Great Scene from The Sopranos

Baltimore Gangs Active in Prison

WBAL.com from Baltimore reports on the real-life story of drug gang members operating from inside the prison. Sounds like The Wire, but is this a case of "life imitating art" or was the life scenario doing it first? We've talked about this before; it's not limited to the States.

Federal prosecutors said a drug gang known as the Black Guerrilla Family smuggled drugs, weapons, cell phones and luxuries such as champagne into Maryland prisons, where members continued to operate the drug ring.

The U.S. attorney's office announced indictments Thursday against 24 gang members and associates, including guards and other prison employees who helped smuggle contraband. All face conspiracy, drugs and weapons charges.

I would imagine it happens in both directions. The writers of The Sopranos and The Wire could have easily taken their ideas from the daily news, but the details in some cases could have been invented by them. It's fascinating to think that criminals might have learned some tricks-of-the-trade from films about criminals like themselves.

The most important thing is well expressed by the U.S. Attorney:

"It's not enough to catch bad guys. It's not enough to get them convicted and sent to prison. We need to make sure while they are in prison that they are isolated and not able to carry on their gang activities," said U.S. attorney Rod Rosenstein.

What's your opinion? Do you agree that sometimes "life imitates art" in the crime world? Would that make film makers irresponsible and somehow responsible? What do you think?

Please feel free to leave a comment.

Sopranos' Actor Goes on Trial

CNN reports on the trial of Lillo Brancato Jr., who played a wannabe gangster in the hit HBO series the Sopranos. Lillo played Matt Bevilaque in five or six episodes but years before that he starred with Robert De Niro in A Bronx Tale.

Brancato's real-life troubles began not long after he befriended Steven Armento, a reputed low-level Genovese crime family associate banished for drug addiction, prosecutors say. Then his life went into a tailspin with a pair of drug-related arrests and the death of Enchautegui.

Brancato drove himself and Armento to the home of Enchautegui's next-door neighbor and the pair broke in to steal prescription drugs, prosecutors said. When they were confronted by Enchautegui, who was off duty, Armento shot the officer. Brancato and Armento were both wounded.

In statements to the press, the defense attorney has indicated he plans to show that his client didn't have a gun, didn't know anyone else did, and is only guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

My thoughts are the he was guilty of a bit more than that, but certainly not murder. What's your opinion? And what's your opinion of his acting? I love these characters, but I often wonder if they can demonstrate the versatility of a Robert De Niro or a Dustin Hoffman. Sometimes I think they're just being themselves.