Dozens of curious students filled Pugh Auditorium Nov. 14 to attend a presentation dubbed "Real Life Sopranos" given by the "son of a Mafia hit man." Albert DeMeo, son of Roy DeMeo, at the invitation of the Student Union, gave students a glimpse into the life that inspired his recent book For the Sins of My Father: The Legacy of a Mafia Life.

"We wanted to bring a Mafia-themed lecture to campus because of the popularity of the Sopranos right now, and I heard about Mr. DeMeo because my mother just read his book and enjoyed it very much," sophomore Christine Simpson, Student Union lectures coordinator, said. "Everyone I talked to after the presentation said they found it very moving and a very informative insight into the effects of Mafia life on the families of its members."

DeMeo's father, who joined the Mafia as a teenager, was murdered in New York City 25 years ago, sending Albert's life into turmoil from which it would take him two decades to emerge. DeMeo opened his presentation by reading the first few words of his book.

In writing the book, he wanted to show that Mafia life was certainly "not all glamour; that it inflicts psychological damage on many people." DeMeo then began to share his life story, which began in New York City.

Sophomore Student Union member Scott Thompson said he was impressed by DeMeo's lecture.

"The presentation was really interesting," Thompson said. "It was very disturbing how his father's life took such a toll on Albert, but it was also inspiring to see that he was able to put it behind him."

As a 10-year-old, Albert DeMeo realized his father's job was different from those of his friends' fathers. "He wore a suit to work, but he wasn't a businessman; he carried a gun but he wasn't a policeman." Soon, when his father became a full-fledged member of the Mafia, the family moved into a million-dollar house complete with a top-notch security system and eventually accumulated many cars and boats.

But Albert saw much less of his father. DeMeo now knows that during this time, his father oversaw a ring of New York City car thieves who would send their stolen goods to the Middle East for sale. DeMeo's father had paid off many local policemen, judges and FBI agents in order to keep his operation safe. He also gave his young teenage son a gun with orders to protect his family.

Later, Roy DeMeo shot an innocent passerby because he feared the man was a Colombian drug lord preparing to exact revenge for a murder carried out by DeMeo's men. Roy moved his family to Canada for a short time, then back to New York City, where he and Albert, now 15 years old, made plans for faking Roy's death and taking on false identities. Albert also undertook a role in his father's business ventures.

On his seventeenth birthday, Roy DeMeo was murdered and found in a car trunk, victimized by his former comrades. Albert, who had been told by his father to expect such an event, coldly identified Roy's body and attended funeral services. He failed to seriously address his father's death, which would haunt him for years to come.

Initially, Albert tried to move on with his life. But at the age of 17, he began to seek vengeance for his father's murder and called one of Roy's former Mafia contacts about procuring a gun. This proved to be a bad decision: Albert's car was run off the road days later, and members of the mob beat Albert on the side of the road.

DeMeo again tried to move on and was able to attend college. Unfortunately, he was removed from class and subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury. During proceedings involving investigations of mob activity, Albert pled the Fifth Amendment 250 times.

Albert later married and secured a trader's job on Wall Street, but his past continued to haunt him. He experienced a flashback, sending him into a nervous breakdown, which led to therapy, Prozac, Valium, two suicide attempts, time in a mental ward and a divorce from his wife.

Just a few years ago, through intensive therapy and writing a journal, Albert was able to get his life back together. It was then that Albert decided he wanted to write his story, and eventually he secured a publishing deal. He wanted to put his entire story in the book and finally move on with life. "If I didn't throw everything out there and hide nothing, I knew I could never put it all behind me," DeMeo said. "I simply had to move on É and that's what I did."

After finishing his presentation, DeMeo took questions from the audience. DeMeo commented on Mafia in popular culture. "Although I wasn't affected by Godfather-style movies, The Sopranos is just shocking," he said. "It hits really close to home, like I'm reliving it. It's a very accurate portrayal."

Asked about his feelings about giving lectures about his life, DeMeo commented that this was, in fact, his first lecture. "I wanted to face up to whatever fears, imagined or real, that I had associated with talking about my life," he said. "I guess I got through it, and I think I'll do more."

After concluding his presentation, DeMeo autographed books that were available for purchase.

"I hope you all walk out of here with a little something, whatever it may be," DeMeo said. "That's why I wrote my book."