In late November, after 10 days of testimony and arguments in federal court, jurors were preparing to go into deliberations in the RICO trial against four alleged members of the Westside Crew (a.k.a. Project Crud), a local gang. At the 11th hour, however, a juror told Judge Norman K. Moon that he had heard other jurors discussing a newspaper article about the case. Moon declared a mistrial on the case, for which prosecutors and defense attorneys had spent a year preparing. The retrial was scheduled to begin on May 8 and will last for three weeks. This time ‘round, however, there will be only one defendant: the alleged ringleader, Louis Antonio Bryant (a.k.a. B-Stacks).
Bryant is charged with, among other things, racketeering, narcotics trafficking, narcotics conspiracy and multiple violent crimes. According to prosecutors, Bryant and other members of Project Crud worked city neighborhoods for 10 years selling crack and marijuana.
Sixteen members of the Westside Crew were originally arrested in connection to the case back in the fall of 2004. Twelve of those men, however, reached plea bargains early on and only four, including Bryant, went to trial in November. Since the mistrial was declared, Bryant’s three co-defendents—his uncle John Darrelle Bryant, Terrance Suggs and Claiborne Maupin—have reached plea agreements. A fourth man, a fugitive who turned himself into police in January, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, as well.
Bryant is charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), which Congress passed in 1970 to crack down on the Mafia. The RICO Act allows Mafia kingpins to be put away on racketeering charges even if prosecutors can’t prove they’ve committed any violent acts. Lately, the act has been used to prosecute criminal street gangs, such as the Westside Crew.
If convicted, Bryant faces life behind bars.—Nell Boeschenstein
Bryant is charged with, among other things, racketeering, narcotics trafficking, narcotics conspiracy and multiple violent crimes. According to prosecutors, Bryant and other members of Project Crud worked city neighborhoods for 10 years selling crack and marijuana.
Sixteen members of the Westside Crew were originally arrested in connection to the case back in the fall of 2004. Twelve of those men, however, reached plea bargains early on and only four, including Bryant, went to trial in November. Since the mistrial was declared, Bryant’s three co-defendents—his uncle John Darrelle Bryant, Terrance Suggs and Claiborne Maupin—have reached plea agreements. A fourth man, a fugitive who turned himself into police in January, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, as well.
Bryant is charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), which Congress passed in 1970 to crack down on the Mafia. The RICO Act allows Mafia kingpins to be put away on racketeering charges even if prosecutors can’t prove they’ve committed any violent acts. Lately, the act has been used to prosecute criminal street gangs, such as the Westside Crew.
If convicted, Bryant faces life behind bars.—Nell Boeschenstein