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(USA) Mongols Missouri leader says there is nothing to fear from club’s gathering this weekend

May 22, 2015, 1:07 am
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EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — They’re not the outlaws they’re made out to be. That’s the viewpoint of the leader of a “one-percenter” motorcycle club, which has drawn recent scorn from Clay County residents over plans for a weekend bike party.

“The whole thing has been overblown,” Mongol Gary, Missouri leader for the Mongols Motorcycle Club, told FOX 4 News on Thursday night.

His club is planning a weekend get-together in Excelsior Springs this weekend, a gathering that was first reported by FOX 4 News on Tuesday. Mongol Gary spoke with reporters on Thursday at the club’s headquarters on E. Truman Road in Independence.

“There’s nothing to fear with the Mongols Motorcycle Club,” Mongol Gary said. “We’re not going (to Excelsior Springs) with any agendas.”

In that interview, Mongol Gary said the image drawn of modern motorcycle clubs is inaccurate, emphasizing his members are well-behaved, professional people, some of whom have white-collar jobs.

“We’re a motorcycle club. We’re not a gang. We’re not a street gang,” Mongol Gary said.

He stood just behind a burnt orange-colored motorcycle, sharing details of his club’s planned meeting at the historic Elms Hotel in Excelsior Springs this weekend. He expects as many as 200 members to assemble there. Captain Clint Reno with the Excelsior Springs Police Department recently told FOX 4 News he met with Mongols members, who assured him there was no reason for concern over the gathering.

The Mongols are an international society, which, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigations, is associated with numerous crimes across the United States, ranging from illicit drug deals to murders.

Mongol Gary says he’s aware of those incidents, but says they’re in the past. He says club members have performed numerous charitable works, which have been swept under the rug.

“They remember anything we’ve ever done bad and they forget everything we’ve ever done good,” Mongol Gary said. “Most of the people who are in the Mongols Motorcycle Club are very professional people. We have doctors, lawyers, and professional people throughout our club.”

Mongol Gary says he expects his members to begin arriving in Excelsior Springs on Friday evening. FOX 4 News contacted the Elms Hotel for a comment on Tuesday, and so far, our request has not been granted.

http://fox4kc.com/2015/05/21/mongols-missouri-leader-says-there-is-nothing-to-fear-from-clubs-gathering-this-weekend/
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(USA) Group that organized biker meeting gets city proclamation

May 23, 2015, 3:20 am
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Days after a biker shootout at a Texas restaurant, the same group that organized the motorcyclists’ meeting that turned violent received a proclamation from the Waco City Council designating May as “Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month.”

The council issued the proclamation Tuesday, two days after nine people were killed in the shootout at a Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco. The proclamation was to be presented to Steven Cochran on behalf of the Confederation of Clubs, which had organized the Sunday biker meeting, but Cochran decided not to attend the City Council meeting, Waco City Secretary Esmeralda Hudson said Friday.

Cochran declined an interview with The Associated Press on Friday, but posted a picture of the proclamation on his Facebook page. In his post, he said he and Sandra Lynch accepted the proclamation in absentia.

Lynch couldn’t attend because she is one of about 170 people who were arrested after Sunday’s shootout. She remains jailed on a charge of engaging in organized criminal activity.

Restaurant footage viewed by The Associated Press shows the shooting began after a confrontation between two rival gangs in the eatery’s parking lot. Police said they returned fire after being shot at.

Some bikers have complained that police acted too hastily in making arrests and scooped up riders who had nothing to do with the violence.

In his Facebook post, Cochran praised Waco City Council members for their support of motorcycle safety but complained about the Waco Police Department’s characterization of the bikers at Sunday’s meeting.

“I felt it was prudent to not have a public display at the city counsel meeting after all being hardened gangsters according to the Waco PD we didn’t want to put anyone in harm’s way quite unlike the local police department did at Twin Peaks,” he wrote.

Hudson said the city issues the “Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month” proclamation annually. Nothing was said about the proclamation at Tuesday’s meeting, she said.

Also Friday, Texas lawmakers approved motorcycle safety legislation that supporters say was going to be discussed at the bikers’ meeting.


The measure, which now heads to Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, would funnel some of the state’s motorcycle-related fees to state Department of Transportation campaigns that remind motorists to share the road and look twice for motorcycles. Some fees already help boost the Texas Department of Public Safety’s motorcycle education efforts.

“We need to be more visible to the general public, which these campaigns do,” said Ty Yocham, who was among five men wearing leather jackets and vests who watched from the Texas House gallery as the chamber approved the bill.

The men advocated for the legislation in place of three bikers who helped write the legislation but were among those jailed following the shootout.

http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/group-that-organized-biker-meeting-gets-city-proclamation/
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(USA) Summer biker rallies bring rumble of concern

May 23, 2015, 3:21 am
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After three people were killed and seven wounded in shootings during a motorcycle rally last year in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Gov. Nikki Haley and others called for an end to an event that draws thousands to the family-friendly beach town.

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Their efforts were unsuccessful. This weekend, bikers will return to Myrtle Beach — just a week after a bloody motorcycle gang shootout in Waco, Texas. But this time authorities are more prepared, with dozens of new surveillance cameras and a police force three times the size of last year’s.

As a season of motorcycle rallies across the country begins this Memorial Day weekend, the outbreak of violence at biker gatherings has put notorious clubs like the Bandidos, the Hells Angels and the Cossacks under intense public scrutiny.

Even so, rally organizers and many law enforcement officials say the fears are overblown. Most people who show up are recreational riders out for a weekend cruise, and they tend to co-exist with criminal gangs who prefer flying under law enforcement’s radar.

And after the bloodshed in Waco last Sunday, experts predict the outlaw clubs will keep an even lower profile than usual at this summer’s rallies.

“A lot of them are going to be even more underground just because of all the heat,” said Steve Cook, executive director of the Midwest Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Investigators Association.

In Waco, nine people died and 170 were arrested after a simmering dispute between rival gang members flared at a sports bar, where bikers attacked one another with guns, knives, clubs, brass knuckles and chains.

The main adversaries were the Bandidos, considered a criminal organization by the U.S. Justice Department, and the Cossacks, who experts say have been fighting for control in Texas.

The Bandidos show up every year for the Red River Memorial Day Motorcycle Rally in New Mexico, said Town Marshal David Smith.

But the gang and others like it have caused no problems at recent rallies, attended by about 20,000 people annually, Smith said. Intelligence reports indicate the gangs involved in the Texas shootout are not planning to make trouble in New Mexico. But an isolated incident could escalate.

“The issues we deal with are usually from someone who may be wanting to make a name for themselves and tries to harass or in some way antagonize an outlaw motorcycle gang member,” Smith said.

Cooler heads, for now

James Quinn, a University of North Texas professor who studies outlaw motorcycle clubs, agrees the likelihood of violence this weekend is low.

“I think cooler heads will prevail, at least for a while, but I expect that there will be more problems down the road,” he said. “Honor has been offended. Blood has been shed.”

Regardless, police officials say they feel prepared.

Instances of violence have been rare at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, expected to draw as many as a million people in August for its 75th anniversary, said Police Chief Jim Bush.

More common, he said, are the sort of disruptions police see when any large group of people gather to party: drunk driving, domestic spats and traffic crashes.

The last time major violence erupted at New Hampshire’s Laconia Motorcycle Week, believed to be the oldest motorcycle rally in the country, was in 1998, when riots broke out involving the Hells Angels. Observers of the event, set to begin on June 13, say it is now far less wild than it once was.

Charlie St. Clair, executive director of the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association, said the riders who come to the rally are like anyone you might encounter. “Some you might want to hang out with, some maybe not,” he said.

Many of the thousands of motorcyclists coming to Washington, D.C., this weekend for the Rolling Thunder “Ride for Freedom” to honor military veterans are sure to be bankers, lawyers and other white-collar workers.

Among an older, more affluent set, riding has grown in popularity. Recreational riders are generally safe around the gangs as long as they keep a respectable distance and never touch their motorcycles.

In South Carolina, police are being warned that several criminal street gangs not affiliated with motorcycle groups are planning to attend the Atlantic Beach Bikefest, which attracts a younger crowd of African-American sport motorcycle riders rather than the largely white, older crowd at other rallies.

While pastors and residents in Myrtle Beach are holding vigils to pray for calm, a sheriff in Texas went directly to a gang to appeal for peace.

Palo Pinto County Sheriff Ira Mercer said he asked the Cossacks to cancel their annual rally this weekend west of Fort Worth after the group lost seven members in the Waco shooting. Gang leaders were hesitant but obliged.

“It was the prudent thing to do,” Mercer said.

http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/news/nation-and-world/3751235-summer-biker-rallies-bring-rumble-concern
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(USA) Bandidos head to Red River for motorcycle rally

May 23, 2015, 3:22 am
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RED RIVER, N.M. —Tens of thousands of bikers are in New Mexico this weekend, but the annual Memorial Day rally in Red River is taking on a different tone this year.

A fight between rival biker gangs left nine people dead in Texas less than a week ago, and at least one of those groups is now in Red River.

While the Bandidos display their name proudly, the group need no introduction.

They call themselves a motorcycle club, but the Department of Justice considers them a gang whose members have a big presence in the state.

"They're all over New Mexico," said Joe Kolb, of the state's gang task force.

Action 7 News tried to talk to some members of the Bandidos on Friday, but they politely declined.

Kolb said the Bandidos are a tight-knit, proud group.

"If they feel slighted or insulted, they'll defend that reputation," he said. "There have been incidents where they have been in violence."

Nine people were killed last weekend when the Bandidos clashed with another rival gang in Waco, Texas. Close to 200 people now face charges.

Police said the Bandidos were also involved in a shooting in Albuquerque in March. One man was shot as the Bandidos fought another biker group.

Kolb said it's important to remember that not all members take part in criminal activity. He said he's hopeful things will stay peaceful this weekend.

"Could something happen? I mean, possibly, but that's what law enforcement is there for," said Kolb.

Police have been out in full force to make sure everyone stays safe.

People who talked to KOAT-TV said they're not worried.

"I mean Bandidos, Hell's Angels, I mean, they're all very nice," said Laura Mullins of Arizona. "None of them have ever bothered us."

http://www.koat.com/news/bandidos-head-to-red-river-for-motorcycle-rally/33182458
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(AUS) Police behaviour in Red Devils gang case possibly criminal, says judge

May 23, 2015, 3:25 am
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A flawed police undercover operation has ended with a judge throwing out all but a handful of charges against members of the Nelson-based Red Devils. JONATHAN CARSON reports.

The word in Motueka was that two agents were in town.

The Red Devils motorcycle gang had names: Mike and Kasey. It was May 21, 2010, when police heard the rumours.

The two undercover police officers, who had been posing as a couple and slowly infiltrating the Red Devils in Nelson since November 2009, were known as Michael Wilson and Kasey Robinson.

The Red Devils were suspicious and police were concerned that their investigation into the gang's alleged criminal activities, Operation Explorer, was under threat.

So police concocted a plan to bolster the undercover officers' credibility within the gang.

That plan, known as the fake warrant and prosecution scenario, has all but sabotaged the case against the Red Devils.

A High Court judge this week threw out all but a "small number" of charges laid against members and associates of the Red Devils following an 18-month police undercover operation.

This comes after Justice Collins formally dropped 116 charges against 18 defendants last month.

It is understood that as few as four charges against three defendants remain, however lawyers said on Friday that they were not sure of exact numbers. There were originally 148 charges against 21 defendants.

Five years after police's fake warrant and prosecution plan, Justice Collins has ruled that it amounted to grave misconduct, possible criminal offending and misuse of the justice system.

Justice Collins gave four reasons for why the charges are stayed:

* The gravity of police misconduct during Operation Explorer

* The causal connection between the misconduct and evidence obtained by police

* Maintaining public confidence in the criminal justice system

* Protecting the criminal justice system from being "degraded" and "misused"

THE 'FAKE WARRANT SCENARIO'

Early in May 2010, Red Devils prospect Mike Tulouna, who had 81 convictions and a reputation for intimidating behaviour, asked Wilson how he earned his money.

Tulouna said the Red Devils wanted assurance Wilson wasn't a police officer.

Soon after, Wilson involved Tulouna in an illegal paua selling operation. It was an attempt to prove he was a crook, not a cop. But it wasn't enough.

Under the leadership of Detective Inspector Grant Wormald, Detective Senior Sergeant Warren Olsson and Detective Sergeant John Mackie, police devised a plan.

Police prepared a fake search warrant and an officer signed it in the place reserved for the signature of a court registrar.

It was arranged for Wilson to rent a storage unit in Motueka and police planted apparently "stolen" laptops, ammunition and drug paraphernalia inside.

Police used the false warrant to search the storage unit and arrested Wilson outside the Red Devils clubrooms in Nelson.

Wilson was fingerprinted, photographed, charged and appeared in court before several judges who all believed they were dealing with a genuine case.

The ruse was created to bolster Wilson's credibility within the Red Devils and it worked.

But justice Collins said the scenario "involved police engaging in significant misconduct" and was "pivotal to the police gathering evidence against the defendants".

"But for the false warrant and prosecution scenario, the police are unlikely to have gathered much of the evidence that underpins the charges in relation to offending said to have occurred after the commencement of the scenario."

He said the the police misconduct may have amounted to serious criminal offending.

"Had a private prosecutor engaged in similar tactics he or she could expect to face the full wrath of the criminal justice system."

Justice Collins said there was a causal connection between the police misconduct and evidence obtained following the false warrant scenario.

Because that evidence was improperly obtained, he has ruled that all charges relying on it are stayed.

PROTECTING THE JUSTICE SYSTEM

Justice Collins said allowing the trial to continue invited the public to believe that the courts condoned the police misconduct. "Nothing could be further from the truth."

He said staying the charges was "a proportionate and appropriate measure that is required to uphold public confidence in the administration of justice".

Nelson defence lawyer Tony Bamford, who acted for three defendants, said the decision upheld the "fundamental separation of powers" between police and the courts.

"I think the one thing that is made very clear is the police simply cannot, through a forged warrant and a completely fictitious charge, utilise the court as part of their strategy to enhance their ability to complete or continue an inquiry."

He said it was a "gratifying" outcome. "In our view, it's a correct decision."

Crown Law is yet to decide if it will appeal the decision.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/68779545/police-behaviour-in-red-devils-gang-case-possibly-criminal-says-judge
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(USA) Texas House passes biker safety bill days after shooting

May 23, 2015, 3:27 am
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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas lawmakers approved motorcycle safety legislation on Friday that supporters say was going to be discussed at the biker's meeting in Waco where a deadly shootout erupted last weekend.

The measure, which now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott, would funnel some of the state's motorcycle-related fees to state Department of Transportation campaigns that remind motorists to share the road and look twice for motorcycles. Some fees already help boost the Texas Department of Public Safety's motorcycle education efforts.

"We need to be more visible to the general public, which these campaigns do," said Ty Yocham, who was among five men wearing leather jackets and vests who watched from the Texas House gallery as the chamber approved the bill.
The men advocated for the legislation in place of three bikers who helped write the legislation but were among about 170 people jailed following Sunday's melee in Waco that killed nine people.

Investigators have said the shooting began during an apparent confrontation between two rival motorcycle gangs, then spilled into the parking lot. Police said they returned fire after being shot at.

Yocham said he was delayed by an accident Sunday while driving to the Twin Peaks restaurant for a meeting of the Texas Confederation of Clubs and Independents. He said the legislation was on the meeting's agenda.

Yocham said he and other bikers who were running late turned around after hearing about the shooting.

"It was a terrible incident, but this community does a lot of good," said Geno Petronio, a member of the Scallywags motorcycle club who was riding with Yocham on Sunday and sat with him in the House gallery Friday.

Restaurant footage viewed by The Associated Press shows the shooting began after a confrontation between two rival gangs in the eatery's parking lot. Police have said the people who were killed or injured belonged to five criminal motorcycle gangs, which bikers have denied. And according to Texas Department of Public Safety records searched by The Associated Press, more than 115 of the people arrested had never been convicted of a crime in Texas.
"The vast majority of these folks are everyday people," Petronio said.

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/twin-peaks-biker-shooting/texas-house-passes-biker-safety-bill-days-after-shooting/article_d98be232-0134-11e5-9248-0705fd7b99e2.html
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(AUS) Bashing of Darwin bikie boss spark fears of bikie war between the Rebels and the Comancheros

May 23, 2015, 3:34 am
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DARWIN Rebels president Jax Smith says he “barely has a bruise” after being bashed outside the clubhouse at Yarrawonga on Thursday night.
“They did CAT scans and everything. I’m fine. I don’t even have any broken bones or anything,” he said.
But Territory police fear the punch-up could trigger a bikie war in Darwin between the Rebels and rival gang the Comancheros.
“With this apparent act of retaliation, and recent events in Victoria involving firebomb attacks on tattoo parlours associated with the clubs, we have genuine concerns for public safety,” NT Police Crime Commander Michael Murphy said
Mr Smith, who is organising a charity poker run tomorrow, said the fight and the attention from police were attempts to take attention away from the event, where high-ranking interstate Rebels, along with members of the Darwin Hells’ Angels chapter, are also expected to ride.
READ: BIKIE BOSS TO FACE ASSAULT CHARGES
Commander Murphy said there had been conflict after a fight between the two gangs several weeks ago.
Six Comancheros were spotted landing at the airport on Wednesday, with Mr Murphy believing they were responsible for bashing Mr Smith.
“Police are aware of ongoing tensions between the Rebels and the Comancheros, believed to have stemmed from an altercation at a Darwin night spot several weeks ago,” he said.
“We’re very curious about what they’re doing here,” he said, adding that the men were of Lebanese appearance
Mr Murphy said late on Thursday police spoke with three Comancheros on their way to the airport, two of whom were leaving.
“We want to speak to these four (remaining) males,” he said.

http://www.news.com.au/national/northern-territory/bashing-of-darwin-bikie-boss-spark-fears-of-bikie-war-between-the-rebels-and-the-comancheros/story-fnn3gfdo-1227366174753
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(USA) Prospective Hells Angel member arrested again in Santa Rosa

May 23, 2015, 3:38 am
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Amid an investigation into a local chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle club, Sonoma County gang detectives found a trove of illegal fireworks and a pile of gang-related clothing at the home of a Santa Rosa man suspected of trying to join the club, officials said.

Trenton Miles, 26, came under suspicion May 16 when a CHP officer observed him speeding and tailgating a group of bikers on Highway 101 in Cotati and pulled him over, officials said. He was arrested on suspected marijuana and gun charges after an officer found a motorcycle vest in the pickup with a loaded semi-automatic pistol, according to the CHP.

Detectives with the Sheriff’s Office Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Team began investigating Miles, who had no prior contacts with the Sheriff’s Office.

Sgt. Brandon Austin said Miles had been a prospective member of the Hells Angels for several months.

At about 7 a.m. Thursday, detectives searched his home in east Santa Rosa that he shares with his mother and a 10-year-old child.

The Sheriff’s Office bomb squad was called to investigate a “dangerous quantity” of illegal fireworks, according to spokeswoman Sgt. Cecile Focha. Austin said that the fireworks were large and had a launching mechanism illegal in California.

They also found processed pot at the home, and cited Miles’ mother, Pamela Miles, 46, on suspicion of misdemeanor child endangerment because the marijuana was “in proximity” to the child, Focha said.

Miles was arrested again and posted bail on suspicion of possessing prohibited fireworks, a misdemeanor. He is expected in court June 1.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/local/3970272-181/prospective-hells-angel-member-arrested
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(USA) Deadliest motorcycle “gang” in Waco shoot-out was not Bandidos, Cossacks, Scimitars, or Vaqueros. It was police.

May 23, 2015, 8:59 am
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Was the Waco Shoot-out a gunfight between rival gangs or an ambush laid by law enforcement? Police are monopolizing the testimony but the evidence suggests a barroom brawl became a pretext to kill or arrest club officers, essentially grassroots organizers, now charged with “organized crime”. Investigators can litter the crime scene with brass-knuckles, knives and wallet chains, but the shell casings are going to be police issue. Motorcycle headlights were on, indicating club members were trying to leave. Police claim that the brawlers redirected their fire toward officers, but did that happen while the bikers were trying to ride off? Because riding requires both hands. This gangland “shoot-out” was a St Valentine’s Day Massacre executed by cops.

[5/20 Update: HA! The nine casualties died of gunshot wounds, sustained outside the restaurant. No shell casings were found around the bodies. Eight of the nine were Cossacks. The eighteen wounded are not expected to be charged. So much for the narrative that gangs were fighting each other, or that Bandidos were the aggressors.]


It’s described as being a gang shoot-out, but what happened in Waco is still shrouded in the fog of the official POV. Did motorcycle club members shoot at each other? They’re unavailable for interviews, locked up on million dollar bonds. The Twin Peaks restaurant claims the shooting started outside. The only witnesses reaching reporters are the sergeant giving the press briefing and undercover cops purporting to describe the tensions between the “gangs”. By my reading, informant provocateurs incited trouble by “rocking” patches which claimed the territory of “Texas” for the Cossacks Motorcycle Club.

Something like three dozen undercover officers were monitoring the usually uneventful bi-monthly meeting of the Confederation of Clubs and Independents, in anticipation that the “Texas” patch would offend the Bandidos MC. They were able to respond within 45 seconds of the alleged altercation. What might have been an unremarkable barroom brawl, if even that was not contrived, turned into an ambush that killed nine and wounded eighteen. Zero officers were hit and I will bet every bullet was theirs.

Let’s say the melee happened as the police and media describe. Why the blackout on the club affiliations? Why are the 170 arrestees being detained on a million dollar bond each? Why aren’t reporters challenging the police narrative? Witnesses assert that at least four of the dead were killed by police. How long before we learn how many undercover officers had fired their guns?

The media is making much of the anticipation that fellow gang members are converging on Texas to avenge their comrades. I think the police know that it’s themselves who are the targets of the bikers’ vengeance.

No doubt one can say the bikers were not boy scouts, but have you seen the photos? These “gangs” wore their colors, in this case patches, like boy scout badges. And everyone in uniform creased jeans and leather vests as tidy as bowling shirts. Did you see the mugshots? If you look past the long hair and tattoos you’ll note everyone is clean shaven. This was a Sunday outing. These are family men and women, not gang members. The Cossacks are a “Harleys Only” motorcycle club for God’s sake!

Police aren’t naming the “gangs” involved in what’s being called the “Waco Shoot-out”. Because they are motorcycle clubs, for one, and because the only gang deserving of the notoriety is really the police.

NOTES 5/20:
Names of 9 dead. All killed by gunshot wounds, all outside the restaurant: COSSACKS MC ROAD CAPTAIN Daniel Raymond Boyett, 44, of Waco TX; COSSACKS MC ROAD CAPTAIN Wayne Lee Campbell, 43, of Arlington TX; COSSACKS MC SERGEANT AT ARMS Richard Vincent Kirschner Jr., 47, of Kylie TX; COSSACKS MC Matthew Mark Smith, 27, of Keller TX, formerly of Scimitars; COSSACKS MC Charles Wayne Russell, 46, of Tyler TX; COSSACKS MC Jacob Lee Rhyne, 39, of Ranger TX; Jesus Delgado Rodriguez, 65, of New Braunfels TX; Richard Matthew Jordan II, 31, of Pasadena, TX; and BANDIDOS MC Manuel Isaac Rodriguez, 40, of Allen TX.

Names of the 170 booked and charged with organized criminal activity: Martin Lewis, 62, retired San Antonio PD detective; Marcus Pilkington, 37; Michael Kenes, 57; Michael Woods, 49; Julie Perkins, 52; Nate Farish, 30; Ronald Warren (wounded), 55; Morgan English, 30; Ryan Craft, 22; Rolando Reyes, 40; Jonathan Lopez, 27; Richard Benavides, 60; Michael Baxley, 57; Aaron Carpenter, 33; Jarrod Lehman, 30; Ricky Wycough, 56; Royce Vanvleck, 25; Ester Weaver, 46; Ryan Harper, 28; Timothy Bayless, 53; Michael Chaney, 53; Mitchell Bradford, 29; Nathan Champeau, 34; Noe Adame, 34; Owen Bartlett, 34; Rene Cavazos, 46; Berton Bergman, 47; Greg Corrales, 47; John Wiley, 32; Jeff Battey, 50; Kenneth Carlisle, 36; John Craft, 47; Lindell Copeland, 63; Matthew Clendennen, 30; Michael Thomas, 59; Narciso Luna, 54; Owen Reeves, 43; Richard Donias, 46; Robert Robertson, 36; Reginald Weathers, 43; Richard Dauley, 47; Rudy Mercado, 49; Seth Smith, 25; Steven Walker, 50; Thomas Landers, 58; Valdemar Guajardo, 37; Walter Weaver, 54; William English, 33; Marco Dejong, 37; Melvin Pattenaude, 51; Jarron Hernandez, 21; Jason Moreno, 30; Jeremy King, 32; John Martinez, 30; Jeremy Ojeda, 37; John Guerrero, 44; John Moya, 26; Jose Valle, 43; Joseph Ortiz, 34; John Vensel, 62; John Wilson, 52; Jorge Salinas, 24; Justin Garcia, 23; Justin Waddington, 37; Lance Geneva, 37; Lawrence Kemp, 40; Lawrence Garcia, 51; Josh Martin, 25; Eliodoro Munguia, 49; Lawrence Yager, 65; James Rosas, 47; James Stalling, 56; James Venable, 47; Gage Yarborough, 22; Gilbert Zamora, 60; Gregory Salazar, 42; George Wingo, 51; James Eney, 43; Edward Keller, 47; Christopher Eaton, 46; Christopher Stainton, 42; Daniel Johnson, 44; Daniel Pesina, 21; Don Fowler, 51; Doss Murphy, 44; Drew King, 31; Brian Eickenhorst, 28; Edgar Kelleher, 50; Andrew Sandoval, 30; Andrew Stroer, 49; Arley Harris, 32; Bobby Samford, 35; George Rogers, 52; Jacob Reese, 29; Joseph Matthews, 41; Juventino Montellano, 46; Mark White, 41; Bradley Terwilliger, 27; Ares Phoinix, 36; Benjamin Matcek, 27; Craig Rodahl, 29; Daryle Walker, 39; David Martinez, 45; David Rasor, 37; Christopher Rogers, 33; Andres Ramirez, 41; Robert Nichols, 32; Seth Smith, 28; Theron Rhoten, 35; Timothy Satterwhite, 47; Anthony Palmer, 40; Terry Martin, 48; Wesley McAlister, 32; William Redding, 35; Matthew Yocum, 25; Phillip Sampson, 43; Phillip Smith, 37; Jason Dillard, 39; Jacob Wilson, 28; Dustin McCann, 22; Billy Mcree, 38; Kevin Rash, 42; John Arnold, 43; Kristoffer Rhyne, 26; Raymond Hawes, 29; Richard Kreder, 33; Robert Bucy, 36; Ronald Atterbury, 45; William Aikin, 24; Trey Short, 27; Christian Valencia, 26; Michael Moore, 42; Jason Cavazos, 40; Roy Covey, 27; Brian Logan, 38; Colter Bajovich, 28; Ronnie Bishop, 28; Nathan Grindstaff, 37; James Gray, 61; Jimmy Pond, 43; Clayton Reed, 29; Tommy Jennings, 56; Ray Allen, 45; James Devoll, 33; Blake Taylor, 24; Matthew Folse, 31; Sandra Lynch, 54; Marshall Mitchell, 61; Mario Gonzalez, 36; Larry Pina, 50; Richard Luther, 58; Salvador Campos, 27; Michael Lynch, 31; Michael Herring, 36; Richard Cantu, 30; Tom Mendez, 40; Sergio Reyes, 44; Bohar Crump, 46; Jerry Pollard, 27; Eleazar Martinez, 41; Jim Harris, 27; Christopher Carrizal, 33; Diego Obledo, 40; David Cepeda, 43; Brian Brincks, 23; Dusty O’Ehlert, 33; Juan Garcia, 40, engineer for Austin water dept; Kyle Smith, 48; and Jimmy Spencer, 23.

http://notmytribe.com/2015/deadliest-motorcycle-gang-in-waco-shoot-out-was-not-bandidos-cossacks-scimitars-or-vaqueros-it-was-police-843153.html
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(USA) Waco Police Massacre: 14 Cops Officers Fired “thousands of rounds” on 200 Bikers Killing 9, Wounding 18

May 23, 2015, 9:11 pm
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The death toll from the “Twin Peaks” shootout was greater than the total number of homicides Waco police investigated in all of 2014 – And all of the “Twin Peaks” dead were shot by police.

Previously Waco Police Spokesman W. Patrick Swanton stated 22 members of law enforcement were present prior to the outbreak of the shooting. Including 10 members of the Waco SWAT unit, 2 sergeants, 1 rookie, the Asst. Police Chief and 4 state troopers.

Newly released information today includes the Waco Police stating 14 Waco PD officers were involved in firing shots which killed 9 bike club members and wounded 18 more.

The 14 officers involved in the gun battle are all now on administrative leave, which is standard protocol in officer-involved shootings, Swanton said. (link)

In addition Sgt Swanton previously stated that all of the 170 arrested bikers were known “criminal gang members”. However, a review by the Associated Press of court records finds at least 115 of the 170 had no police records:

Waco police have said that all those arrested after the shooting belonged to criminal motorcycle gangs. Most of them were being held on $1 million bonds Thursday, charged with engaging in criminal enterprise. Nine people were killed in Sunday’s shootout.

Records searched by The Associated Press show more than 115 of the 170 people arrested in the aftermath of a motorcycle gang shootout outside a Central Texas restaurant have not been convicted of a crime in Texas. (link)

After previously saying he had not watched the CCTV video from the restaurant/bar yesterday (Wed) -which was reviewed by Associated Press reporters- Swanton now says he has watch the CCTV video.

He said he has viewed surveillance videos of the violence, and said they tell a different story from the some of the accounts being spun online.

“We can’t wait to show you what truly happened,” he said. (link)

Which is a disingenuous statement at best because all they need to do is authorize the restaurant to release the video, and the public can decide for ourselves.

One of the bikers the police killed, Jesus Delgado Rodriquez (65), was a purple heart recipient.

Family members of a man killed in a biker shootout at a Texas restaurant say he was not part of an outlaw motorcycle gang. That contradicts police claims that all nine bikers who died were members of criminal gangs.

The son of 65-year-old Jesus Delgado Rodriguez, of New Braunfels, told the San Antonio Express-News that his father did not lead a life of violence. An Associated Press review of court records and a database maintained by the Texas Department of Public Safety found no criminal history in Texas for Rodriguez.

Family members said Rodriguez had belonged to two now defunct motorcycle clubs but was not part of any club when he was shot and killed at Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco.

Waco police spokesman Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton told the AP on Wednesday that all those killed were members of the Bandidos or the Cossacks. Swanton did not immediately return a message Thursday. (link)

In addition from a lawsuit filed against Twin Peaks by the neighboring restaurant Don Carlos it is claimed the police fired “thousands of rounds” toward the bikers; striking not only bike club members but also Don Carlos customer vehicles.

Summary and personal thoughts: It is entirely possible that some of the bikers were criminals; and it is also entirely possible that twitchy police responded excessively and overreacted to a perceived threat. These two possibilities are not mutually exclusive.

Who shot at whom first; who did or did not pull the trigger; and what might have spurred the 14 police officers to fire “thousands of rounds” at a group of 3 to 5 potentially armed bikers when the downrange backdrop was a patio filled with hundreds of unarmed bikers is not yet known.

NOTE: Direction of fire from Don Carlos toward Twin Peaks.
♦ NOTE: The downrange backdrop of that fire (for the bullets that miss their target) is the patio of Twin Peaks.

However, apparently pointing out a strong possibility for an overreaction by twitchy police is now considered “Conspiracy Theory”, or something. A radio broadcast today calls our previous outline (which quoting MSM information) as conspiracy theory. [Listen at 8:15]

I find it interesting how intelligent people cannot bring themselves to believe the police may have influenced, initiated, created and/or worsened the events with their militarized (SWAT) presence at a bike club meeting.

Ruby Ridge?… How about M.O.V.E (Philadelphia)? … Or maybe Waco 1.0? … or perhaps more recently “Baby Bou-Bou” ringing any bells? Cops make mistakes too !!

Doesn’t anyone else find it curious that an Asst. Police Chief was on scene at Twin Peaks along with the SWAT unit, presumably as scene commander prior to the shootings, and yet no-one has heard from him/her?

Doesn’t anyone else find it curious that initial police statements claimed they had “an active intelligence operation” on the “Bike Gang” which customarily would include monitoring (camera’s, video, etc) and yet the police release NO VIDEO to support their “we were under fire” claims?

A previous comment by J.D. sums up the strange sniff of it all nicely:

I’m former law enforcement for over 20 years. I have ridden with 2 different LEMC clubs. I worked undercover back in late 80’s and have dealt with 1% clubs many times. I have friends in 1% clubs.

I’m pro law enforcement but have a funny feeling that there is lots of horseshit in the story that Waco PD is telling.

I have family living and Working in that area. They have had interaction with the clubs and never felt scared or intimidated. Always felt safe.

Now are we going get the truth or more bullshit? I’m tending on believing the bikers sides on this deal more with every day that passes. Too many people arrested and charged with RICO that were just spending time at TP.

I think LE has overstepped it’s authority on filing these type charges on most these people. $1,000,000 bonds??? BS…

Even if you find reasonable excuses for all the LEO contradictions (fight in bathroom, shots inside, all killed were inside/dragged out etc.); even if you ignore all the misleading statements by law enforcement spokesman Patrick Swanton (100 weapons, 50 weapons, 1000 weapons etc); even if you ignore the lack of willingness to produce factual data to support their claims, ….you are still left with a ridiculous assertion that 170 non-criminal people deserve a million dollar bond because they rode a motorcycle last Sunday to a meeting, and possibly witnessed what happened.

The total number of bikers on scene, according to Swanton, was 200. 170 are arrested, 18 were wounded, 9 were killed, that totals 197. So only 3 people were non-conspirators?

This nonsense about weapons found in vehicles etc. is just that, nonsense.

If you go to a Waco Texas Wal-Mart on Sunday, rope off the parking lot, arrest the first 200 people you see and search their pick-up trucks, suv’s and various vehicles you’ll probably come up with a similar set of statistics.

50 out of 200 people captured at Wal-Mart with prior arrest records; some with pocket knives, chains, handguns, and even rifles in their vehicles etc.

So what? None of that is illegal or unlawful. Ridiculous. Go to a Bass Pro shop on Saturday and you’ll probably find even better stats if that’s the goal.

Another factor which makes it all the more curious is these are the ACTUAL talking points Sgt. Patrick Swanton is relying on to justify the shooting. This innocuous nonsense is what they are focused on. That itself indicates -to a reasonably discerning person- there’s something uncomfortable about the narrative the LEO responders are trying to avoid.

That’s not conspiracy, that’s just common sense.

It is not conspiracy theory the incident occurred at 12:24pm Central Time (1:24 pm Eastern) and in around 90 minutes, 2:04pm CST (3:04pm EST) this press conference was held, giving the specifics of 9 dead and 18 wounded and a restaurant owner who needs to be shut down for non-compliance.

http://truthvoice.com/2015/05/waco-police-massacre-14-cops-officers-fired-thousands-of-rounds-on-200-bikers-killing-9-wounding-18/
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(USA) Members of Phantom Outlaw Motorcycle Club Convicted of Violent Racketeering-Related Crimes

May 28, 2015, 8:04 am
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Today, a federal jury in Detroit convicted two members of the violent Phantom Outlaw Motorcycle Club, one of whom also was a member of the Vice Lords street gang, on separate crimes of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and a firearms offense.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade of the Eastern District of Michigan, Special Agent in Charge Robin Shoemaker of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Detroit Field Division and Special Agent in Charge Paul M. Abbate of the FBI’s Detroit Field Division made the announcement.

“The dismantling of the Phantom Outlaw Motorcycle Club demonstrates how law enforcement authorities and community members can work hand-in-hand to combat gang violence across the nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “In this case, law enforcement unquestionably saved lives by making a wave of arrests to prevent a planned nationwide campaign of violence against a rival motorcycle gang. The verdict in this case holds violent gang members accountable for the destruction they inflicted and the havoc they intended to wreak.”

“The Detroit One initiative targets criminal gang members like these defendants, who are responsible for gun violence in neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney McQuade. “We hope that removing dangerous trigger pullers will give our communities the peaceful quality of life we all deserve.”

“ATF works every day with our partners to take the most violent offenders off our streets and put them behind bars,” said Special Agent in Charge S. Robin Shoemaker. “Without partnership, without standing up against the violence, no public safety issues can be solved. ATF is committed to this fight, and committed to working together to keep our citizen safe and our communities livable.”

“The defendants in this case were active members of violent criminal groups, one of which was based in Detroit and operated across numerous, and sometimes distant, states,” said Special Agent in Charge Abbate. “These convictions reflect our continuing resolve through interstate cooperation between federal, state and local law enforcement authorities to prevent violent crime regardless of how far its reach may extend.”

The jury convicted the defendants of the following offenses:

Christopher Odum (aka Murder), 29, of Detroit, a member of the Detroit chapters of both the Phantoms and the Vice Lords, was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering.
William Frazier (aka Daytona), 37, of Auburn Hills, the Vice President of the Pontiac, Michigan, chapter of the Phantoms, was convicted of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of using and carrying firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The evidence showed that the Phantom Outlaw Motorcycle Club and its members were involved in a range of criminal activity including conspiracy to commit murder, shootings, robberies, extortion and the possession and sale of stolen vehicles and motorcycles. The evidence also showed overlap between the leadership of the Phantoms and membership in the Vice Lords street gang, which assisted the Phantoms in various criminal endeavors, including searching for and violently attacking rivals of the Phantoms.

Specifically, the evidence at trial demonstrated that, on Oct. 27, 2012, at the Columbus, Ohio clubhouse of the Toros Motorcycle Club, a fight took place between the Phantoms and the Zulus Motorcycle Club, a rival gang. During the fight, William Frazier, a Phantom member, shot two men.

The evidence at trial also showed that, on Sept. 8, 2013, Antonio Johnson, who was both the National President of the Phantoms and the “Three-Star General” over the Vice Lords in Michigan, ordered numerous Phantoms, including Christopher Odum, to rob the Satan Sidekicks Motorcycle Club, a rival motorcycle club. During the attempted robbery, a Phantom member, Bryan Sorrell (aka PC) shot a Satan Sidekick member in the face. A few days later, Odum and another Phantom violently assaulted a prospective member of the Satan Sidekicks during another attempted robbery at a gas station.

Additionally, according to the evidence presented at trial, Johnson blamed the Hell Lovers Outlaw Motorcycle Club for a September 2013 murder of a Phantoms member, and ordered retaliatory murders that were to be carried out in three phases. In the first phase, the Phantoms were to murder at least three members of the Hell Lovers in Detroit in order to lure additional Hell Lovers to Michigan for the funeral. In the second phase, the Phantoms were to murder all members of the Hell Lovers who would be at the Hell Lovers’ Detroit clubhouse following the funeral. In the third phase, the Phantoms were to kill Hell Lovers in other cities throughout the country where the Phantoms had chapters. In October 2013, ATF and FBI agents disrupted the mass murder plot. At trial, the government presented evidence that, at the time that investigators disrupted the murder plot, the Phantoms were preparing for the first phase, including stockpiling firearms, conducting research and surveillance of their intended victims, and assigning Phantom members and Vice Lords members to stalk and murder the intended victims. Odum participated in the murder plot.

This was the second of two recent trials in the prosecution of the Phantoms. On March 16, 2015, a jury convicted six leaders and members of the Phantoms, many of whom also were leaders and members of the Vice Lords, for various crimes, including the September—October 2013 murder plot against the Hell Lovers and the September 2013 shooting of the Satan Sidekicks member. Among those six convicted defendants were Johnson and Marvin Nicholson, who was both the National Enforcer of the Phantoms and a member of the Vice Lords. The charges included RICO conspiracy involving murder, conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, firearms offenses, and assault on federal officers. In addition, four defendants previously have pleaded guilty to charges, including RICO conspiracy and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and await sentencing.

The arrests in this case were made as part of the Detroit One Initiative, a collaborative effort between law enforcement and the community to reduce homicide and other violent crime in Detroit, and through the lead efforts of the Comprehensive Violence Reduction Partnership Task Force, which consists of representatives of the ATF, Detroit Police Department, Michigan State Police, Michigan Department of Corrections and the FBI. By working collaboratively, local, state and federal law enforcement are striving to maximize their ability to identify and arrest the persons and groups initiating the violence in Detroit. These convictions are a tangible and significant result of this joint effort.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Joseph Wheatley of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Graveline and Louis Gabel of the Eastern District of Michigan.

http://www.fbi.gov/detroit/press-releases/2015/members-of-phantom-outlaw-motorcycle-club-convicted-of-violent-racketeering-related-crimes
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(USA) Grain Valley man charged in shooting

May 28, 2015, 8:05 am
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Prosecutors have charged a Grain Valley man with first-degree assault and armed criminal action in connection with a May 1 shooting that wounded another Grain Valley man.

According to court records, Jeremiah Britt, 30, used a slur in addressing a Grain Valley woman and accused her children of throwing rocks at his car.

The woman’s husband later knocked on Britt’s door to talk about what had happened. Britt came to the door and, after a brief exchange, allegedly pointed a gun and fired one shot, injuring the man’s left leg.

Grain Valley officers searched Britt’s residence and recovered a handgun from a bedroom, according to court records.

A 2014 news article in The Star quoted Britt as identifying himself as a head of a local chapter of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club. Club members gathered in Grain Valley for a weekend rally in August.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article22511553.html#storylink=cpy
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(USA) Watch This

May 29, 2015, 1:04 am
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(USA) Do you Feel Safe With Motorcycle Gxxgs In Town?

May 29, 2015, 8:26 am
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FARGO, ND -
Recent motorcycle gang activity has local law enforcement speaking up.

The outlaw motorcycle gang, Sons of Silence has been in Fargo for some time, but more may be on their way.

The American Motorcycle Association reports that 99 percent of motorcyclists are law abiding citizens, but then there's the 1 percent like those in the shoot–out in Waco Texas this month that are deviant.

An American Eagle, adorned with the motto until death separates us.

It's one way to spot out a Sons of Silence member. Fargo's law enforcement has run–ins with this group that aren't major but the Cass County Detective says these gangs are capable of anything.

Cass County Detective Joe Gress said,"Theft to running an illegal business, prostitution, embezzlement, right up through rape, attempted murder, murder.

To keep tragedies like this from happening, police say there are key factors to look for in your neighborhood.

The number of bikes and any colors associated with them.

There may also be what is called a crash truck that travels in front or behind that includes money, weapons and space for broken bikes. But officials say don't take the situation into your own hands.

"It might be something that's nothing. Let use come out and deal with it, Don't take justice into your own hands," said Gress.

A recent Craigslist article shows a Fargo police officer on a kid's bike. The writer vulgarly attempts to belittle the PD and says Hells Angels is coming. Some people believe they're underestimating the PD.

Molly Kalein said, "Just because you see them playing basketball and touching base with the community doesn't mean they don't know what they're doing in the community and they're not going to be able to handle things when the time is right."

Detective Gress says he doesn't want to worry anyone but wants to provide knowledge to the public. Because knowledge is power.

http://www.kvrr.com/news/local-news/do-you-feel-safe-with-motorcycle-gangs-in-town/33277680
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(CAN) No happy trails for paroled Hamilton Hells Angel Walter Stadnick

May 29, 2015, 8:30 am
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Former Hells Angels boss Walter Stadnick of Hamilton won't be legally riding a motorcycle any time soon.

Newly-released parole board records show Stadnick lost a parole board appeal earlier this month that means he remains blocked from owning or operating a motorcycle.

In September 2004, Stadnick was sentenced to 14 years, seven months after being convicted of a variety of offenses, including conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to traffic drugs and involvement in gang activities.

He was paroled a week before Christmas, after having his parole revoked midway through 2014 for associating with people with a criminal record.

Strict parole conditions included a ban on riding or owning motorcycles and a ban on owning more than one cellphone.

He also must live in a halfway house in an undisclosed location and he must respect a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Unless he wins an appeal in the future, those conditions remain in effect until his parole expires in April 2019.

Stadnick had unsuccessfully argued that he needed to ride motorcycles to be gainfully employed.

"You state that, as a motorcycle mechanic, you would be required to ride the motorcycles once they have been repaired," his parole decision states. "You contend that the Parole Board is denying you the opportunity to make a living, and that to suggest you look into another career at this time in your life is not realistic."

Regarding his strict curfew, Stadnick unsuccessfully argued that his wife does not have a criminal record and that he should be allowed to stay with her.

The Appeal Division of the parole board argued to Stadnick that "you are a high profile offender and spent decades in a criminally entrenched, high-risk lifestyle which has contributed to significant violence in a number of communities."

The appeal decision continues: "it was not unreasonable for the Board to conclude that forbidding your ownership or operation of a motorcycle was reasonable and necessary given the link between motorcycles, your associates and attitudes, and your crimes. You were a high ranking member of an Outlaw Motorcycle Club . . . it was not unreasonable for the Board to draw the link between ownership of a motorcycle, association with those who do and your risk of returning to criminal behaviour."

Stadnick's parole file shows he was polite and respectful to guards while in prison, although he continued to break the law.

He was transferred from medium to maximum security prisons in 2006 and 2009 "for illegal trafficking activities and large-scale loan-sharking within the institution."

His file notes he has been a member of the Hells Angels since 1982 and helped found the elite Nomads chapter in Montreal in 1995.

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5647284-no-happy-trails-for-paroled-hamilton-hells-angel-walter-stadnick/
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(USA) Outlaw motorcycle clubs operating under the radar in Linn County

May 29, 2015, 8:33 am
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Outlaw motorcycle club members sometimes can be seen riding in the mid-Willamette Valley, wearing their organization’s patches, but they’ve generally stayed under the radar, causing law enforcement few problems, said local police supervisors.

“We’ve been fairly fortunate. … We haven’t had a lot of motorcycle gang issues,” said Lt. Marv Hammersley of the Albany Police Department.

Sgt. Melinda Poirier of the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, a board member of the Northwest Gang Investigators Association, said that clubs don’t want to make waves here, since Linn County is ideally situated on the crossroads of Interstate 5 and Highway 20 or Highway 34.

Bikers can make a relatively quick jaunt from Albany to anywhere in Oregon, not to mention California, Washington, Nevada or Idaho.

Still, police supervisors worry about the possibility of violence, much like the shootout on May 17 in Texas between rival gangs that left at least nine people dead. Authorities in the Lone Star State are preparing for retaliatory crimes between various gangs.

Local police said a simple incident between two people can spark a larger feud among clubs.

“Motorcycle gangs are potentially a problem anywhere they exist,” Hammersley said.

And Oregon might be a tinderbox.

Poirier said that for decades, the state has had one dominant motorcycle club. However, other clubs have moved into Oregon, and that could cause territorial disputes.

“We have more motorcycle gangs coming through Oregon than ever before,” Poirier said.

Arguments between groups over territory were a factor in the Texas shootout, according to The Associated Press.

Poirier also was concerned about the possibility of violence as street gangs from California, with outposts in Salem and Eugene, could eventually make their way to Linn County.

“It’s just a matter of time before something happens,” she said.

The Albany area has at least two outlaw motorcycle clubhouses, and some of the major organizations have affiliate clubs in Linn County, according to police.

Occasionally, a club member will get busted for a relatively minor crime, such as driving under the influence of intoxicants, said Sgt. Jerry Drum.

“It’s not like it’s a gang problem. It’s a one-biker problem,” he added.

Drum and Hammersley worried about law-abiding motorcycle clubs being tainted by the violence in Texas, especially those that wear leather vests with multiple patches on the back — a style worn by outlaw groups.

http://democratherald.com/news/local/outlaw-motorcycle-clubs-operating-under-the-radar-in-linn-county/article_6bc1be43-fda0-5a80-8517-77cd747a7d37.html
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(USA) Biker arrested in Waco shooting files federal lawsuit

May 29, 2015, 8:34 am
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HEWITT, Texas -- A 30-year old father and former firefighter who is also a member of a motorcycle club has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging he was illegally swept up in the police dragnet following this month's Twin Peaks biker shootout in Waco.

Matthew Clendennen of Hewitt is a member of the Scimitars motorcycle club and was at Twin Peaks on May 17.

He was one of approximately 170 people arrested after the melee, which left nine dead, and charged with engaging in organized crime. Bail for each of those arrested was set at $1 million each.

In his lawsuit, filed in federal court in Waco Friday, Clendennen said he "did not encourage or solicit any criminal activity at Twin Peaks that day."

It states he was arrested "without probable cause and his motorcycle was illegally seized."

His lawsuit names the city of Waco and the McLennen County sheriff's as well as individual officers working the Twin Peaks case.

"It was the policy of the City of Waco, as decided and approved by their policymakers, to cause the arrest and detention of numerous individuals belonging to motorcycle clubs who were in or around the Twin Peaks restaurant at the time of the incident, regardless of whether or not there was individualized probable cause to arrest and detain a particular individual and to do so based on "fill in the name" complaints without individualized facts," the lawsuit states.

It makes no specified claim of damages, but says Clendennen's constitutional rights were violated.

http://www.kvue.com/story/news/state/2015/05/29/biker-arrested-in-waco-shooting-files-federal-lawsuit/28152685/
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(USA) Austin men arrested in Waco biker shooting released

May 29, 2015, 8:35 am
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WACO, Texas -- Three Austin men who were arrested in connection to the deadly shooting at Twin Peaks have been released from jail after having their bonds lowered Thursday.

Jonathan Lopez, Ryan Craft, and Theron Rhoten had their bonds reduced from $1,000,000 to $25,000, according to their bondsman.

The trio out of Travis County posted bond Thursday, then were later released.

All three were taken to the McLennan County Courthouse where they signed-off on bond conditions then left town.

According to KVUE's partners at the Austin American-Statesman, the three are members of the Vice Grip Motorcycle Club, an Austin group that builds and rides antique Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

http://www.kvue.com/story/news/state/2015/05/29/austin-men-arrested-in-waco-biker-shooting-released/28144085/
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(USA) POLICE SNIPERS SPOTTED AT TWO TEXAS HARLEY DEALERSHIPS IN WAKE OF TWIN PEAKS SHOOTING

May 29, 2015, 8:39 am
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hotos on the Facebook page of a group called Free All The Waco Bikers appears to show police snipers on an apartment building rooftop, across the street from a Harley-Davidson dealership that was a hosting a memorial service for one of the bikers shot and killed outside a Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco on May 17.

This is the second time in less than a week that snipers have been posted outside a Texas Harley Davidson dealership after the Waco incident.

The most recent sniper sighting occurred at the “fundraiser and celebration of life” for Jesse Rodriquez, a decorated Vietnam vet who was known to fellow bikers as “Mohawk,” and frequently did charity rides with his wife. The fundraiser was held at Geuene Harley Davidson in New Braunfels, south of Austin.

It’s unclear why snipers were in place. Many who knew Rodriguez—a father of 7 and grandfather of 19—have disputed that he was a criminal. According to the New Braunfels Heralnd-Zeitung:

Vincent Ramirez said media outlets have portrayed his father, Jesus “Jesse” Delgado Rodriguez, 65, as a bad person, and that’s not just inconsiderate — but wrong. And he insisted his father was not involved with any biker gang.

“I don’t want people to be categorizing my dad. That’s not the kind of man he was,” Ramirez said. “He was a veteran. He fought for his country. He was a family man. He loved to ride his motorcycle. He rode with all kind of groups.”

The article also quotes Carlos Casillo, a friend who knew Rodriguez for 40 years, as saying:

…reports about Rodriguez being a member of the Bandidos motorcycle gang are false. Rodriguez knew some Bandidos, sometimes rode with some and bought patches in support of some of their benefits, Castillo said.

“He wasn’t a violent person at all; he was a loving person,” Castillo said. “He never carried any weapons. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was an innocent bystander.”

Rodriguez will be buried on Friday.

Judging by the photos posted on Facebook Wednesday night, it appears snipers were posted on two rooftops across from the Harley dealer-hosted event, which included a raffle, food and music.

Breitbart Texas used Google Maps to confirm that the apartment building shown in the photos is indeed directly across from the Harley dealership.

The second sniper incident was reported this past Saturday at Longhorn Harley Davidson in the southern Dallas suburb of Gran Prairie. CBSDFW.com reported that police positioned snipers outside the dealership during a motorcycle event. No incidents were reported.

The use of military-style weaponry by law enforcement is one of the puzzling aspects of the Waco incident, which police have referred to as a “biker shootout.”

Photos and video from the Waco shooting show police armed with assault M-16 rifles.

The Waco police have not yet explained why a SWAT team, and other law enforcement with heavy weapons, were in the parking lot of the Twin Peaks restaurant that was hosting a Confederation of Clubs and Independents (CoC&I) meeting. As Breitbart Texas has reported, those meetings have never previously been the scene of violence.

The Waco police have not yet revealed how many of 9 dead were shot by law enforcement, versus how many were shot by bikers.

http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2015/05/29/police-snipers-spotted-at-two-texas-harley-dealerships-in-wake-of-twin-peaks-shooting/
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(CAN) Hells Angel biker sues Surrey blogger for defamation: ‘First and foremost, I am a family man’

June 2, 2015, 8:11 am
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A member of the Hells Angels has filed a defamation lawsuit and is seeking a court injunction against a Surrey, B.C., blogger who purports to out gangsters.

Damiano Dipopolo, who is employed as a longshoreman, says a series of articles written last month by a man who runs an anonymous blog called “gangstersout” is damaging to his reputation and character and could result in him being fired from his job.

In the lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court, Dipopolo turns the tables on the blogger, identifying him as Dennis Watson, and says the articles falsely allege he is involved in a criminal organization, is involved in a drug trafficking ring and has infiltrated the union that represents the longshoremen for illegal purposes.

“To be clear, I have never been convicted or charged of a criminal offence,” says an affidavit filed by Dipopolo. “I make an honest living. I have gotten a few traffic violations but that is it. Mr. Watson’s allegations are incredibly defamatory to me and hurt my character.”


One of the articles also implies that he would threaten or actually commit violence against Watson or his daughter, he says.

“It is a very serious allegation that needs to be defended against because it could have criminal repercussions.”

The affidavit says that Dipopolo has never met Watson, spoken to him on the phone or traded emails with him.

“First and foremost, I am a family man. I have a loving common-law wife and six children with a seventh on the way. Above all else, my family is of utmost importance to me.”

Dipopolo adds he coaches Little League, attends a Catholic church, is a member of the Italian community and contributes to charity. He’s been a longshoreman since May 2012.

“I became a longshoreman as it was good pay, a great pension and stable employment. It also required relatively little in the way of training or education. I have a family that I need to support and this job allows me to do so.”

The matter started with an article Watson wrote on his blog May 9, a followup to an article on organized crime and the port of Vancouver written by Vancouver Sun reporter Kim Bolan, says the affidavit.

I have defended my right to free speech in a U.S. court while residing and posting from Canada. You’re not the first
The May 9 blog stated that Dipopolo was the president of the Kelowna Hells Angels and that during his tenure, the Kelowna Hells Angels collectively were charged in a large drug trafficking ring and convicted of operating a huge stolen car ring in Kelowna, says the affidavit.

Dipopolo has been described in a B.C. Supreme Court judgment as a Hells Angel, but says: “The collective group has never been charged in a large drug trafficking ring nor convicted of a huge stolen car ring.”

Dipopolo says that he had his lawyer send Watson a “cease and desist” letter, but the letter “seemed to make the situation worse” and resulted in another article being published.

The plaintiff’s defamation suit is seeking general, special, aggravated and punitive damages. It also seeks an injunction restraining Watson from publishing any further defamatory posts and an order requiring the defendant to remove the defamatory material.

I want to file a counter claim for costs and damages since my daughter has been traumatized by this application but can’t because they are proceeding when I can’t get there
In a brief phone conversation, Watson repeated some of the comments he’d made on his blog on Friday and Saturday in response the lawsuit.

He said the claims being made by Dipopolo were “completely unrealistic.”

Watson said he wanted to be in court on Tuesday for a hearing in the case but could not do so for work-related reasons.

“I want a chance at a fair trial.”

He objected to being named in The Vancouver Province’s story, citing concerns for the safety of him and his daughter, and said he was worried he’d lose his job if he was identified.

In the post on his blog on Friday, he said he needed more time to respond to the lawsuit and didn’t think a B.C. court had jurisdiction since the server of his website is in the United States.

“I have defended my right to free speech in a U.S. court while residing and posting from Canada. You’re not the first.”

But Watson added that since Dipopolo raised a legal concern, he was removing two posts, from May 9 and May 16, “under duress.”

But two other posts will remain on the blog, he added.

Watson said he objected to his real name and home address being placed on the record in the lawsuit since he gets death threats on a daily basis.

In the Saturday blog post, Watson said he had looked over the lawsuit again and called it “bizarre.”

“I want to file a counter claim for costs and damages since my daughter has been traumatized by this application but can’t because they are proceeding when I can’t get there.”

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/hells-angel-sues-surrey-blogger-for-defamation-first-and-foremost-i-am-a-family-man
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