Gangland (2007) s04e05 Episode Script
Kill or Be Killed
male narrator: Memphis: It's Known for blues, barbecue, and Something else narrator: This city breeds Hard-core killers.
like, homeboys was killing Homeboys, you know? We was knocking each other off.
narrator: One gang shows no Mercy, bathing these streets in Blood.
open the door! máááááááááá! narrator: Lmg.
Lmg, "love murdering gangsters.
" narrator: 'cause on the Mississippi delta, it's kill or Be killed.
narrator: Memphis, Tennessee: Heart of the bible Belt.
It's got more churches than gas Stations, and everybody has A recipe for the best barbecue In town.
It draws thousands of tourists Who flock to visit the Birthplace of the blues and the Home of elvis presley.
Memphis is also one of the Deadliest cities in the country.
narrator: In 2007, according To the fbi, memphis was the Most violent city in the Nation, with more than 1,200 violent crimes Per 100,000 residents.
The number one reason for the Bloodbath: Gangs.
it's like every major city Took all their gangs, put it in A toilet, flushed it, and they Came out in memphis.
narrator: This city Of 674,000 holds some 300 different sets of gangs.
The most notorious of those: Lmg, love murdering gangsters.
they had the attitude that They were above everybody else.
It caused them to really having To back up their attitudes.
we liked the attention, we Drew attention, we did things Our ownon our own, and we did Things our way.
narrator: The gang started In the lemoyne gardens housing Project.
Located on the city's south Side, the gang made it Synonymous with murder.
it's likelike survival of The fittest.
You know it just, gotta watch Your back.
narrator: The lmgs also made The gardens extremely dangerous For outsiders who dared to Enter the area.
narrator: 30-year-old Deangelo bills grew up in the Garden.
His lmg crew calls him "wild" for good reason.
Wild's been shot 17 times.
narrator: Wild has lost Feeling in almost his entire Body.
narrator: One shooting took Place when wild was hanging On his front porch and a group Of strangers appeared on his Block.
narrator: Wild was shot In a hail of gunfire.
One bullet lodged above his eye.
narrator: Wild took off Running as bullets chased him, One hitting him in the hand, Another in the back.
narrator: To this day, wild Doesn't know why the men went After him.
It's just part of life in this Project.
narrator: Lmg member curtis Crump learned early on to tune Out the gunfire in lemoyne Gardens.
narrator: Curtis was raised To believe in god and the Bible, but the lure of fast Money trumped his religious Upbringing.
narrator: Curtis was only 10 When he joined the lmgs.
He started as a lookout then Quickly moved into selling Drugs.
He soon gained notoriety in the Garden.
narrator: Curtis had already Been shot seven times by his 18th birthday.
narrator: One shooting Almost cost him his life.
In 1990, curtis was playing Craps and was up more than $3,000.
The trouble started when Another player didn't like the Way the dice were rolling.
narrator: The other gangster Went to his car and grabbed an Uzi, then began shooting at Curtis.
narrator: The gunman fired More than 30 rounds, hitting Curtis in the legs five times.
narrator: The shooter was Added to a list of enemies Topped by lmgs' most hated Rival: The gangster disciples.
The two gangs have battled for Control of the memphis streets For years.
It traces back to lmgs' most Revered leader: George Hughlett, aka "g-train.
" 1993: 23-year-old g-train ruled The drug scene in south memphis With an arsenal of weapons and An iron fist.
he was like yosemite sam.
I mean, everywhere he went, he Had two or three guns.
narrator: To fellow gang Members, g-train was invincible And could not be brought down.
narrator: Alvin johnson, Known as "dog pound," was G-train's childhood friend.
narrator: G-train's biggest Enemy was a local gangster Disciple leader named darrell Jordan, aka "cowboy.
" It all started with the rumor That cowboy had jumped The little brother Of a high-ranking lmg member.
narrator: Cowboy was also Disrespecting the lmgs by Selling drugs on their turf, A crime punishable by death.
cowboy, darrell jordan, had Violated the lines of Demarcation.
It was train's turf, and there Was no question about who ran That area of town.
narrator: Cowboy was hanging Out with two friends in A parking lot near the lemoyne Gardens project when six Members of lmg, including G-train, pulled into the lot.
Train called cowboy over to Settle their differences.
Minutes later, all hell broke Loose.
When the shooting stopped, Cowboy was lying near a parked Car.
He had been hit 12 times, Including once in the head.
The police rushed to the scene And found cowboy, amazingly, Still alive.
Immediately made a gasping Claim.
when the officer got down And asked him, "what happened? What happened?" narrator: Memphis: The river city.
B.
B.
King Mastered the blues here on Beale street, and elvis Recorded his first album at the Legendary sun studio.
The city is also home to the Lmgs, one of the most violent Gangs in the south.
people love to see evil, People liked it, And where I'm from, we feed off It, you know? narrator: Lmg's base of Operations is lemoyne gardens Housing project in south Memphis, one of the poorest Areas in the city.
The project has 842 apartments And was built as part of President franklin delano Roosevelt's new deal initiative.
The goal was to rid memphis of Its slums by providing the poor With temporary housing.
It was unsuccessful.
public housing became a Permanent place for people who Were in poverty to live, A place we could forget about People, in many ways.
narrator: Those forgotten People have gone through Generation after generation of Hopelessness.
it concentrated substantial Numbers of people in a Relatively small area that have Very little hope for economic Advancement, often have failing Schools that are serving them, Few services that are available To them.
All of that starts giving rise To the kind of criminal Activity we see.
narrator: While many Residents of the projects were Hardworking citizens, some Chose a different path.
In the '60s and '70s, dealing Drugs became a way to make a Fast buck.
The scene only got worse in the '80s when crack hit town.
once crack cocaine hit the Streets of memphis, tennessee, There s a great deal of fuel Added to the fire and the gangs Hit the streets.
narrator: The projects' Toxic mix of poverty and drugs Was irresistible to large gangs Looking to expand their Business.
The gangster disciples of Chicago were one of those in Search of a quick buck.
Their arrival disturbed Longtime residents like alvin Johnson, aka dog pound.
narrator: The situation in Lemoyne gardens was made worse By ongoing feuds with three Other housing projects in south Memphis.
narrator: In the early 1980s, a group of friends from The lemoyne gardens project Decided to band together.
They called themselves the Lemoyne gardens mafia, "lmg" For short.
narrator: The lmgs were soon More than 100 strong, promising To have one another's backs.
when we mob, we mobb deep.
And when we mob, everywhere we Go, we going to Beit'ssomebody gonna Recognize who we are.
narrator: The drug scene in South memphis was exploding, And lmg was looking to Dominate the tra.
you come get anything over There in lemoyne garden, from Marijuana to crack cocaine to Powder cocaine.
Itit was really like A mini cartel.
narrator: The gang's united Front quickly became profitable.
guys over there, they stood Together.
They hustled together.
narrator: By 1993, lmg Was running the streets, And 23-year old g-train Was rising to the top.
g-train threatened anyone Who got in his way as he Assumed control of the lmgs.
the name "train" conveys a Certain message or messages, And it's about fear; it's about Violence; it's about hard-core Memphis gang.
narrator: His deadly Mystique soon stamped him as Untouchable.
narrator: G-train used his Drug profits to purchase a Nightclub: The headquarters.
It became the place to be seen And the main hangout For the lmgs.
narrator: From the street, It looked like a legitimate Business, but behind closed Doors, the headquarters held A secret.
the club was more like, You know, club/trap house.
You know, ecstasy pills, Marijuana, cocaine.
I mean, it was all there in the Club, so it was like A one-stop shop.
this is where they would Hold their meetings or So-called roll calls, and they Would talk about their business.
They would talk about, "okay, Where are we at with our Money?" You know.
"how we're gonna make money.
What are the gangster disciples Doing? What are the rival gangs doing?" narrator: G-train's empire Continued to grow as he Appeared to go legit.
He formed a music group and cut A rap album.
G-train also tried to build A reputation as a local Robin hood.
He bought a barbershop, gave Out free haircuts, and Sponsored a fourth of July Fireworks show.
he showed love.
I mean, on christmas, if you Ain'tif you don't have one, He'll make it happen for you, You know.
I mean, he bring you gifts.
narrator: To the lmgs, he Was a hero, a man To be emulated.
narrator: G-train wasn't Loved by all.
As his power and wealth grew, He and the lmgs began crossing Enemy lines.
they were starting to sell Drugs over onto the gangster Disciple territory, and when That started happening, the Lmgs and g-train were starting To cut into the money of the Gangster disciples, whichit's Gonncause a problem.
narrator: The gangster Disciples wanted g-train dead.
It only added to his legend.
he was said to have nine Lives for all the times that People tried to kill him but Were unsuccessful.
narrator: The gangster Disciples got frustrated when They couldn't get to g-train And went after his family Instead.
In the early '90s, they Attacked train's brother and Almost beat him to death.
To the lmgs, the assault was A declaration of war.
train just took it out on Them.
He didn't care who it was.
If he was gd, he was Gonna get it.
narrator: The lmgs' plan was Simple.
it was just s.
O.
S.
, "shoot on sight.
" narrator: The murders began To pile up as each killing was Met with another.
the garden, that's Murderville, you know what I'm Saying? So you could come up through There out the rk, it's Bloodshed.
narrator: The lmgs name took On a more sinister meaning.
lmg changed From "lemoyne garden projects" To "love murdering gangsters.
" narrator: The posse had a New battle cry.
gd, short for "gangster disciples"? Lmg added a "k" to it.
Gdk.
"gangster disciple killers.
" narrator: By 1996, corpses Were piling up on the streets.
It was unlike anything memphis Authorities had ever witnessed.
the war, by law enforcement Standards, was off the charts Because of the number of Killings and shootings that Were taking place in a small Period of time.
narrator: The memphis pd Were outnumbered and Overwhelmed.
Even with 1,500 officers, they Couldn't handle the nearly 2,000 arrest warrants generated By gang violence alone.
how are you gonna chip away With that small of a population Of officers? It's virtuallythe numbers are Impossible.
It's like stickin' your finger In a dam to keep from busting.
You know, it's not gonna work.
check and make sure there's One in thf chamber.
narrator: With gang violence Reeling out of control, the Sheriff's office responded by Creating the street crimes Unit, a hand-picked team of Some of the most specialized Officers in the area.
I liken it to pretty much an All-star team.
You take people from different Divisions, and you bring their Particular skill set, and you Add them together, and that's The street crimes concept.
go, go, go, go! narrator: The unit had their Work cut out for them.
The Lmgs had the gangster disciples Running scared, and the cops Were playing catch-up.
Memphis was in a stranglehold.
I mean, everywhere you go, You seeing guys throwing up the "l," saying, you know, "lmg! Lmg!" narrator: Memphis: From Graceland to the civil rights Movement, this city has seen Its share of historymuch of It infamous.
narrator: In 1997, the Street crimes unit was formed To combat one of the city's Greatest threats: Gangs.
Among them: Lmg, or "love Murdering gangsters.
" Sergeant david ballard has Been a member of the team for Two years and has first-hand Knowledge of the violence.
His aunt was a sheriff's deputy And was killed by a gangster While on duty.
Her call sign was charlie Seven, and I got it put on my Trigger finger there so Hopefully in the event I ever Have to use that finger, she'll Be there and she'll help me Make good decisions, maybe like I got a guardian angel riding With me.
narrator: The street crimes Unit has a tip on some Gangbangers selling drugs out Of a trap house in south Memphis where the lmgs reign.
this guy got someshould Have some crack cocaine, Marijuana.
Be aware there is gonna be some Handguns in here.
Y'all watch.
You know, have somebody On the perimeter.
We'll take out that glass door, And he moves, you just make Entry.
You'll be on the shield.
Make your entry through there.
let's roll.
sheriff's department, open The door.
we have a search warrant.
Police.
Sheriff's department, open the Door.
Sheriff's department, open the Door.
Hey máááááááááááá, open the Door! narrator: Two gang members Are arrested.
it kinda goes hand in hand.
There's drugs, there's money, There's gangs, and it's a Criminal enterprise.
narrator: The officers Confiscate a weapon and a Stockpile of drugs and cash.
they have some kind of drug Notes.
This right here, this is like $16,800, how he's got it Split up.
They have all these little Notes in here, how much they Have made.
This is powder cocaine.
This is what people Snort up their nose.
This is probably about a pound Or two of marijuana here.
This was found in the cabinet In the kitchen where it was at.
We're right by that cabinet Door.
This was loaded With four rounds.
We're going to check this gun, See if it's stolen.
That will be an additional Charge.
narrato Dangerous neighborhoods, like Lemoyne gardens.
its 11:00 in the morning on A Tuesday.
You know, what are you out Doing, four or five guys Walking around? We'll pull up, check them, see If anybody's got any warrants, Just kinda talk to them, try to Interact with them, and you Never know.
They maythey may be receptive To talking to us, or they may Take off running.
narrator: They are looking For gang members.
what were you in jail for? narrator: This afternoon, They find a group of vice lords.
come here.
Look at that.
Turn around.
oh, don't, don't now, you ain't doing nothing.
I didn't say I was doing Nothing.
well, it's mine now.
I hate gang members so much that You know, I don't care about the Bandana.
I'm gonna get it and use it What it's for.
It's pretty much, like, to wipe My shoes with.
It's mine.
It's mine now.
that how they do it? you're not gonna walk around Here in my presence with Awith a flag.
they're gonna represent one Way or another, when they're Walking the streets, who they Belong with.
narrator: Love murdering Gangsterslmgalso Represent with the color red.
we wear the opposite colors Of disciples.
You know, theytheir street Colors are blue.
We would wear red.
narrator: There is no Jump-in required to get Into lmg.
There's only one initiation Rule: You've got to be from The lemoyne gardens project.
narrator: The love murdering Gangsters don't have many Rules, but there is a code that Members like curtis crump Adhere to.
narrator: Tattoos also Aren't mandated, but many Members choose to mark Themselves with the name of Their hood.
you got lmg right there On my hand, It was basically my hood, you Know, something I live by, Die by.
A lot of people don't like lmg, So just by me having this on my Hand makes me in danger.
narrator: Lmg keeps it Simple when signing.
that's the "l" sign.
That's representin' lmg, and There's no other sign.
That's the only sign.
narrator: Representing isn't Just about showing your Allegiance to the lmgs.
Their leader, g-train, flipped The script and used it as a Warfare tactic.
When train was on the hunt for Gangster disciples, he would Wear the blue colors of the Lmgs' rivals and ride the Streets.
His disguise as a gd had deadly Repercussions.
they find gds, and they'd Throw their own sign at them, And when they'd throw it back, It's They jumping out shootin'.
narrator: The lmgs use other Methods to trap their rivals in The hood.
They have also been knowto Shoot out the streetlights in Lemoyne gardens.
If anything was to go down, Any type of violence or any Type altercations, they Wouldn't know how to get out.
narrator: The cover of Darkness has another purpose: To keep away the police.
in 1997, the lmgs were Untouchable in memphis, the war With the gds had accelerated, And the cops couldn't control The bloodshed.
Then a dead man told his tale.
narrator: Memphis, tennessee: The love murdering gangsters Lmgand their ruthless leader, George "g-train" hughlett, Had decided it was time to kill Or be killed.
narrator: Lmg was involved In a turf war with the Gangster disciples and anyone Else who threatened their drug Business.
narrator: G-train's wrath Was focused on a gangster Disciple named darrell "cowboy" Jordan.
Cowboy had robbed the brother Of an lmg member and was Dealing drugs in the gang's Hood.
G-train decided two strikes Was all it took.
Cowboy was hanging in a parking Lot when two cars filled with Lmgs pulled up.
george hughlett was in one Of those vehicles and called Cowboy over for a discussion.
A couple of minutes after that Conversation took place, there Were multiple gunshots.
narrator: When the firing Stopped, g-train walked away Unharmed.
Cowboy was lying Near a parked car.
He had been shot 12 times.
The police arrived on the scene Just in time to hear his final Words.
he had kept telling the Officers on the scene that Traintrain was the one that Shot him.
narrator: Cowboy died Minutes later.
The authorities were confident That cowboy's dying declaration Would finally put g-train Away for good.
cowboy had no reason to lie.
He knew that he was probably About to expire, and he wanted The officer to know who had Done him in.
narrator: The case was weak From the start, as eyewitnesses Said they never saw g-train Holding a weapon.
even the most damaging Witnesses were only claiming That george was there at the Scene, that he called cowboy Over to the vehicles, and that Gunfire erupted shortly Thereafter.
Nobody could put a gun in George hughlett's hand.
narrator: The case fell Apart, and g-train walked free.
the memphis pd suspected the Lmgs had intimidated witnesses.
people killpeople tend to Kill witnesses.
if they just shot up this House, what's gonna stop them From shooting my house up, and What's gonna stop them from Hitting my daughter or my son Or my grandchild? "no, I didn't see nothing, Officer.
" narrator: Two lmgs that were With train pled guilty to Voluntary manslaughter.
They were sentenced To ten years.
G-train was in the clear.
The case marked a turning point In the prosecution of Gangbangers in the city of Memphis.
it was realized that there Was some complexities to Prosecuting gang murders and That they needed to put Together a specialized task Force to confront these kind of Of cases: Dealing with witness Intimidation, witness Relocation, and certainly, Using gang members as witnesses.
narrator: The district Attorney took action, creating The gang and narcotics Prosecution unit.
The sheriff's department also Launched the street crimes Unit, an elite team of officers Determined to end the bloodshed.
It did nothing to slow down Lmg's reign of terror.
If anything, g-train's acquittal Made him even more brazen.
1998: First, train was Suspected of shooting two Gangster disciples from a Moving car.
Then, just weeks later, an Officer responding to gunshots Found g-train standing over The dead body of a gangster Disciple named demetrius jones.
The officer then found himself In the line of fire.
the officer went across the Street to confront george, and At that time, george took a shot At him, and he jumped in his car And drove off, and the officer Was in pursuit but lost him.
train was placed under Investigation for the murder But remained on the streets, And the lmgs' battle with the Gangster disciples was far from Over.
The violence became So rampant that curtis crump's Girlfriend's house was shot up By a group of gangster Disciples.
With his girlfriend injured, Curtis was outraged.
Curtis and a fellow lmg decided To pay the shooters a visit.
They rolled up to their house Fully armed, then kicked in The door and started firing.
narrator: Nobody was killed, But the point was made: Don't Mess with the lmgs.
narrator: The lmgs may have Been untouchable, but the Lemoyne gardens housing project Was not.
In 1998, the city began to Redevelop south memphis.
The first order of business was The destruction of the garden.
The lmgs spread throughout the City, and so did the bloodshed.
narrator: G-train's legend Was building, but even legends Don't live forever.
he was living like he had a Death wish on him or he knew Death would ride him.
narrator: Memphis, tennessee, 1999: The lmgs, "love Murdering gangsters," were as Strong as ever, despite the Destruction of their hood, the Lemoyne gardens project.
Their embattled leader, G-train, had avoided serious Jail time and numerous Assassination attempts.
a lot of gang members Started to believe in this Mystique that he was Invincible; george had nine Lives.
narrator: On November 10th, G-train's legend came to an Abrupt end.
The details are sketchy, but It's known that g-train was Alone at his nightclub, the Headquarters.
Train's childhood friend dog Pound was in jail at the Time, but word from the street Reached him in prison.
narrator: Dog pound says Train was struck multiple times.
He fled his truck and ran down The street, his shooters close On his heels.
narrator: No witnesses came Forward, and the case has never Been solved.
narrator: G-train's nine Lives were finally over.
The gang was devastated.
narrator: Hundreds of people Attended g-train's funeral.
it was like a celebrity had Passed away, like the pope.
I mean, cars all Far as you can see.
narrator: The gang task force Also attended, Expecting retaliation.
narrator: The payback Never came.
Gang members say lmg has Been in turmoil since g-train's Death and they're keeping a low Profile.
when you cut off the head, You know, you shut down Everything.
The whole body can't function.
narrator: The land where the Lemoyne gardens housing project Once stood is now covered with Middle-class condos.
Dog pound is out of jail and Says he's staying clear of Trouble.
When he visits his old haunts, He barely recognizes the area.
narrator: Some believe that Because the lmgs are spread out Across the entire city, they Are more dangerous than ever.
you can be reached anywhere, Anytime, and that's Justthat's a fact of life Right there, that you're Notyou're not safe anywhere In this town.
narrator: 34-year-old curtis Crump is currently on trial for Attempted first-degree murder And aggravated assault.
He's confident that the lmgs Will soon be as large as when G-train ruled the streets.
narrator: Deangelo bills Hasn't spent a full year Outside of prison since 1990.
Wild continues to represent the Gang but is aware it comes with A price.
narrator: He hopes that his Current stint prison stint for a Weapons charge will be his last.
When he gets out, wild plans to Focus on his rap career, where He pays tribute to his fallen Lmgs.
I'm shedding tears and can't nobody feel my pain over the years I done seen some of the craziest thing remember train? that's a legend.
most of y'all don't know when he was here nááááááran like they pictured a ghost right after that little daddy died a chopper open his chest I wish like hell I could've called him just to give him my best life is a mess you can only live once on earth so if I die right now today I know my mama be hurt I'm still thinking about my auntie, shortie, m.
P.
and little mike they got me shedding tears, dog but that just life That just life, man.
like, homeboys was killing Homeboys, you know? We was knocking each other off.
narrator: One gang shows no Mercy, bathing these streets in Blood.
open the door! máááááááááá! narrator: Lmg.
Lmg, "love murdering gangsters.
" narrator: 'cause on the Mississippi delta, it's kill or Be killed.
narrator: Memphis, Tennessee: Heart of the bible Belt.
It's got more churches than gas Stations, and everybody has A recipe for the best barbecue In town.
It draws thousands of tourists Who flock to visit the Birthplace of the blues and the Home of elvis presley.
Memphis is also one of the Deadliest cities in the country.
narrator: In 2007, according To the fbi, memphis was the Most violent city in the Nation, with more than 1,200 violent crimes Per 100,000 residents.
The number one reason for the Bloodbath: Gangs.
it's like every major city Took all their gangs, put it in A toilet, flushed it, and they Came out in memphis.
narrator: This city Of 674,000 holds some 300 different sets of gangs.
The most notorious of those: Lmg, love murdering gangsters.
they had the attitude that They were above everybody else.
It caused them to really having To back up their attitudes.
we liked the attention, we Drew attention, we did things Our ownon our own, and we did Things our way.
narrator: The gang started In the lemoyne gardens housing Project.
Located on the city's south Side, the gang made it Synonymous with murder.
it's likelike survival of The fittest.
You know it just, gotta watch Your back.
narrator: The lmgs also made The gardens extremely dangerous For outsiders who dared to Enter the area.
narrator: 30-year-old Deangelo bills grew up in the Garden.
His lmg crew calls him "wild" for good reason.
Wild's been shot 17 times.
narrator: Wild has lost Feeling in almost his entire Body.
narrator: One shooting took Place when wild was hanging On his front porch and a group Of strangers appeared on his Block.
narrator: Wild was shot In a hail of gunfire.
One bullet lodged above his eye.
narrator: Wild took off Running as bullets chased him, One hitting him in the hand, Another in the back.
narrator: To this day, wild Doesn't know why the men went After him.
It's just part of life in this Project.
narrator: Lmg member curtis Crump learned early on to tune Out the gunfire in lemoyne Gardens.
narrator: Curtis was raised To believe in god and the Bible, but the lure of fast Money trumped his religious Upbringing.
narrator: Curtis was only 10 When he joined the lmgs.
He started as a lookout then Quickly moved into selling Drugs.
He soon gained notoriety in the Garden.
narrator: Curtis had already Been shot seven times by his 18th birthday.
narrator: One shooting Almost cost him his life.
In 1990, curtis was playing Craps and was up more than $3,000.
The trouble started when Another player didn't like the Way the dice were rolling.
narrator: The other gangster Went to his car and grabbed an Uzi, then began shooting at Curtis.
narrator: The gunman fired More than 30 rounds, hitting Curtis in the legs five times.
narrator: The shooter was Added to a list of enemies Topped by lmgs' most hated Rival: The gangster disciples.
The two gangs have battled for Control of the memphis streets For years.
It traces back to lmgs' most Revered leader: George Hughlett, aka "g-train.
" 1993: 23-year-old g-train ruled The drug scene in south memphis With an arsenal of weapons and An iron fist.
he was like yosemite sam.
I mean, everywhere he went, he Had two or three guns.
narrator: To fellow gang Members, g-train was invincible And could not be brought down.
narrator: Alvin johnson, Known as "dog pound," was G-train's childhood friend.
narrator: G-train's biggest Enemy was a local gangster Disciple leader named darrell Jordan, aka "cowboy.
" It all started with the rumor That cowboy had jumped The little brother Of a high-ranking lmg member.
narrator: Cowboy was also Disrespecting the lmgs by Selling drugs on their turf, A crime punishable by death.
cowboy, darrell jordan, had Violated the lines of Demarcation.
It was train's turf, and there Was no question about who ran That area of town.
narrator: Cowboy was hanging Out with two friends in A parking lot near the lemoyne Gardens project when six Members of lmg, including G-train, pulled into the lot.
Train called cowboy over to Settle their differences.
Minutes later, all hell broke Loose.
When the shooting stopped, Cowboy was lying near a parked Car.
He had been hit 12 times, Including once in the head.
The police rushed to the scene And found cowboy, amazingly, Still alive.
Immediately made a gasping Claim.
when the officer got down And asked him, "what happened? What happened?" narrator: Memphis: The river city.
B.
B.
King Mastered the blues here on Beale street, and elvis Recorded his first album at the Legendary sun studio.
The city is also home to the Lmgs, one of the most violent Gangs in the south.
people love to see evil, People liked it, And where I'm from, we feed off It, you know? narrator: Lmg's base of Operations is lemoyne gardens Housing project in south Memphis, one of the poorest Areas in the city.
The project has 842 apartments And was built as part of President franklin delano Roosevelt's new deal initiative.
The goal was to rid memphis of Its slums by providing the poor With temporary housing.
It was unsuccessful.
public housing became a Permanent place for people who Were in poverty to live, A place we could forget about People, in many ways.
narrator: Those forgotten People have gone through Generation after generation of Hopelessness.
it concentrated substantial Numbers of people in a Relatively small area that have Very little hope for economic Advancement, often have failing Schools that are serving them, Few services that are available To them.
All of that starts giving rise To the kind of criminal Activity we see.
narrator: While many Residents of the projects were Hardworking citizens, some Chose a different path.
In the '60s and '70s, dealing Drugs became a way to make a Fast buck.
The scene only got worse in the '80s when crack hit town.
once crack cocaine hit the Streets of memphis, tennessee, There s a great deal of fuel Added to the fire and the gangs Hit the streets.
narrator: The projects' Toxic mix of poverty and drugs Was irresistible to large gangs Looking to expand their Business.
The gangster disciples of Chicago were one of those in Search of a quick buck.
Their arrival disturbed Longtime residents like alvin Johnson, aka dog pound.
narrator: The situation in Lemoyne gardens was made worse By ongoing feuds with three Other housing projects in south Memphis.
narrator: In the early 1980s, a group of friends from The lemoyne gardens project Decided to band together.
They called themselves the Lemoyne gardens mafia, "lmg" For short.
narrator: The lmgs were soon More than 100 strong, promising To have one another's backs.
when we mob, we mobb deep.
And when we mob, everywhere we Go, we going to Beit'ssomebody gonna Recognize who we are.
narrator: The drug scene in South memphis was exploding, And lmg was looking to Dominate the tra.
you come get anything over There in lemoyne garden, from Marijuana to crack cocaine to Powder cocaine.
Itit was really like A mini cartel.
narrator: The gang's united Front quickly became profitable.
guys over there, they stood Together.
They hustled together.
narrator: By 1993, lmg Was running the streets, And 23-year old g-train Was rising to the top.
g-train threatened anyone Who got in his way as he Assumed control of the lmgs.
the name "train" conveys a Certain message or messages, And it's about fear; it's about Violence; it's about hard-core Memphis gang.
narrator: His deadly Mystique soon stamped him as Untouchable.
narrator: G-train used his Drug profits to purchase a Nightclub: The headquarters.
It became the place to be seen And the main hangout For the lmgs.
narrator: From the street, It looked like a legitimate Business, but behind closed Doors, the headquarters held A secret.
the club was more like, You know, club/trap house.
You know, ecstasy pills, Marijuana, cocaine.
I mean, it was all there in the Club, so it was like A one-stop shop.
this is where they would Hold their meetings or So-called roll calls, and they Would talk about their business.
They would talk about, "okay, Where are we at with our Money?" You know.
"how we're gonna make money.
What are the gangster disciples Doing? What are the rival gangs doing?" narrator: G-train's empire Continued to grow as he Appeared to go legit.
He formed a music group and cut A rap album.
G-train also tried to build A reputation as a local Robin hood.
He bought a barbershop, gave Out free haircuts, and Sponsored a fourth of July Fireworks show.
he showed love.
I mean, on christmas, if you Ain'tif you don't have one, He'll make it happen for you, You know.
I mean, he bring you gifts.
narrator: To the lmgs, he Was a hero, a man To be emulated.
narrator: G-train wasn't Loved by all.
As his power and wealth grew, He and the lmgs began crossing Enemy lines.
they were starting to sell Drugs over onto the gangster Disciple territory, and when That started happening, the Lmgs and g-train were starting To cut into the money of the Gangster disciples, whichit's Gonncause a problem.
narrator: The gangster Disciples wanted g-train dead.
It only added to his legend.
he was said to have nine Lives for all the times that People tried to kill him but Were unsuccessful.
narrator: The gangster Disciples got frustrated when They couldn't get to g-train And went after his family Instead.
In the early '90s, they Attacked train's brother and Almost beat him to death.
To the lmgs, the assault was A declaration of war.
train just took it out on Them.
He didn't care who it was.
If he was gd, he was Gonna get it.
narrator: The lmgs' plan was Simple.
it was just s.
O.
S.
, "shoot on sight.
" narrator: The murders began To pile up as each killing was Met with another.
the garden, that's Murderville, you know what I'm Saying? So you could come up through There out the rk, it's Bloodshed.
narrator: The lmgs name took On a more sinister meaning.
lmg changed From "lemoyne garden projects" To "love murdering gangsters.
" narrator: The posse had a New battle cry.
gd, short for "gangster disciples"? Lmg added a "k" to it.
Gdk.
"gangster disciple killers.
" narrator: By 1996, corpses Were piling up on the streets.
It was unlike anything memphis Authorities had ever witnessed.
the war, by law enforcement Standards, was off the charts Because of the number of Killings and shootings that Were taking place in a small Period of time.
narrator: The memphis pd Were outnumbered and Overwhelmed.
Even with 1,500 officers, they Couldn't handle the nearly 2,000 arrest warrants generated By gang violence alone.
how are you gonna chip away With that small of a population Of officers? It's virtuallythe numbers are Impossible.
It's like stickin' your finger In a dam to keep from busting.
You know, it's not gonna work.
check and make sure there's One in thf chamber.
narrator: With gang violence Reeling out of control, the Sheriff's office responded by Creating the street crimes Unit, a hand-picked team of Some of the most specialized Officers in the area.
I liken it to pretty much an All-star team.
You take people from different Divisions, and you bring their Particular skill set, and you Add them together, and that's The street crimes concept.
go, go, go, go! narrator: The unit had their Work cut out for them.
The Lmgs had the gangster disciples Running scared, and the cops Were playing catch-up.
Memphis was in a stranglehold.
I mean, everywhere you go, You seeing guys throwing up the "l," saying, you know, "lmg! Lmg!" narrator: Memphis: From Graceland to the civil rights Movement, this city has seen Its share of historymuch of It infamous.
narrator: In 1997, the Street crimes unit was formed To combat one of the city's Greatest threats: Gangs.
Among them: Lmg, or "love Murdering gangsters.
" Sergeant david ballard has Been a member of the team for Two years and has first-hand Knowledge of the violence.
His aunt was a sheriff's deputy And was killed by a gangster While on duty.
Her call sign was charlie Seven, and I got it put on my Trigger finger there so Hopefully in the event I ever Have to use that finger, she'll Be there and she'll help me Make good decisions, maybe like I got a guardian angel riding With me.
narrator: The street crimes Unit has a tip on some Gangbangers selling drugs out Of a trap house in south Memphis where the lmgs reign.
this guy got someshould Have some crack cocaine, Marijuana.
Be aware there is gonna be some Handguns in here.
Y'all watch.
You know, have somebody On the perimeter.
We'll take out that glass door, And he moves, you just make Entry.
You'll be on the shield.
Make your entry through there.
let's roll.
sheriff's department, open The door.
we have a search warrant.
Police.
Sheriff's department, open the Door.
Sheriff's department, open the Door.
Hey máááááááááááá, open the Door! narrator: Two gang members Are arrested.
it kinda goes hand in hand.
There's drugs, there's money, There's gangs, and it's a Criminal enterprise.
narrator: The officers Confiscate a weapon and a Stockpile of drugs and cash.
they have some kind of drug Notes.
This right here, this is like $16,800, how he's got it Split up.
They have all these little Notes in here, how much they Have made.
This is powder cocaine.
This is what people Snort up their nose.
This is probably about a pound Or two of marijuana here.
This was found in the cabinet In the kitchen where it was at.
We're right by that cabinet Door.
This was loaded With four rounds.
We're going to check this gun, See if it's stolen.
That will be an additional Charge.
narrato Dangerous neighborhoods, like Lemoyne gardens.
its 11:00 in the morning on A Tuesday.
You know, what are you out Doing, four or five guys Walking around? We'll pull up, check them, see If anybody's got any warrants, Just kinda talk to them, try to Interact with them, and you Never know.
They maythey may be receptive To talking to us, or they may Take off running.
narrator: They are looking For gang members.
what were you in jail for? narrator: This afternoon, They find a group of vice lords.
come here.
Look at that.
Turn around.
oh, don't, don't now, you ain't doing nothing.
I didn't say I was doing Nothing.
well, it's mine now.
I hate gang members so much that You know, I don't care about the Bandana.
I'm gonna get it and use it What it's for.
It's pretty much, like, to wipe My shoes with.
It's mine.
It's mine now.
that how they do it? you're not gonna walk around Here in my presence with Awith a flag.
they're gonna represent one Way or another, when they're Walking the streets, who they Belong with.
narrator: Love murdering Gangsterslmgalso Represent with the color red.
we wear the opposite colors Of disciples.
You know, theytheir street Colors are blue.
We would wear red.
narrator: There is no Jump-in required to get Into lmg.
There's only one initiation Rule: You've got to be from The lemoyne gardens project.
narrator: The love murdering Gangsters don't have many Rules, but there is a code that Members like curtis crump Adhere to.
narrator: Tattoos also Aren't mandated, but many Members choose to mark Themselves with the name of Their hood.
you got lmg right there On my hand, It was basically my hood, you Know, something I live by, Die by.
A lot of people don't like lmg, So just by me having this on my Hand makes me in danger.
narrator: Lmg keeps it Simple when signing.
that's the "l" sign.
That's representin' lmg, and There's no other sign.
That's the only sign.
narrator: Representing isn't Just about showing your Allegiance to the lmgs.
Their leader, g-train, flipped The script and used it as a Warfare tactic.
When train was on the hunt for Gangster disciples, he would Wear the blue colors of the Lmgs' rivals and ride the Streets.
His disguise as a gd had deadly Repercussions.
they find gds, and they'd Throw their own sign at them, And when they'd throw it back, It's They jumping out shootin'.
narrator: The lmgs use other Methods to trap their rivals in The hood.
They have also been knowto Shoot out the streetlights in Lemoyne gardens.
If anything was to go down, Any type of violence or any Type altercations, they Wouldn't know how to get out.
narrator: The cover of Darkness has another purpose: To keep away the police.
in 1997, the lmgs were Untouchable in memphis, the war With the gds had accelerated, And the cops couldn't control The bloodshed.
Then a dead man told his tale.
narrator: Memphis, tennessee: The love murdering gangsters Lmgand their ruthless leader, George "g-train" hughlett, Had decided it was time to kill Or be killed.
narrator: Lmg was involved In a turf war with the Gangster disciples and anyone Else who threatened their drug Business.
narrator: G-train's wrath Was focused on a gangster Disciple named darrell "cowboy" Jordan.
Cowboy had robbed the brother Of an lmg member and was Dealing drugs in the gang's Hood.
G-train decided two strikes Was all it took.
Cowboy was hanging in a parking Lot when two cars filled with Lmgs pulled up.
george hughlett was in one Of those vehicles and called Cowboy over for a discussion.
A couple of minutes after that Conversation took place, there Were multiple gunshots.
narrator: When the firing Stopped, g-train walked away Unharmed.
Cowboy was lying Near a parked car.
He had been shot 12 times.
The police arrived on the scene Just in time to hear his final Words.
he had kept telling the Officers on the scene that Traintrain was the one that Shot him.
narrator: Cowboy died Minutes later.
The authorities were confident That cowboy's dying declaration Would finally put g-train Away for good.
cowboy had no reason to lie.
He knew that he was probably About to expire, and he wanted The officer to know who had Done him in.
narrator: The case was weak From the start, as eyewitnesses Said they never saw g-train Holding a weapon.
even the most damaging Witnesses were only claiming That george was there at the Scene, that he called cowboy Over to the vehicles, and that Gunfire erupted shortly Thereafter.
Nobody could put a gun in George hughlett's hand.
narrator: The case fell Apart, and g-train walked free.
the memphis pd suspected the Lmgs had intimidated witnesses.
people killpeople tend to Kill witnesses.
if they just shot up this House, what's gonna stop them From shooting my house up, and What's gonna stop them from Hitting my daughter or my son Or my grandchild? "no, I didn't see nothing, Officer.
" narrator: Two lmgs that were With train pled guilty to Voluntary manslaughter.
They were sentenced To ten years.
G-train was in the clear.
The case marked a turning point In the prosecution of Gangbangers in the city of Memphis.
it was realized that there Was some complexities to Prosecuting gang murders and That they needed to put Together a specialized task Force to confront these kind of Of cases: Dealing with witness Intimidation, witness Relocation, and certainly, Using gang members as witnesses.
narrator: The district Attorney took action, creating The gang and narcotics Prosecution unit.
The sheriff's department also Launched the street crimes Unit, an elite team of officers Determined to end the bloodshed.
It did nothing to slow down Lmg's reign of terror.
If anything, g-train's acquittal Made him even more brazen.
1998: First, train was Suspected of shooting two Gangster disciples from a Moving car.
Then, just weeks later, an Officer responding to gunshots Found g-train standing over The dead body of a gangster Disciple named demetrius jones.
The officer then found himself In the line of fire.
the officer went across the Street to confront george, and At that time, george took a shot At him, and he jumped in his car And drove off, and the officer Was in pursuit but lost him.
train was placed under Investigation for the murder But remained on the streets, And the lmgs' battle with the Gangster disciples was far from Over.
The violence became So rampant that curtis crump's Girlfriend's house was shot up By a group of gangster Disciples.
With his girlfriend injured, Curtis was outraged.
Curtis and a fellow lmg decided To pay the shooters a visit.
They rolled up to their house Fully armed, then kicked in The door and started firing.
narrator: Nobody was killed, But the point was made: Don't Mess with the lmgs.
narrator: The lmgs may have Been untouchable, but the Lemoyne gardens housing project Was not.
In 1998, the city began to Redevelop south memphis.
The first order of business was The destruction of the garden.
The lmgs spread throughout the City, and so did the bloodshed.
narrator: G-train's legend Was building, but even legends Don't live forever.
he was living like he had a Death wish on him or he knew Death would ride him.
narrator: Memphis, tennessee, 1999: The lmgs, "love Murdering gangsters," were as Strong as ever, despite the Destruction of their hood, the Lemoyne gardens project.
Their embattled leader, G-train, had avoided serious Jail time and numerous Assassination attempts.
a lot of gang members Started to believe in this Mystique that he was Invincible; george had nine Lives.
narrator: On November 10th, G-train's legend came to an Abrupt end.
The details are sketchy, but It's known that g-train was Alone at his nightclub, the Headquarters.
Train's childhood friend dog Pound was in jail at the Time, but word from the street Reached him in prison.
narrator: Dog pound says Train was struck multiple times.
He fled his truck and ran down The street, his shooters close On his heels.
narrator: No witnesses came Forward, and the case has never Been solved.
narrator: G-train's nine Lives were finally over.
The gang was devastated.
narrator: Hundreds of people Attended g-train's funeral.
it was like a celebrity had Passed away, like the pope.
I mean, cars all Far as you can see.
narrator: The gang task force Also attended, Expecting retaliation.
narrator: The payback Never came.
Gang members say lmg has Been in turmoil since g-train's Death and they're keeping a low Profile.
when you cut off the head, You know, you shut down Everything.
The whole body can't function.
narrator: The land where the Lemoyne gardens housing project Once stood is now covered with Middle-class condos.
Dog pound is out of jail and Says he's staying clear of Trouble.
When he visits his old haunts, He barely recognizes the area.
narrator: Some believe that Because the lmgs are spread out Across the entire city, they Are more dangerous than ever.
you can be reached anywhere, Anytime, and that's Justthat's a fact of life Right there, that you're Notyou're not safe anywhere In this town.
narrator: 34-year-old curtis Crump is currently on trial for Attempted first-degree murder And aggravated assault.
He's confident that the lmgs Will soon be as large as when G-train ruled the streets.
narrator: Deangelo bills Hasn't spent a full year Outside of prison since 1990.
Wild continues to represent the Gang but is aware it comes with A price.
narrator: He hopes that his Current stint prison stint for a Weapons charge will be his last.
When he gets out, wild plans to Focus on his rap career, where He pays tribute to his fallen Lmgs.
I'm shedding tears and can't nobody feel my pain over the years I done seen some of the craziest thing remember train? that's a legend.
most of y'all don't know when he was here nááááááran like they pictured a ghost right after that little daddy died a chopper open his chest I wish like hell I could've called him just to give him my best life is a mess you can only live once on earth so if I die right now today I know my mama be hurt I'm still thinking about my auntie, shortie, m.
P.
and little mike they got me shedding tears, dog but that just life That just life, man.