Sanyika Shakur
Introduction


**Sanyika Shakur** (born **Kody Dejohn Scott**; November 13, 1963 – June 6, 2021\),[”SANYIKA SHAKUR, FORMER GANG MEMBER TURNED MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER, PASSED AWAY AT 57”](https://www.blackenterprise.com/sanyika-shakur-former-gang-member-turned-motivational-speaker-passed-away-at-57/), *Black Enterprise*, Retrieved June 9, 2021\. also known by his former street moniker **Monster** or **Monster Kody,** was an American author and former gangster. He was a member of the [Los Angeles](/wiki/Los_Angeles%2C_California "Los Angeles, California")\-based [Eight Tray Gangster Crips](/wiki/Crips "Crips"). He got his nickname as a 13\-year\-old gang member when he beat and stomped a robbery victim until he was disfigured.[”Throwing the book at' “Monster’”](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-feb-15-me-monster15-story.html), *[Los Angeles Times](/wiki/Los_Angeles_Times "Los Angeles Times")* Shakur claimed to have reformed in prison, joined the [Republic of New Afrika](/wiki/Republic_of_New_Afrika "Republic of New Afrika") movement, and wrote a 1993 memoir called *[Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member](/wiki/Monster:The_Autobiography_of_an_L.A._Gang_Member "The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member")*.

*Monster* describes how Shakur was drawn into gang life, his experiences as a gangster both on the street and in prisons, and eventually his transformation into a [Black nationalist](/wiki/Black_nationalism "Black nationalism").

Shakur spent 36 months at [San Quentin State Prison](/wiki/San_Quentin_State_Prison "San Quentin State Prison") and five years at [Pelican Bay State Prison](/wiki/Pelican_Bay_State_Prison "Pelican Bay State Prison"), most of which was spent in [solitary confinement](/wiki/Solitary_confinement "Solitary confinement"), where he converted to [Islam](/wiki/Islam "Islam").

In March 2007, Shakur, already sought by police for [parole violations](/wiki/Probation "Probation") and named on the city's most\-wanted gang members list, was arrested by the [Los Angeles Police Department](/wiki/Los_Angeles_Police_Department "Los Angeles Police Department") for allegedly breaking into the home of an acquaintance and beating him in order to steal his car. The charges represented a possible [third strike](/wiki/Three_strikes_law "Three strikes law") that could have sent Shakur back to prison [for life](/wiki/Life_imprisonment "Life imprisonment"). In May 2008, Shakur pleaded [no contest](/wiki/Nolo_contendere "Nolo contendere") to carjacking and robbery charges, and was sentenced to six years in state prison. Also in 2008, Shakur made his fiction debut with the publication of *T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E.* (Grove Atlantic Books). He was released from Pelican Bay after serving two\-thirds of his 6\-year sentence in August 2012\.


What were the charges against Sanyika Shakur in 2008?