Born to Kill (49 page)

girlfriend of,
103

government surveillance of,
173
,
175
,
254
,
255
,
256–259

photo identification of,
213–214

physical appearance of,
92
,
96
,
151
,
256

Tran, Lan Ngoc (Uncle Lan) (
cont
)

police information on,
223

prosecution of,
273
,
276
,
278
,
281

robbery plans and,
174
,
181
,
182
,
183
,
185
,
186
,
187
,
193–194
,
201–202
,
225
,
226
,
227
,
244
,
254–259

at Rochester police raid,
188
,
189

ruthlessness of,
92
,
109–110
,
113
,
199–200

safe house used by,
157

sentence of,
291

store owners shot by,
109–110
,
120
,
148–152
,
163
,
185–186
,
197
,
203
,
206
,
208
,
273
,
278

Tinh Ngo's withdrawal and,
263–264

writings of,
199–200
,
273
,
275

Tran, Qui,
62

Tran, Thanh (Eddie) (Tieu),
243

arrest of,
269

David Thai's behavior toward,
241
,
242
,
272

physical appearance of,
34

police van bombed by,
33–34
,
39
,
47
,
225

prosecutorial testimony of,
272

robbery assignments resisted by,
225
,
256
,
272

surveillance of,
257

Tran, Tuan (Blackeyes):

arrest of,
221–222
,
261

Brooklyn apartment of,
224
,
255

at BTK funeral,
1

computer chips heisted by,
221–222
,
262

contract on Tinh Ngo and,
261–262
,
264

as
dai low
,
28
,
221

at David Thai's first gang meeting,
39

interrogation of,
222–223

at massage-parlor robbery,
14
,
15
,
16
,
17
,
28
,
123

physical appearance of,
27–28
,
221

popularity of,
221

robbery targets chosen by,
17
,
28

separate gang organized by,
221

Vietnamese background of,
17

Tran, Vinh,
150–151
,
273

Trang, Diem (Linda),
104

Trang, Lam,
47–48
,
130

triads,
51
,
84

Trinh, Huyen (Albert):

ATF training of,
217–218
,
223

background of,
217
,
218–220
,
270–271

BTK arrests and,
221
,
222–223
,
270–271

education of,
217
,
218
,
220

physical appearance of,
217

secret recordings transcribed by,
234–236

Tinh Ngo's relationship with,
217
,
236–237
,
239–241
,
264

undercover work of,
235
,
270

Truong, Lam,
241
,
243
,
247

Tsung Tsin Association,
58
,
87
,
290

Tun, Nguieu (Teardrop),
1
,
116–117
,
269

Tung On Association,
58
,
289–290

turf conflicts,
46–48
,
53
,
57–59
,
61–62
,
113–114

Tyre, Peg,
197
,
274

Uncle Lan,
see
Tran, Lan Ngoc

United Bamboo,
38
,
285

United Orient Bank,
84
,
85

United States
v.
David Thai, et al
.,
276–281

urban violence, escalation of,
229
,
230

see also
gang violence

Vientiane Restaurant,
96–97
,
213

Viet-Ching
,
6

Viet-Kieu
,
23
,
26
,
238
,
241

Vietnam:

airlifts from,
219

history of,
238

postwar economic collapse of,
19

refugee boats from,
16
,
19–23
,
99
,
220

U.S. military in,
9
,
18
,
34–36

wartime devastation of,
18–19
,
34–36

Vietnamese:

mythic literature of suffering by,
238–239

surnames of,
100–101

Tet celebrated by,
115

as victims of evil karma,
238

Vietnamese Flying Dragons,
37

see also
Flying Dragons

Vietnamese immigrants:

as boat people,
20
,
99
,
220

Chinese attitudes toward,
37
,
38
,
54
,
78

community organization for,
87

nightclub entertainment of,
104

political factions among,
160–161

rootlessness of,
98–100

unique difficulties faced by,
87–88

at U.S. army bases,
219

Vietnamese language, transcription difficulties for,
235–236

Vietnamese youth gangs:

African-American behavior adopted by,
55

Asians targeted by,
54
,
100
,
226

community ties lacked by,
9
,
58
,
61

home invasions by,
100

nationwide scope of,
98
,
100
,
291

other Asian gangs vs.,
27

recklessness of,
133

in Southern California,
220

U.S. law enforcement difficulties with,
100–102

see also
Born to Kill

Vinegrad, Alan:

arrests approved by,
267

background of,
191

BTK case undertaken by,
190
,
191
,
192–193

BTK trial and,
276
,
279
,
281

evidence compiled for,
233
,
252
,
272
,
276–277

prior RICO prosecutions handled by,
191–192

Tinh Ngo interviewed by,
193
,
277

White Mare narcotics cases prosecuted by,
191–192

Vinnie (BTK member),
40

violence,
see
gang violence

Vu, Kenny,
279

arrest of,
67

at Bridgeport operations,
93
,
94
,
95
,
96
,
97

at Brooklyn safe-house apartments,
27
,
54–57
,
157

crack smoked by,
55–56

at first BTK gathering,
40

gang girlfriends and,
76
,
77

Georgia-based activities and,
97
,
98
,
102
,
104
,
107
,
108
,
110
,
112

Ghost Shadows hangout raided by,
57
,
58

massage parlors robbed by,
14
,
15
,
16
,
93
,
94
,
221

physical appearance of,
26

store owner's murder and,
148
,
149–150
,
151–152
,
158
,
273

tattoos of,
56

testimony given by,
272
,
273

Tinh Ngo's undercover work and,
158–159
,
167

Vietnamese background of,
26

on violent robberies,
17

Vu, Tommy,
28
,
77

at Brooklyn safe-house apartment,
27
,
54

disciplinary procedures and,
44

at first BTK gathering,
40

letter to Thai from,
279–280

massage parlor robbed by,
13–17
,
221

Vietnamese background of,
17
,
26

Vu, Vinh (Amigo):

as Chinatown
dai low
,
4
,
57
,
67
,
68
,
75
,
135
,
170

at first BTK meeting,
39
,
42

gang boundaries bridged by,
62–63

robbery proceeds brought to,
57

shootout at funeral of,
4–8
,
71–74
,
172
,
277

War on Drugs,
165

watches, counterfeit,
30–31
,
33
,
38

W. C. Produce,
75
,
176–177

weapons:

availability of,
106
,
230

BTK supply of,
106
,
131
,
133
,
185–186
,
187
,
188
,
190
,
202
,
209
,
269

increased sophistication of,
229

West Side Story
,
229

Wheat Ridge, Colo., robbery at Catholic church in,
203–204

wheel men,
150

White Eagles,
60

White Mare,
191–192

Winnie's Bar,
61–62

Witness Security Program (WITSEC),
282

Wonder Wheel,
77

Wong, Jimmy:

Asian robbery targets specified by,
54

as Brooklyn
dai low
,
40
,
44
,
45

robbery proceeds claimed by,
44

Wong, Paul (Foochow Paul),
232

Woo, John,
72

World Journal
,
89

Year of the Dragon
,
286

youth gangs:

African-American,
76
,
229–230

anarchistic behavior of,
231

California prison system riddled with,
230

Chicano,
37–38

Chinese,
37–38

colors associated with,
230

drive-by shootings by,
229
,
231
,
233

economic hopelessness and,
230

ethnic divisions maintained by,
252

innocent bystanders as victims of,
231
,
233

profit motive for,
230–231
,
279

youth gangs (
cont
)

recruitment for,
60–61

retribution murders committed by,
4–8
,
71–74
,
79–80
,
86
,
136
,
148–154
,
232

tong alliances of,
51–53
,
69–71
,
232
,
290

turf disputes among,
46–48
,
53
,
57–59
,
61–62
,
113–114
,
230
,
290

violence escalated by,
229
,
230
,
231
,
232

see also
Vietnamese youth gangs;
specific gangs

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copyright © 1995 by T. J. English.

cover design by Liz Connor

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