Loretta Lynch, The Green Dragons and The Limits of Power
- U.S. attorney general cut her teeth on 1992 street-gang case
- Lessons resonate in era of terrorism, police misconduct
Loretta Lynch. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
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As she confronts the toughest challenge of her career -- the spread of Islamic terrorism to the West -- U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch is drawing on her experience prosecuting a New York City street gang that left murder and mayhem in its wake.
The Green Dragons ruled Chinese neighborhoods in Queens, extorting business owners, kidnapping rivals and killing at least seven people, including a witness. The resulting courtroom clash occurred more than two decades ago, but its lessons still resonate.