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Hell-Bent: One Man's Crusade to Crush the Hawaiian Mob
World-class beaches, fragrant frangipani, swaying palms, and hula girls. Most folks think of Hawaii as a vacation destination. Mob-style executions, drug smuggling, and vicious gang warfare are seldom part of the postcard image. Yet, Hawaii was once home to not only Aloha spirit, but also a ruthless, homegrown mafia underworld. From 1960 to 1980, Hawaiian gangsters grew rich off a robust trade in drugs, gambling, and prostitution that followed in the wake of Hawaii’s tourist boom.
Thus, by 1980—the year Charles Marsland was elected Honolulu's top prosecutor—the honeymoon island paradise was also plagued by violence, corruption and organized crime. The zeal that Marsland brought to his crusade against the Hawaiian underworld was relentless, self-destructive, and very personal. Five years earlier, Marsland’s son had been gunned down. His efforts to bring his son’s killers to justice—and indeed, eradicate the entire organized criminal element in Hawaii—make for an extraordinary tale that culminates with intense courtroom drama. Hawaii Five-O meets Wiseguy in author Jason Ryan’s vigorously reported chronicle of brazen gangsters, brutal murders, and a father’s quest for vengeance—all set against an unlikely backdrop of seductive tropical beauty.
Thus, by 1980—the year Charles Marsland was elected Honolulu's top prosecutor—the honeymoon island paradise was also plagued by violence, corruption and organized crime. The zeal that Marsland brought to his crusade against the Hawaiian underworld was relentless, self-destructive, and very personal. Five years earlier, Marsland’s son had been gunned down. His efforts to bring his son’s killers to justice—and indeed, eradicate the entire organized criminal element in Hawaii—make for an extraordinary tale that culminates with intense courtroom drama. Hawaii Five-O meets Wiseguy in author Jason Ryan’s vigorously reported chronicle of brazen gangsters, brutal murders, and a father’s quest for vengeance—all set against an unlikely backdrop of seductive tropical beauty.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2014
10 people are currently reading
371 people want to read
About the author
Jason Ryan
3 books7 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Jason Ryan is a South Carolina journalist and former staff reporter for the State newspaper.
Jason Ryan is the author of three books: "Jackpot: High Times, High Seas, and the Sting That Launched the War on Drugs"; "Hell-Bent: One Man's Crusade to Crush the Hawaiian Mob"; and "Race to Hawaii: The 1927 Dole Derby and the Thrilling First Flights That Opened the Pacific." He is a graduate of Georgetown University and lives in Charleston, South Carolina.
Jason Ryan is a South Carolina journalist and former staff reporter for the State newspaper.
Jason Ryan is the author of three books: "Jackpot: High Times, High Seas, and the Sting That Launched the War on Drugs"; "Hell-Bent: One Man's Crusade to Crush the Hawaiian Mob"; and "Race to Hawaii: The 1927 Dole Derby and the Thrilling First Flights That Opened the Pacific." He is a graduate of Georgetown University and lives in Charleston, South Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 22, 2014
My longest review ever.
Jason tried very hard to capture Prosecutor Charles Marsland and this time period in Hawaii’s history. It’s nearly impossible to get the real truth in any murder, even harder dealing with a place so small, controlled and isolated from the rest of our country. I’m impressed he got as much as he did out of the people interviewed. This was a very difficult murder to address. Charles Marsland fought for what he felt was right and he fought hard. The loss of his son burned inside of him.
This story is very personal to me, as I was there in the middle of all this ugliness. Once I left, I left. I no longer cared to know what happened with this case. I had no desire to ever return. I knew Chuckers. I worked with him at Infinity. We were both only nineteen years old at the time of his brutal murder. I knew Ronnie, Eric and Greg and many other figures involved in Hawaii’s organized crime. This is the first time in nearly forty years that I read anything about the trial. Even though I knew the ending, I hoped it would change.
Ronnie was probably amused with his stories. Especially being a hit man without a gun or a driver. Ronnie had plenty of guns and Eric was always his driver. Ronnie sat shotgun and Greg in the back. But he found his lies eventually played against him. He never did tell the actual truth about that morning in Waimanalo before his death in prison. When Ronnie finally was real close to the truth, no one believed him. The ones that assisted in the murder, walked free.
I don’t know how Hawaii is today, hopefully less corrupt. The big guys are old and dying, thankfully. Maybe there isn’t anyone as powerful or ruthless to carry on the tradition. Like many cities around the US, street gangs have taken over and lack the money or backing to buy off government officials or those working in law enforcement. Members of street gangs are more easily convicted of their crimes than the old Mafia thugs of the day.
There was one chapter on a man, I feel, received far too much notoriety than he deserved in a book dedicated to Charles Marsland. His picture was painted pretty, by many, but then maybe I remain bitter. The sheep’s clothing became newer and brighter as the innocent were stripped of their decency and integrity. Those we trusted and looked up to, those that entertained and represented the beautiful state of Hawaii, shed their wool. When these people were bought, they also received a tailor-made outfit to proudly wear through their lives that revealed “sold” on their backs. I guess we all may have a price that can capture our souls and destroy our morals. When faced with threats that one’s life could end, the new cover can look pretty comfortable. I would imagine the sad part for those with good souls is, the new clothes never quite fit right. I believe that once you sell your soul, you’re already dead. They may as well have killed you, no difference.
Jason Ryan has his first book “Jackpot” which I will read. He seems to like working on the edge, which, there isn’t anything wrong with that. It had to be difficult to find information, honest information in Hawaii, especially in the aftermath of a murder so many want to keep buried. If justice had been served, facts would not have been a problem and this book would have been easy to write.
Jason tried very hard to capture Prosecutor Charles Marsland and this time period in Hawaii’s history. It’s nearly impossible to get the real truth in any murder, even harder dealing with a place so small, controlled and isolated from the rest of our country. I’m impressed he got as much as he did out of the people interviewed. This was a very difficult murder to address. Charles Marsland fought for what he felt was right and he fought hard. The loss of his son burned inside of him.
This story is very personal to me, as I was there in the middle of all this ugliness. Once I left, I left. I no longer cared to know what happened with this case. I had no desire to ever return. I knew Chuckers. I worked with him at Infinity. We were both only nineteen years old at the time of his brutal murder. I knew Ronnie, Eric and Greg and many other figures involved in Hawaii’s organized crime. This is the first time in nearly forty years that I read anything about the trial. Even though I knew the ending, I hoped it would change.
Ronnie was probably amused with his stories. Especially being a hit man without a gun or a driver. Ronnie had plenty of guns and Eric was always his driver. Ronnie sat shotgun and Greg in the back. But he found his lies eventually played against him. He never did tell the actual truth about that morning in Waimanalo before his death in prison. When Ronnie finally was real close to the truth, no one believed him. The ones that assisted in the murder, walked free.
I don’t know how Hawaii is today, hopefully less corrupt. The big guys are old and dying, thankfully. Maybe there isn’t anyone as powerful or ruthless to carry on the tradition. Like many cities around the US, street gangs have taken over and lack the money or backing to buy off government officials or those working in law enforcement. Members of street gangs are more easily convicted of their crimes than the old Mafia thugs of the day.
There was one chapter on a man, I feel, received far too much notoriety than he deserved in a book dedicated to Charles Marsland. His picture was painted pretty, by many, but then maybe I remain bitter. The sheep’s clothing became newer and brighter as the innocent were stripped of their decency and integrity. Those we trusted and looked up to, those that entertained and represented the beautiful state of Hawaii, shed their wool. When these people were bought, they also received a tailor-made outfit to proudly wear through their lives that revealed “sold” on their backs. I guess we all may have a price that can capture our souls and destroy our morals. When faced with threats that one’s life could end, the new cover can look pretty comfortable. I would imagine the sad part for those with good souls is, the new clothes never quite fit right. I believe that once you sell your soul, you’re already dead. They may as well have killed you, no difference.
Jason Ryan has his first book “Jackpot” which I will read. He seems to like working on the edge, which, there isn’t anything wrong with that. It had to be difficult to find information, honest information in Hawaii, especially in the aftermath of a murder so many want to keep buried. If justice had been served, facts would not have been a problem and this book would have been easy to write.
September 29, 2016
This is a sad story of one family's experience of lawlessness in Hawaii during the last decades of the 20th century. The son was murdered by men in the syndicate, and the father was a prosecutor who sought justice. The case and milieu are investigated in great detail with much history of all the personalities involved.
I wanted to read this because I lived in Hawaii during this time period and, working in a resort area, was aware of the gambling, drugs, and prostitution controlled by the underworld. When I came across this book I thought I wanted to know more. I am not sure that was wise, however. The truth is shocking, vile, cruel and senseless; there was disdain for victims and a casual attitude towards perpetrators on the part of the courts. Terrible, vicious crimes against women and children, especially, were simply not punished, case after case. It was heart-wrenching and stomach churning to learn about. The title leads one to believe that one man may have miraculously crushed the mob, but of course that is not true at all; he failed, utterly. The story is a tragic one.
My memories of Hawaii were so lovely, fragrant and beautiful and now they all seem foolish when this ugliness was what was really going on there. I would not recommend this book to anyone unless needed for legal or sociological research.
I wanted to read this because I lived in Hawaii during this time period and, working in a resort area, was aware of the gambling, drugs, and prostitution controlled by the underworld. When I came across this book I thought I wanted to know more. I am not sure that was wise, however. The truth is shocking, vile, cruel and senseless; there was disdain for victims and a casual attitude towards perpetrators on the part of the courts. Terrible, vicious crimes against women and children, especially, were simply not punished, case after case. It was heart-wrenching and stomach churning to learn about. The title leads one to believe that one man may have miraculously crushed the mob, but of course that is not true at all; he failed, utterly. The story is a tragic one.
My memories of Hawaii were so lovely, fragrant and beautiful and now they all seem foolish when this ugliness was what was really going on there. I would not recommend this book to anyone unless needed for legal or sociological research.
June 14, 2018
This is one of several books that should be required reading for anyone who thinks they may want to live and work in Hawaii. While organized crime is not, apparently, as prevalent today - the underlying dynamic in this book is still alive and well in government and public institutions. Paradise can quickly turn into a kafkaesque nightmare if one finds themselves, often through no fault of their own, down the “rabbit hole”, as its often appropriately referenced. Charles Marsland was from a family several generations in Hawaii and still couldn’t climb out of the rabbit hole in which he found himself. One must admire him for trying.
December 13, 2018
Well written, this work brings back memories of forty years ago when the names Pulawa, Ryder, Hui Hui and others terrorized the entire State of Hawaii. I remember the murders and the rapes very well, as they received almost daily coverage by the local media. I was outraged at Judge Shintaku's overturning of the jury's verdict. Charles Marsland was the knight who fearlessly took on organized crime. In short, it was a very enjoyable book. At times, the work bogs down with too many descriptions and explanations tat made it seem like a travel piece for visitors. For those not familiar with the islands, however, this may be necessary.
October 31, 2014
Excellent read. Very good reporting and a strong narrative.
July 11, 2022
Intriguing read about organized crime in Hawai'i from the 70s to 80s. A very compelling and informative book!
August 30, 2022
Put away your suntan lotion and beach ball; this true crime book will show you a much darker side of the Aloha state.
November 27, 2024
An interesting story about crime in Hawaii. Sad and startling in places.
September 21, 2015
Disclaimer: I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway on the premise that I would review it. My copy was an advanced reading copy, and changes will be made in the published version, due out November 2014. In particular, the end notes and index were not yet finished.
Hawaii’s reputation as a tropical paradise vacation destination tends to gloss over the fact that it’s inhabited by fallible human beings, who have the same problems there as anywhere else. In particular, during the 1970s, it had a skyrocketing crime rate, with far too many unsolved murders. But this wasn’t the exotic crime you’d see on Hawaii Five-O, but mundane crime like drugs, prostitution and gambling. And not clever locked room mysteries but thuggish mob hits.
This book centers its narrative on the murder of Charles “Chuckers” F. Marsland III, a nightclub bouncer, and its effect on his father Charles F. Marsland, Jr. Mr. Marsland, an attorney, was galvanized into desiring the eradication of organized crime from Hawaii, and eventually became the Chief Prosecutor of Honolulu.
The history of Hawaii is briefly sketched from the first time it was contacted by outsiders, through the loss of its sovereignty, and becoming a state. Thereafter, it concentrates on the matter of organized crime, why it became such a big issue, and who the major players were alleged to be.
While many of them were convicted of crimes, one of the people mentioned most in the book has never even been indicted, much to the frustration of Marsland and others who believed him to be the “godfather” of Hawaiian crime. The fact that he’s never been proved a criminal is repeatedly brought up, often after a direct quote from someone accusing him of crimes.
Mr. Marsland was apparently, like many driven people, a difficult person, often accusing people who did not completely follow his program of being soft on crime, or actively corrupt. While he made great strides at bringing down the crime rate, he eventually lost re-election to a more reasonable-sounding prosecutor.
Hawaiian politics play some role in the book, as does the entertainment world. Many of the criminals had gone to school with people who’d made good, so odd-seeming friendships were not uncommon.
There will be a photo section, bibliography, end notes and an index when the book is fully published. There’s also an essay by the author on his sources, who he could and could not get information from.
The writing is okay but not gripping. I’d recommend this book to true crime readers, and people with an interest in Hawaii beyond the tourist destinations.
Hawaii’s reputation as a tropical paradise vacation destination tends to gloss over the fact that it’s inhabited by fallible human beings, who have the same problems there as anywhere else. In particular, during the 1970s, it had a skyrocketing crime rate, with far too many unsolved murders. But this wasn’t the exotic crime you’d see on Hawaii Five-O, but mundane crime like drugs, prostitution and gambling. And not clever locked room mysteries but thuggish mob hits.
This book centers its narrative on the murder of Charles “Chuckers” F. Marsland III, a nightclub bouncer, and its effect on his father Charles F. Marsland, Jr. Mr. Marsland, an attorney, was galvanized into desiring the eradication of organized crime from Hawaii, and eventually became the Chief Prosecutor of Honolulu.
The history of Hawaii is briefly sketched from the first time it was contacted by outsiders, through the loss of its sovereignty, and becoming a state. Thereafter, it concentrates on the matter of organized crime, why it became such a big issue, and who the major players were alleged to be.
While many of them were convicted of crimes, one of the people mentioned most in the book has never even been indicted, much to the frustration of Marsland and others who believed him to be the “godfather” of Hawaiian crime. The fact that he’s never been proved a criminal is repeatedly brought up, often after a direct quote from someone accusing him of crimes.
Mr. Marsland was apparently, like many driven people, a difficult person, often accusing people who did not completely follow his program of being soft on crime, or actively corrupt. While he made great strides at bringing down the crime rate, he eventually lost re-election to a more reasonable-sounding prosecutor.
Hawaiian politics play some role in the book, as does the entertainment world. Many of the criminals had gone to school with people who’d made good, so odd-seeming friendships were not uncommon.
There will be a photo section, bibliography, end notes and an index when the book is fully published. There’s also an essay by the author on his sources, who he could and could not get information from.
The writing is okay but not gripping. I’d recommend this book to true crime readers, and people with an interest in Hawaii beyond the tourist destinations.
June 20, 2016
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
As someone who lived on Oahu for three years, I enjoyed this book and found it interesting. It was neat learning little tidbits about places I'd been, though that was only a small focus of the book. If you're curious about learning how criminal organizations work, I'd recommend this book for a start as it gave me a rather terrifying glimpse into that world - I'd been curious about the mafia/yakuza/etc for a long time, but have never really studied it or anything.
I'm not a big nonfiction reader, so I don't feel like I can say anything too in-depth about the writing itself. Some of the organization seemed strange - the author would introduce Subject Y in the middle of talking about Subject X, then say some unrelated things about Subject Y for a middle before returning to Subject X. At least, it seemed that way to me. At some points I had difficulty piecing it all together. I also found it a bit difficult to keep track of all the people involved, but I dunno if that's a flaw in the work itself or just me having trouble with names/not paying enough attention. Either way it was still a worthwhile read and I feel like if I needed the information for any specific research purpose, and read/took notes more carefully, I'd be able to figure it out.
Overall it was an interesting book about an unusual topic, written in a way that was friendly to the casual reader. I enjoyed it.
As someone who lived on Oahu for three years, I enjoyed this book and found it interesting. It was neat learning little tidbits about places I'd been, though that was only a small focus of the book. If you're curious about learning how criminal organizations work, I'd recommend this book for a start as it gave me a rather terrifying glimpse into that world - I'd been curious about the mafia/yakuza/etc for a long time, but have never really studied it or anything.
I'm not a big nonfiction reader, so I don't feel like I can say anything too in-depth about the writing itself. Some of the organization seemed strange - the author would introduce Subject Y in the middle of talking about Subject X, then say some unrelated things about Subject Y for a middle before returning to Subject X. At least, it seemed that way to me. At some points I had difficulty piecing it all together. I also found it a bit difficult to keep track of all the people involved, but I dunno if that's a flaw in the work itself or just me having trouble with names/not paying enough attention. Either way it was still a worthwhile read and I feel like if I needed the information for any specific research purpose, and read/took notes more carefully, I'd be able to figure it out.
Overall it was an interesting book about an unusual topic, written in a way that was friendly to the casual reader. I enjoyed it.
January 25, 2015
A lot of the mafia dealings in this story were interesting and kept me engaged, but I never felt I knew who Charles Marsland was as a character as I read the book. It made it difficult to enjoy due to the fact that this district attorney was the main focus of the novel, and his bullheaded approach to solving his problems made him a not likable character. Because of this, I was left with a bitter taste ion my mouth through much of the book, and wished for the times when I could hear more about the Hawaiian mafia and less about the court cases that took place concerning them.
September 24, 2014
I was lucky to have won this book thru Goodreads First Reads. Thank you, Jason Ryan!
I enjoyed the plot and characters, however, (for me) there were too many details on history. That type of stuff is more for my husband.
I enjoyed the plot and characters, however, (for me) there were too many details on history. That type of stuff is more for my husband.
December 26, 2014
This was not nearly as good as I had hoped it would be. There was too much back and forth without enough details of how bad crime truly was in Hawaii at the time, and the story really painted the lead character as an arrogant jerk.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews