Did anything like that really happen? I researched that about a decade ago after rewatching American Me. Of course you got a lot of blog comment hearsay but nothing solid. The Mexican Mafia undoubtedly became a force on the Southern California streets through their taxation for protection on the inside. I've read that even the cartels had paid taxes to the Mexican Mafia for their safety on the inside. I can't imagine that being the case forever, however, as more Mexican nationals fill the prison systems and their numbers dominate the Mexican-American inmates.

I'm growing increasingly interested in 1940's Los Angeles. Siegel, Coen, The Dragna Family, The Zoot Suit Riots, Pachucos, Sleepy Lagoon, so freaking much was happening in LA at that time. Just the style, the cars, the music, the "noir", as it were. Really a fascination I can't keep up with.