Summary Of Venkatesh's 'Murder Over Me'
CHAPTER THREE: SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME
Venkatesh wondered how JT would act next time he saw him since he witnessed him beat up C-Note. C-Note was hospitalized, recuperated, and returned to Robert Taylor. JT later invited Venkatesh to his daughter’s birthday party. JT was very protective of his private life.
Venkatesh was affected by C-Notes beating. He wanted to ask JT about it but refrained, he also wanted to call the cops about the assault but he did nothing.
JT had a senior officer beat Brass, a squatter who refused to pay the fee, Prince beat him to a death almost. Venkatesh was uncomfortable seeing this. JT explained that it would be okay and that’s how things had to be around there to teach people lessons.
Venkatesh asks about the comparison of C-Note and Brass. He understood Brass didn’t pay the fee but didn’t understand why C-Note was beat for not doing anything. JT explains that he had told C-Note he couldn’t work there and by going back on his word he was challenging JT’s authority so he had to beat him. …show more content…
JT was always worried that the other members wanted to dethrone him and claim his territory.
1990 was peak for crack industry in gangs, gangs were profiting large amounts of money.
Teenagers were getting into drug trade to make money, law enforcement and others were trying to get these kids in school and menial work away from drug trade. Kids were more willing to see drugs then do the menial work.
Prosecutors won the right to treats gangs as organized criminal groups so prison sentences were
longer.
Gang was run like a business. They monitored their economic progress and sales. They had a board of directors and range of hierarchy.
JT explains that the gang has to constantly be thinking about money: keeping it safe, protecting themselves from others, and investing it.
JT says that their organization is about helping the community so they want to get involved with politicians. They donate 10,000$ to politicians and the politicians keep them safe and keep the cops away.
The gang also worked with CBO’s which tried to get young gangsters to reject thug life and move into mainstream America. They help workshops on how to properly act in social situations and JT required his gang members to go to these workshops and participate in voting registration drives.
Their motives were not for education purposes but they knew if they maintained good relationships with locals they would be less likely to call the cops and disrupt the drug trade.
Lenny and ex-gangster hold a meeting for the BK’s about the power of education and voting and why they need it. Lenny also mediates gang wars and keeps them at peace. Some gangs pay him to discipline their young “fighter members”. If there is war it is hard to conduct commerce.
JT wanted to be seen as more than a criminal. He was not busy hanging out with older gang leader and political friends. Venkatesh now had the chance to learn about the community without JT watching over him.
Most people think of the gang as a threat, for Venkatesh an uninitiated outsider, he saw the gang as security.
He wanted to know the gangs influence on the community. C-Note and Clarisse said the gang was an ally, source of fear, and a nuisance.
Projects were a familiar home turf with some opportunity. Lives ranged from drug addiction, to homelessness, to jail time, and street hustling.
Local businesses pay taxes to the gang. When these business have problems they call the Kings like we call the police.
Kings act as mediators for the people and handle violence. They also protect the community, the store owners and tenants. EX: Boo-Boo and Ay-rab story
JT left for a regional meeting hoping to move up in the gangs hierarchy. He gave Venkatesh permission to visit as much as he wanted but not wander too far because he wouldn’t be around to help him.
Venkatesh could now talk to the community. He has an immediate problem. Most wouldn’t talk to him because he was seen as an affiliate of the BK gang.
Venkatesh went to Taylor B to the community center where he met Autry. Autry felt the gang did help the community by giving away food, mediating conflicts, but he also said that the community spent a lot of time mopping up the gang’s mistakes.
Most problems stem from killings for unimportant reasons. Many kids don’t get attention at home and want to be noticed, so they rebel.
The board at the community center mediated by working with cops and social workers to let the kids fight it out rather than put them through social justice systems. Club held basketball tournaments to attract gang members. They wanted kids to play sports rather than spend their nights on the streets.
Autry vs JT at the club and who Venkatesh belongs to. Venkatesh didn’t realize that who he was seen with affected who he was. He left the club before the meeting so he didn’t jeopardize his relationship with JT. He later met JT and talked it out because JT was mad at him and called him ignorant.
Shooting occurred on the border of Taylor A and B. Two kids 8 and 9 were shot by a drive by shooting. JT’s gang was on the receiving end. Venkatesh told Autry he wouldn’t be around to save his relationship with JT. Many parents were worried a war would break out so they kept their kids inside. Police were coming to later address the situation. JT said the police do nothing for them.
Meetings go like this, tenants yell at police, police say nothing, everyone returns to life as it was.
JT and Mayne the Disciples leader meet with the cop, and Ms. Bailey along with the pastor to explain the fight and how it happened. Mayne said they were defending their honor while JT said all his tenants are afraid to leave and it has scared business away so he wants Mayne to pay the price. Mayne said it happened on a border of the territory so JT was ineligible for compensation. Venkatesh was shocked that a religious leader and cop were facilitating the mediation.
Solution was that since Mayne screwed up and JT did not retaliate that JT and his gang get to sell their product in the park for a week but only late at night when kids are not there. Next time if JT messes up, Mayne and his gang get to sell for a week in the park. Vekatesh was surprised how level headed both gang leaders were in the conversation since they had literally been trying to shoot eachother to death. The men shook on it and JT, Mayne, and Pastor Wilkins worked out the details.
Venkatesh witnessed how the gang and community worked out their differences.
JT and Venkatesh discussed that Venkatesh is now on his own after that meeting. That JT cannot protect him all the time and that he brought himself to the meeting.
Venkatesh wondered how JT would act next time he saw him since he witnessed him beat up C-Note. C-Note was hospitalized, recuperated, and returned to Robert Taylor. JT later invited Venkatesh to his daughter’s birthday party. JT was very protective of his private life.
Venkatesh was affected by C-Notes beating. He wanted to ask JT about it but refrained, he also wanted to call the cops about the assault but he did nothing.
JT had a senior officer beat Brass, a squatter who refused to pay the fee, Prince beat him to a death almost. Venkatesh was uncomfortable seeing this. JT explained that it would be okay and that’s how things had to be around there to teach people lessons.
Venkatesh asks about the comparison of C-Note and Brass. He understood Brass didn’t pay the fee but didn’t understand why C-Note was beat for not doing anything. JT explains that he had told C-Note he couldn’t work there and by going back on his word he was challenging JT’s authority so he had to beat him. …show more content…
JT was always worried that the other members wanted to dethrone him and claim his territory.
1990 was peak for crack industry in gangs, gangs were profiting large amounts of money.
Teenagers were getting into drug trade to make money, law enforcement and others were trying to get these kids in school and menial work away from drug trade. Kids were more willing to see drugs then do the menial work.
Prosecutors won the right to treats gangs as organized criminal groups so prison sentences were
longer.
Gang was run like a business. They monitored their economic progress and sales. They had a board of directors and range of hierarchy.
JT explains that the gang has to constantly be thinking about money: keeping it safe, protecting themselves from others, and investing it.
JT says that their organization is about helping the community so they want to get involved with politicians. They donate 10,000$ to politicians and the politicians keep them safe and keep the cops away.
The gang also worked with CBO’s which tried to get young gangsters to reject thug life and move into mainstream America. They help workshops on how to properly act in social situations and JT required his gang members to go to these workshops and participate in voting registration drives.
Their motives were not for education purposes but they knew if they maintained good relationships with locals they would be less likely to call the cops and disrupt the drug trade.
Lenny and ex-gangster hold a meeting for the BK’s about the power of education and voting and why they need it. Lenny also mediates gang wars and keeps them at peace. Some gangs pay him to discipline their young “fighter members”. If there is war it is hard to conduct commerce.
JT wanted to be seen as more than a criminal. He was not busy hanging out with older gang leader and political friends. Venkatesh now had the chance to learn about the community without JT watching over him.
Most people think of the gang as a threat, for Venkatesh an uninitiated outsider, he saw the gang as security.
He wanted to know the gangs influence on the community. C-Note and Clarisse said the gang was an ally, source of fear, and a nuisance.
Projects were a familiar home turf with some opportunity. Lives ranged from drug addiction, to homelessness, to jail time, and street hustling.
Local businesses pay taxes to the gang. When these business have problems they call the Kings like we call the police.
Kings act as mediators for the people and handle violence. They also protect the community, the store owners and tenants. EX: Boo-Boo and Ay-rab story
JT left for a regional meeting hoping to move up in the gangs hierarchy. He gave Venkatesh permission to visit as much as he wanted but not wander too far because he wouldn’t be around to help him.
Venkatesh could now talk to the community. He has an immediate problem. Most wouldn’t talk to him because he was seen as an affiliate of the BK gang.
Venkatesh went to Taylor B to the community center where he met Autry. Autry felt the gang did help the community by giving away food, mediating conflicts, but he also said that the community spent a lot of time mopping up the gang’s mistakes.
Most problems stem from killings for unimportant reasons. Many kids don’t get attention at home and want to be noticed, so they rebel.
The board at the community center mediated by working with cops and social workers to let the kids fight it out rather than put them through social justice systems. Club held basketball tournaments to attract gang members. They wanted kids to play sports rather than spend their nights on the streets.
Autry vs JT at the club and who Venkatesh belongs to. Venkatesh didn’t realize that who he was seen with affected who he was. He left the club before the meeting so he didn’t jeopardize his relationship with JT. He later met JT and talked it out because JT was mad at him and called him ignorant.
Shooting occurred on the border of Taylor A and B. Two kids 8 and 9 were shot by a drive by shooting. JT’s gang was on the receiving end. Venkatesh told Autry he wouldn’t be around to save his relationship with JT. Many parents were worried a war would break out so they kept their kids inside. Police were coming to later address the situation. JT said the police do nothing for them.
Meetings go like this, tenants yell at police, police say nothing, everyone returns to life as it was.
JT and Mayne the Disciples leader meet with the cop, and Ms. Bailey along with the pastor to explain the fight and how it happened. Mayne said they were defending their honor while JT said all his tenants are afraid to leave and it has scared business away so he wants Mayne to pay the price. Mayne said it happened on a border of the territory so JT was ineligible for compensation. Venkatesh was shocked that a religious leader and cop were facilitating the mediation.
Solution was that since Mayne screwed up and JT did not retaliate that JT and his gang get to sell their product in the park for a week but only late at night when kids are not there. Next time if JT messes up, Mayne and his gang get to sell for a week in the park. Vekatesh was surprised how level headed both gang leaders were in the conversation since they had literally been trying to shoot eachother to death. The men shook on it and JT, Mayne, and Pastor Wilkins worked out the details.
Venkatesh witnessed how the gang and community worked out their differences.
JT and Venkatesh discussed that Venkatesh is now on his own after that meeting. That JT cannot protect him all the time and that he brought himself to the meeting.