JUDGE ISSUES INJUNCTION AGAINST VENICE 13 GANG

LOS ANGELES--A preliminary injunction was issued Friday against the
so-called Venice 13 gang, because of its Westside drug-dealing turf
war with two rival gangs, prosecutors said.

The injunction, issued by Santa Monica Court Judge Lorna K. Parnell,
bars 25 named members of the gang from being seen in public with one
another, or being outside each other's homes between evening and
sunrise, except for specific purposes.

At a court hearing Friday, 14 of the named members were served with
the order. It was binding on the other 11 named in the order. A 26th
member is expected to be added to the injunction during an April 21
hearing, officials said.

Los Angeles City Atty. Jim Hahn said his office had been monitoring
the gang's activities since February because "we knew that they had
been a plague on the community."

Prosecutors said the gang became more aggressive last year after
injunctions were issued against its two rival gangs, the Culver City
Boys and the Shoreline Crips.

Gang warfare has resulted in more than 40 killings and dozens of
injuries since 1993, according to the city attorney's office. Between
1997 and last year, prosecutors said Venice 13 members were involved
in more than 21 assaults with deadly weapons, 11 attempted murders, 23
robberies and other serious crimes ranging from intimidating witnesses
to grand theft auto.