Homicide rates: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 53, No. 17, March 7, 2005: Homicide was the leading cause of death for black males between the ages of 15 and 34. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr53/nvsr53_17.pdf, page 30.

LaMarr's death and funeral: Sacramento district attorney's February 2007 report "Report On The Shooting Of Lamar (sic) Alexander by Elk Grove Police Officer Jason Kearsing on April 11, 2006," Bee archives, and interviews with LaMarr's mother, Mary McIntyre; his cousin Wyatt Johnson; Wyatt's mother; and other friends and Raiders teammates.

1992 Raiders Junior Midgets season: Coaches, players, parents, Coach Leroy Stevenson's records.

Boys playing Crips and Bloods in the Ridgewood apartments and at school: Tyrone Rhinehart and his cousin John "J.R." Dantzler.

Gang activity in Sacramento and influence of crack: Sacramento State professor Jim Hernandez, Sacramento Police Sgt. D.T. Martin, Sacramento Police Lt. James Hendrickson, Clifford McDowell's cousin Dimitrios Champlaie, and Bee archives.

County homicide numbers and the community's response: California Department of Justice, Sgt. Martin and Bee archives.

Ease of getting guns: Wyatt, Clifford, Tyrone and the 2001 surgeon general's report: "Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General." http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/youthviolence/

Teammates staying focused as teenagers (including Lawrence McAlister, Noah Hayes and Levi Terrill): The men named and other players.

TYRONE RHINEHART

Early childhood, including father's absence: Court records and interviews with Tyrone and his aunts Brenda Pommer and Barbara Burt.

Seeking out role models on the streets: Tyrone, his friend Nick Losenicky, his aunts Brenda and Barbara, his cousin John "J.R." Dantzler and other Raiders teammates.

Mother's work as a prostitute: Tyrone, his aunts, Los Angeles County court records. Court records list his mother violating California Penal Code 647(B): "Who solicits or who agrees to engage in or who engages in any act of prostitution," on at least two occasions.

Prostitute killer in Pasadena: Tyrone, Los Angeles Times, Dec. 5, 1993: "8 Women Slain, but Little Else is Revealed."

Stepfather's stint in jail: Los Angeles County court records.

Growing up in Meadowview, getting caught up with guns and gangs: Tyrone, his friend Nick Losenicky, Curtie Clark, Tyrone's aunt Brenda and his cousin, J.R.

Willie Young's death: Tyrone, Bee archives, court records. Standing at Willie's grave: Tyrone and his wife, Donnisha Rhinehart.

CLIFFORD McDOWELL

Involvement with Oak Park Bloods and drug sales: Clifford, Curtie Clark, Clifford's mother, Rosalyn McDowell, his cousin Dimitrios Champlaie, and other former Raiders teammates.

Buying his first car: Clifford and his mother.

Father's involvement in theft and drug dealing: Clifford, his mother and Sacramento County court records. Clifford's father was convicted of burglary and possessing/selling a controlled substance on multiple occasions between 1991 and 1996, the year he was sentenced to at least 25 years in prison for a drug charge.

Marcus Thompson's death -- and its aftermath: Clifford, Boyega "Mike" Adelekan, Wyatt Johnson, Wyatt's mother, Lorraine Johnson, March 11, 1993, court transcripts from the preliminary hearing in the case of People v. Antonn Mitchell, and Bee archives.

Crying in juvenile hall: Clifford.

Apartment with Curtie in G Parkway: Clifford, Curtie and Rosalyn.

Getting shot, Rosalyn receiving phone call from police: Clifford, Curtie, Rosalyn and Bee archives.

MIKE "BOYEGA" ADELEKAN

Listening to motivational tapes on his way to school: Mike and his mother, Pat Adelekan.

Percentage of African American children born to unwed parents: Chapter 10 of the book "Black Males Left Behind," by Ronald Mincy. Local statistics: U.S. Census Bureau.

Getting in trouble for joyriding: Mike and Wyatt Johnson.

Moving to Southern California: Mike, his mother and Wyatt.

CORY GATHING

First home run: Cory's parents, Regina and Cornell Gathing.

Recollection of Cory skipping school and getting arrested: his parents, Regina and Cornell, and his brother, Jason Gathing.

Problems at Elk Grove High School: Jason, Cornell and Regina, Sonny Olvera, Kevin Tucker and other teammates.

WYATT JOHNSON

Arrested and sent to Rite of Passage school for troubled youth: Wyatt, his sister Kisha and his mother, Lorraine Johnson.

Wyatt's father's absence: Sacramento County court records show Wyatt's father jailed for petty theft and possession/sale of controlled substances several times between 1990 and 2006.