How many pushups must members be able to do if they're in prison?
Kissing a crown?
Specific hours for doing a certain drug?
Even criminal organizations have strict rules.
Here are ones the members of the Latin Kings must follow.
Latin Kings group developed between 1940-1960 in Chicago, Illinois, as a community to help
lessen the impact of immigration.
The initial network helped Latino immigrants to integrate into a new life by assisting
with employment, finding housing, and offering practical advice but also protecting against
racial violence and police repression.
With the arrival of hard drugs in Chicago during the mid-'60s, the Latin Kings seized
the opportunity and evolved into one of the most infamous, controlled, and dogmatic street
gangs in America.
The modern organizational structure of the gang was created on the basis of the Chicago
"Motherland" chapter.
In 1986, Luis Felipe A.K.A King Blood established the "Bloodline" chapter in New York, positioning
himself as the leader.
Initially, the Bloodline chapter served as a protection mechanism for Latin people inside
the prison system due to Felipe's own imprisonment.
However, by the late '90s, the New York City branch became a highly formidable organization
in its own right.
The gang relies heavily on drug distribution.
Its main motives are gaining power and protection from other gangs.
It operates in great secrecy and strongly promotes violent culture.
Drug trafficking, murder, robbery, and witness intimidation make up the bulk of the gang's
illegal activities.
Latin Kings gang members must follow the King's Manifesto that outlines their purpose and
ideology, called Kingism.
Their belief system offers principles by which to live, with prayers, stages of enlightenment,
and various rules and procedures.
The manifesto instructs members to avoid criminal behavior when possible and strive towards
a better society that ensures greater independence for their people.
When a gang member accepts Kingism and thus the manifesto, it's almost like they are being
confirmed into a religion, promising to uphold truth, justice, peace, and freedom.
The members must read and fully understand any literature provided by the executive crown members.
If there is any confusion, they must find a fellow member who can clarify it.
And their literature is considered pretty sacred.
The gang's rules demand that members must be prepared to engage in violence when necessary,
even if that means beating up their fellow members.
The Latin Kings emphasize respect among members.
Infighting isn't really allowed, and only high-ranking members can approve violent action
between feuding parties.
Such things as failing to share drug earnings with each other or disrespecting a higher-ranking
member can be brought before a gang court.
And, often very violent punishments are dealt out.
Punishment for violating the rules include the "2 for 45" rule, where other group members
beat a person for 45 seconds.
If a member shares internal information, one could get a "full-body fledge," an act of
standing against the wall, while other members beat them for two minutes and 30 seconds.
In some cases, a monetary fine is enough, but often the members are brutally beaten
or even slain due to the gang's motto.
"A King never tastes death but once."
Those who severely break the rules end up on "beat-down on sight" and "terminate on
sight" lists — meaning the hit list.
The Latin Kings gang has a variety of rituals that members must participate in, from celebrating
specific holidays to various gang signs they use.
The gang's usage of gestures, prayers, and other means of communication and identification
is highly particular and formalized.
From kissing a crown before the supreme leader to how they cross their arms is all regulated.
The gang also celebrates specific holidays, such as January 6 or King's Holy Day, when
Latin Kings are required to fast in honor of brothers and sisters who passed away.
The first week of March is known as King's Week or The Latin Kings Week of the Sun, which
is the gang's annual anniversary celebration.
And the last week of October is celebrated as the "Week of Blood".
The gang has a strict way of how meetings are conducted.
At the beginning, the family prayer is recited followed by members throwing up the "Amor
de rey" sign.
No one is allowed to speak at meetings without permission.
If this rule is broken, the member must do 50 push-ups or stand in a push-up position
for 10 or 20 minutes.
The second warning is a one-minute beating in front of everyone.
There is no third warning, as per the rule book.
Furthermore, meetings are obligatory, and a member has to have a justified reason for
being absent.
Skipping meetings can lead to a violation, probation, and physical punishment.
When a member is absent for the fourth time without a valid excuse, they are "Crown Stripped"
or discharged from the organization.
Even being only five minutes late to a meeting can have dire consequences.
Everyone present at the meetings must pay the membership fee of $7 per meeting.
Members are also not allowed to attend a meeting under the influence of anything that could
disrupt its process.
Despite the fact that the Latin Kings are heavily involved in the drug business across
the country, there are strict rules when it comes to drug usage and abuse, but also selling.
An important part of their constitution states that members can sell crack but can't use it.
Also, they can only smoke weed during certain hours.
PCP or angel dust is also out of the question.
The constitution also prohibits other illegal narcotics to be consumed or sold, like animal
tranquilizers, glue, LSD or acid, heroin, and downers.
As written by former gang member Reymundo Sanchez in "My Bloody Life," it is often hard
to not fall into addiction.
This is due to the fact that drugs constantly surround the gang members.
He describes an event from his past when he overdosed on cocaine and almost died, which
put him in violation of the rules.
"They didn't care about me endangering my life with a coke habit.
No, they were upset because I had broken the rules by becoming a junkie."
Graffiti serves as an important part of communication between Latin King gang members, as well as rivals.
According to the New York Police Department, their graffiti helps mark their territory.
However, at odds with such practices is the gang's constitutional rule that vandalism
such as graffiti is, quote, "strongly discouraged" — likely due to their claims as a legitimate organization.
In 2019, as reported by Michigan Live, a substantial rise in graffiti messages was noticed after
a local gang leader was taken to prison in Holland, Michigan.
Most of the new graffiti targeted the Holland police, threatening police officers but also
other gangs.
Graffiti included "HPDK," an acronym for "Holland Police Department Killer" and a pitchfork
turned upside down.
They were signed "ADR," which could stand for "Amor de rey," a well-known greeting of
the group.
Another rule more clearly states that all rival graffiti has to be removed.
This is often done by writing over or adding to it.
There are several ways to become a member of the group, but a new member must go through
a proper initiation before gaining full membership.
A new potential member has to prove himself to the gang first before he can be considered
for going through the process of initiation.
The Latin King's "initiation packet" cites morals, character, and cultural heritage as
qualifications for prospective members.
However, entrance into the gang is often based on less noble notions.
Actions such as shooting a rival gang member are often used as part of the initiation process.
After the proving phase, the real initiation takes place, with gang members taking their
turns beating the initiate.
The members doling-out the beating are prohibited from striking any vulnerable areas, or doing
significant harm to the initiate.
The practice is merely done to prove the toughness of the inductee.
After the initiation beating, the inductee is given a notebook with rules, and Nation
Literature, and is told to memorize a particular prayer until the next meeting.
Most gang members feel that their membership is a lifetime subscription, without any option
for cancellation.
When a member is accepted to the group, they promise to be a Latin King for life, according
to "The Oath" they must follow.
The oath goes on to say that members stand behind one another for better or worse.
While members are presumed lifetime members, they are always subject to having their loyalty tested.
No member is beyond being tested, and if they don't pass, they could potentially be given
a T.O.S. or "Terminate On Sight" order, which allows any active Latin King to kill him on
the spot.
Though it may be a violent criminal organization, surprisingly the gang actually promotes social responsibility.
Members must set a good example to other gang members, as well as in the Latino community
in general.
This means that members must be employed or at least looking for work.
They must also attend school, show family responsibility, and be interested in Latino
cultural history.
The rules also prescribe continuous improvement of one's communication skills, with the intention
to educate future gang members.
Members are specifically required to know their personal cultural history and family lineage.
They must also maintain a positive outlook and make an effort to not overreact to minor issues.
The King's Constitution consists of rules and practical advice for behavior in special
circumstances, including how to act in prison.
Members are instructed on the precise amount of exercise they should be doing while locked up.
This includes running two miles in 20 minutes, being able to perform 500 push-ups, and performing
50 sit-ups in two minutes.
They are also forbidden from interacting too closely with correctional staff and are told
to essentially keep to themselves and observe quiet time.
Keeping to themselves while imprisoned comes with a general distrust of the law.
As per the NYPD, one of their rules dictates that no member should even think of relying
on a law enforcement organization as a credible source of information and another prohibits
police cooperation.