Rene. Jacko Padilla was my cellie before he got put on high power back in 1990. I knew most of the incidents that Rene's story talk about from being around,but this book shed a light as to giving me more thourough details. Jacko always made it sound like he was calling the shots on the streets already and that he was going to have Little moe made,but in reality now I know that he had been just made when I met him! Anyway,now I am so lgad I didn't let myself get reeled into all their BS. I did run with the south and was an EME sympathizer for a minute,but didn't want to devote my life to them. Still got myself involved into lots of gang activity and spent about 5 years in the SHU. I even was in VCU at new folsom adseg before it got shut down by the courts. I just graduated from Law school and have been able to hold the same job for quite a few years now. Never was hooked on heroin nor coke,but did do drugs;however ,have been clean for many years as well. Looking back at my past.....I am so glad I am still here. Too bad so much waste of talent has been lost ,and so many tears have been shed,and so many things we done can't be undone! Book is really good.

Since reading the black hand, I have not been able to read/buy any other books for fear of their mediocracy. Hands down,the greatest read, especially for someone who has seen the Southern California gang lifestyles and influences. It was recommended by my brother in law who is LAPD... being that my husband and I are from the "other" side of the law, we couldn't put it down and read it in one session. (after fighting several times for the book) Its real, its raw and just a tiny glimpse into the lives of the Mexican underworld called mafia. The rest of the story is in the newspapers everyday....gang related and mafia run. Highly recommended

I really got into this book right away ,since I was very familiar with the areas of los Angeles mentioned in this book I was more pulled into the book .and I wanted to know more about the infamous prison gang and its influence in our neighborhoods.
I enjoyed reading this book I thought it was a great insight in how Rene Enriquez went through the transition of his life from mobster to debriefing from la eme.

An easy read with plenty of content to keep you engaged if interested about the topic.. Ive read this book atleast five to six times.. the series of events are so interesting, and it just makes you wonder...

I wanted more information about the Mexican Mafia and this book contains some very interesting facts and stories about life inside the mob. Told through the eyes of one of their own, this is a must-read if you care about what is happening in the streets of the U.S. and your own neighborhood.

This book really details the life of a gangster. Very detailed. I like how each person was given their name and place of origin. As I was reading the book I was surprised to see gangsters that lived in the city I grew up in. Great job Chris

This is a well written, easy to read, accurate book about the Mexican Mafia. No mistakes noted. I felt the title was a little deceiving as the Black Hand really goes back to the early Italian Mafia in Italy and the U.S.. I just hope that Boxer makes it although I know that the odds are against him, but if he can stay off the drugs and consider his children, it's possible.

The first part of the book has some bogus stories in an intent to make this guy look bigger than the comic book "Batman". His discription of Cerritos or the "Cerritos Ranch", as I knew it as a kid, is nothing of what he talks about. Kind of Hard to believe that a lot of what he says really happened.
The rest of the book is excellent for people looking to make connections and references to names, dates, and people involved in gang hits. Some of the details are incorrect - but still a good read.
The part regarding Senator G.Romero needs to be investigated by the FBI. She is so dirty and totally loves these young bald head cholitos.

I've never read a book that had such a defined road map of a gangster. The way he went from being a normal kid to the upper-echelon of la eme was insightful. I found it very interesting at the end when he talked about the prison system. Even a guy in his position said it was was a joke and to easy for the Mafia to run, recruit, and even do business. He exposes the mafia going after youth, the heavily flawed jail system, and the dirty liberal politicians"supporting inmate rights" and making sure the prison system isn't fixed. Makes one wonder how many problems might be improved in CA if the mafia wasn't enabled to do business here. Not only a great read but also good insight to cripple the mafia business in our prison system and maybe make it actual reform.

i've read quite a bit on the mexican mafia and when i started this book i couldn't put it down. to see boxer who came from a good family and rise to power in la eme was amazing. the things he did were horible yet to see him finally rise above that and say ENOUGH was what you the reader were hoping for. this is the best book out there on the mexican mafia and its inner workings. you come to know men like "topo peters", "huero shy", "tupi" and black dan. great great book. my hats off to rene enriquez!

This is a great read but a brutal look at the inside of a world most of us don't think about. I read this book at the request of a close friend who is mentioned several times in this book. I was riveted and terrified at the same time. You will definitely get up and lock your doors after reading this book.. Chris Blatchford does a great job of putting you in the prison cell with the inmates.

Great book, tells you the backgroud story of a person who was involved in organized crime and it explains the struggles of the "crime life." I think every kid that tries to walk that line should read this book and understand the problems they will face.

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. I HAVE DONE ALOT OF RESEARCH ON THE MEXICAN MAFIA AND THIS IS TRUE TO THE T. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN THE MEXICAN MAFIA OR ANYONE WHO ENJOYS A BOOK THAT WILL KEEP YOU UP ALL NIGHT READING IT.

The book is an interesting look into the Mexican Mafia. I did learn a lot from the book, but after a while the killing became redundant and nothing new was happening so I stopped reading. Maybe the end has some bizarre twist regarding Boxer Enriquez turning on his gang, but I was too bored to find out.