The hidden life of Stanley Williams

The leader of the street gang the Crips, Stanley Williams lived an extreme double life — during the day, he was an anti-gang youth counselor, and at night he was the boss of the Crips, committing violent gang crimes against a rival gang, the Bloods.

So during his normal life the man lived a nine to five existence, mundane, a stand-up citizen who was influencing the youth positively… or, so it seemed. Meanwhile, in actuality, Mr. Williams was actually recruiting these young, vulnerable kids to join his gang.

They were then made to run drugs, pimp or be pimped out or commit acts of unspeakable violence against rivals in the street. The perfect cover, no doubt. But deeply, deeply cynical.

Stanley Williams was eventually given the death penalty. He went to jail and was executed in December 2005, aged 51.