Police arrested
Kody "Monster" Scott on Wednesday (Mar. 7) after police received an
anonymous tip that the author and alleged gang member was in a South Los Angeles neighborhood.Scott,
also known as Sanyika Shakur, authored Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A.
Gang Member
from prison, which detailed his life as a child and young adultgrowing up in Los Angeles as an Eight-Tray Crips gang member. Police
believe Scott, who converted to Islam and denounced his violent ways,
has maintained his ties to the Eight Tray Crips since being released from prison
in 1995.He
served four years in state prison for armed robbery and possession of an AK-47.
An arrest
warrant was issued for Scott on Dec. 15, after he allegedly struck an associate
in the face and took his car. He was also wanted as a material witness in a homicide
case. According
to the Associated Press, police converged on a home and after about 30
minutes, Scott showed up riding a bicycle and wearing a disguise. He
tried to escape, but soon gave up without a fight, because the area had been tightly
secured by police officers. "Scott
has a reputation for running and fighting," Detective Bill Mixer said. "We
went to great lengths to contain the area and safeguard the neighborhood."Scott’s
book has moved over 300,000 copies since its initial release in 1993. The book
was also reprinted in 2004. The
book never impressed Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton, who told reporters
he read the book shortly after taking over the Los Angeles Police Department in
Y. "I
didn’t like his book, and I didn’t like him," Bratton said. "Now we
got to put him back behind bars again."
