The Brass Wall: The Betrayal of Undercover Detective #4126

by David Kocieniewski

"A modern-day Serpico."
- Entertainment Weekly (one of the 10 best books of 2003-nonfiction)

In 1993, Vincent Armanti, Undercover Detective #4126, agreed to infiltrate the branch of the Luchese family responsible for the homicide of a beloved fireman. Already a legend for his past undercover work, Armanti transformed himself into Vinnie "Blue Eyes" Penisi-a veteran hood with an icy stare. Then he found out that the wiseguys had access to classified police information. When the leak was revealed to be the son of the commander of NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau, IAB detectives compromised Armanti again and again to protect the powerful man's son. But Armanti stayed on the job, even when it was clear his life was in danger.

Here, in all his humanity, is an unforgettable hero, battling for his honor and survival. Here, with all its compromises, is the city of New York. Here is a remarkable story that ranks with the great police classics.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Peter William Warn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: An Entertainment Weekly pick as a best non-fiction book of 2003, The Brass Wall is timely and important still. It will be as long as police officers go undercover.

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Instinct kicks in when an undercover police officer hears a suspect use a bit of jargon that cops use when speaking to each other. The cop knows that he might be in danger because one of his colleagues on the force might have given information about him to criminals.

It gets worse when the undercover officer confirms his suspicions. Then it gets worse still when he learns that the crooked cop is the son of a senior official in the New York Police Department. That member of the department's brass uses his power to shield his son, erecting around him the title's protective barrier.

It is possible to pick up David Kocieniewski's gripping The Brass Wall: The Betrayal of Undercover Detective #4126, which the author developed from his reporting on the case for The New York Times, with the suspicion that "betrayal" is just a bit of marketing hyperbole. But Kocieniewski's scrupulous reporting and attention to telling detail leave one thinking that perhaps "betrayal" is not strong enough. Most readers will have come up with much harsher words by the time Kocieniewski refers to Internal Affairs agents who persistently protected a corrupt cop as "frauds."

The undercover cop sets out to infiltrate a murderous gang to solve the arson death of a firefighter. He ends up trying to salvage the pieces of his personal life and career, shattered by the selfishness of a cop who hurt people but did not care. That bad officer is not made to care by the powers that should have protected the undercover. His department's disregard for him leaves the detective wondering:

How could he possibly continue risking his life for an institution that had no regard for his life? How could he keep taking orders from chiefs and commanders who had spit at their oath?

He finds a way to continue because it is in his nature to do so and because he knows that the good cops who encourage him outnumber the others. His dedication is rewarded, but not enough. A reader can cheer for a bit of the ending but the resolution will anger anyone expecting a satisfying wrap-up in which all the bad guys pay.

The Brass Wall shines with the kind of thorough reporting that looks easy when done well, and Kocieniewski has done it very well. He has assembled the elements carefully and he lets the facts speak for themselves. He identifies in extensive endnotes the sources for everything he presents, carefully noting what he observed personally and what he took from interviews with others or from court records and other documents.

Kocieniewski also identifies at the start his one narrative device that does not conform to the facts: He gives the undercover detective, his partner and a very few others fictitious names. He does this to try to protect their safety. In typically graceful restraint, he does not point out that this is more than the NYPD bothered to do.


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I went to graduate school with the author in 1985-86. That long-ago acquaintance would not lead me to write anything positive about Dave's book if it did not deserve it.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

An undercover detective, Vincente Armanti, uses a local Bronx bar as his hangout in an attempt to find the arsonist who set a fire in Queens that killed a fireman. He poses as Vinnie "Blue Eyes" Penisi and soon befriends some men he suspects set the fire. He eventually finds that the hoods he is seeking have been tipped off by someone in the NYPD and are aware of the investigation. Armanti soon fears his cover will be compromised and fears for his life. He finds out that the leak came from the son of one of the top commanders in the NYPD Internal Affairs.

I loved this book because the first part takes place in my neighborhood. It begins with the most accurate description of this old relic bar called Sebastian's (now remodeled and called Bridges) which was a wonderfully seedy, local bar. Some people in my family know the family of the investigator and we knew well the late head of the DEA mentioned briefly. I enjoyed this book so much because of the local connection, but I think the investigation was so interesting that others would enjoy this book as well.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

True stories are the best. I cheated again and listened to the audio version, but it was interesting to listen to a step by step case regarding an undercover detective, Vincent Armani, in the NYPD. He worked in a narcotics investigation with "wiseguys" and pretended to be Vinnie "Blue Eyes" Penisi, an ex-con.

The name of the book comes from the effort made of Armani of trying to break through a brass wall created by the cops top brass. Armani tells of how he gets sold out by the son of one of the most influential officers in the NYPD, another fellow officer.

Armanti ends up finding someone that is ok with the dangers of his job and then eventually retires, but his life was dangerously colorful and he shares all the details.

[Mike Worley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Any Length · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book from the library and didn't realise till I read the first few pages that this was non-fiction. I found the book drawing me in yet disturbing me more and more because one wants to believe that the police is above corruption and if they found a corrupt one among themselves they'd be quick to weed them out. However in this story there is no happy ending in which all the bad guys end up in gaol. However, the bad boys have now been named and at least people can spit at their feet in pulic and refuse to shake their hands to show them what the rest of us think of them.

[Jim Willse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just catching up with this, although written a few years ago. David K. does great job with a reporter's dream -- a full case file from a pissed-off cop, complete with wiretap transcripts. As a result, it's all on the record. Great narrative of how NYPD stonewalled one of its own.

[Armand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well-written and captivating book about the politics and workings of police corruption in New York City. I actually happen to know some of the people and places portrayed very well and David Kocieniewski has captured them very well. I highly recommend this book.

[Apzmarshl · Rating 3 out of 5]

By the end I was so furious at the brass that my head hurt. The political game in law enforcement is something I've spent 20 years being really sick of. And for one dirty cop to turn on his brother makes my blood boil. I wish this wasn't a true story.

[Shayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had grammatical mistakes and typos all throughout. It made it difficult to read.

[Isaac Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful and entrancing look into the world the organized crime and the dangerous life of undercover detective work.