Some of The Wire’s best scenes involve drug trafficker Stringer Bell’s rather organized business meetings. Bell (Idris Elba) runs these summits according to Robert’s Rules of Order, the popular “parliamentary procedure†system that’s behind all those awkward phrases at things like PTA meetings. At the end of one meeting with powerful drug dealers, Bell notices that a subordinate is writing on a yellow notepad. “Motherfucker, what is that?†Bell asks in the particularly memorable scene. “The Robert Rules say we gotta have minutes for the meeting, right?†the subordinate replies. “These the minutes.†“Is you taking notes on a criminal fuckin’ conspiracy? Fuck is you thinkin’ man?†Bell responds, taking the notepad and ripping out its offending page.
Apparently, Bell’s wisdom was lost on the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation. Eighteen alleged Gorilla Stone members, including Brooklyn rapper Casanova, were charged in a racketeering indictment this week, and a court document in the case alleged that there are detailed notes on a criminal conspiracy.
According to just-released docs, Gorilla Stone consists of eight different sets or “caves†as they are called by gang members, that each have their own hierarchy. Federal prosecutors claim that one alleged Gorilla Stone member in this indictment, Deshawn “Don†Thomas, had details on one lineup’s hierarchy in his iCloud account.
Under the header “RANK & RESPONSIBILITY,†various jobs are listed — “GF Chairman,†“Highs/Lows ‘Advisory Boa[r]d,’†“Management Office,†“Dept. of Security,†“Dept. of Finance,†“Dept. of Education†and “Dept of Communication†— along with descriptions of duties in these departments.
The explanation under GF Chairman says: “As the hoods chairman the GF is accountable for setting an agenda for the hood, that both uplifts itself and the banner; constructing a line up of individuals to carry out that agenda; and overseeing that line to make sure that individuals are fulfilling their obligations.â€Â For the Advisory Board, “As the hoods advisors to the GF the Highs and Lows are accountable for assisting the GF on decisions regarding the currect[sic] standing and direction of the hood; decisions on the line up and other decisions that will affect hood as a whole.â€
The Dept. of Education, the note explains, “is accountable for knowing and distributing the lessons and history of the hood and banner; and being knowledgeable and effective in areas that are imperative to our growth and development (such as: politics, economics, law, business, tactics, history.. etc). And the Dept. of Communication “is accountable for the establishment and maintenance of ports of contact for the hood,†according to the notes.
The Feds allegedly recovered still more organizational notes from Thomas’s iCloud Account, such as “COMMUNICATION IS A MUST, YOU MUST CHECK IN WITH SOME ONE IN YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND IN ORDER TO KNOW WHERE YOUR GOING AND A LIST OF ENEMIES THAT HAS TO BE CRUSHED ON SIGHT.â€
Thomas’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Casanova, real name Caswell Senior, is not accused of keeping any notes on gang hierarchy in this document. The filing said, however, that he “closely coordinated his artistic endeavors to benefit the gang,†sharing some of his earnings with the gang’s founder, who is serving from 50 years-to-life in prison for a 2014 murder.
Senior has maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty through his lawyer Thursday.