Judge rules that the BK street organization’s YouTube rap video can be used as evidence against them
Judge Kiyo Matsumoto ruled on Friday that videos posted by alleged Brooklyn gang TF(Together Forever) Mafia can be used in their federal racketeering case. This is an increasingly growing trend in which gangs are producing music videos containing images of large amounts of cash and drug manufacturing which later come back to haunt them.
“The court finds that excerpts of videos depicting the defendants with firearms, cash and drugs are highly probative to the weapons-related charges, narcotics trafficking and money-laundering charges,”
Matsumoto wrote in the decision.
“The defendants may offer evidence at trial . . . that the weapons, cash and drugs depicted are ‘props,’ but it is up to the jury to weigh this evidence and decide what is depicted.”
Paulie “Vance” Rivera, 47, and Michael Garrett, 39, are being charged with running the TF Mafia from a tattoo shop in Brownsville. The two alleged gang leaders are charged with crack and marijuana distribution, witness tampering, and sex trafficking, in which some of the females were reportedly underage girls.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taryn Merkl alleges that it must be recognized that the TF logo, tattoos and lyrics about guns and drugs are essential in establishing a solid case against Garrett and Rivera. TF released videos to their songs “Smell Murder”, “Hustler Anthem”, “TF Mafia — My Mobb” and “Brooklyn Zoo — Boo” on YouTube in 2012, which yielded a modest 9K view average.
Attorneys for both Garrett and Rivera argue that all that is seen in the videos are depictions and is for entertainment purposes only.
Sha be Allah(@KingPenStatus)
