Hitmen: The Mafia, Drugs, and the East Harlem Purple Gang - Paperbackby Scott M. Deitche (Author) From the author of the star reviewed Garden State Gangland comes the story of the notorious East Harlem Purple Gang, a group of freelance hitmen who flourished on the Mafia's payroll and the media's front page. Author Biography Scott M. Deitche is the author of multiple books on organized crime, including Cigar City Mafia: A Complete History of the Tampa Underworld and critically acclaimed, Garden State Gangland: The Rise