Selected Articles from Brothers Behind Bars News Letter

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Disclaimer: Articles contained with in the Brothers Behind Bars Newsletter are gathered from independent news sources. Online news letter is only a selection due to space. The full newsletters and all its issues, in its entirety can be downloaded from the archive sections.

Selections from November  Issue #2

 
 

Hells Angels Halloween party Friday benefits homeless teens – Oct 31, 2008 – Arizona – By Sheryl Kornman - Hells Angels dressed for Halloween are hosting a Halloween party that will benefit homeless teens.   The party starts Friday at 7 p.m. at the Bashful Bandit, a bar at 3686 E. Speedway Blvd.   The 21-and-older party will raise money for the local nonprofit Youth on Their Own. It works with homeless teens in grades 8 through 12, helping them find shelter & stay in school.   At the end of the evening, a check will be presented to the nonprofit’s representatives, said Bobby Jack Wright, a member of the Tucson charter of the Hells Angels MC.   Mikey & the Maniacs are booked to play rock music for costumed partygoers.   Wright said the money for charity will be raised through admission fees, which include a T-shirt featuring the Wolfman & Frankenstein, & an Italian dinner catered by Rosati’s.   Admission is $20 for singles & $30 a couple.   The parking lot outside the bar will be set up for Mexican food catered by a local restaurant so you can “taco up” if you prefer, Wright said.   An aspiring local boxer also will be on hand to meet boxing fans.   In 2005, the Tucson Hells Angels donated blankets, wheelchairs & cash to the Tohono O’odham Elder Center near San Xavier.

 

Marine motorcycle deaths top their Iraq combat fatalities – Oct 31, 2008 – Quantico, Virginia – By Larry Shaughnessy; CNN - Motorcycle accidents have killed more Marines in the past 12 months than enemy fire in Iraq, a rate that’s so alarming, it has prompted top brass to call a meeting to address the issue, officials say.  Twenty-five Marines have died in motorcycle crashes since November -- all but 1 of them involving sport bikes that can reach speeds of well over 100 mph, according to Marine officials. In that same period, 20 Marines have been killed in action in Iraq.  The 25 deaths are the highest motorcycle death toll ever for the Marine Corps.  Gen. James Amos, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, told CNN that commanders are trying to drill down on what “we need to do to help our Marines survive on these sport bikes.”  “The Marines are very serious about it,” he said.  About 18,000 of the nearly 200,000 Marines are believed to own motorcycles, Amos said.  The Marines have taken some measures. The Marine Corps has had a long-standing policy for all Marines who ride motorcycles to take a mandatory basic riding course. More recently, it added a second training course specifically designed to train Marines who ride sport bikes.  Any Marine caught riding, even on leave, without going through the training courses faces Marine Corps punishment, officials say.  On a recent day at the Quantico training track, Marines whizzed by on their bikes.  “I think the basic rider course has been great,” said Cpl. Austin Oakley. “Here, they put you in situations you want to be wary of out in that open road.”  Oakley said he recently returned to the United States from Japan, & he immediately jumped at the chance to buy a sport bike. He said it’s not uncommon for Marines to have motorcycle clubs within their units.  “We’ll go out on rides together. Fridays for lunchtime, we’ll all meet up & go to lunch,” Oakley said. “When I get on my motorcycle, it’s me & the motorcycle. I don’t need to go fast. I don’t need to do anything like that. It’s just being free.”  The rise in motorcycle deaths isn’t confined to Marines. The Navy says it’s had 33 deaths on motorcycles over the past 12 months, a 65 percent jump from the previous time period. And authorities say motorcycle deaths have been a problem in the civilian world, too.  Military officials say they’re not sure why the deaths are on the rise. They initially believed that the accidents might involve mostly young Marines & sailors about 18 or 19 years old. But Navy statistics show that 5 of the victims were 25, the most prevalent of any age involved in the crashes. And two 40-year-old sailors were killed in motorcycle crashes.

 

Wounded Sturgis biker still in hospital – Nov 1, 2008 – Sturgis, South Dakota – AP - A California man shot by an off-duty policeman at the Sturgis motorcycle rally is still recovering in the hospital as his court case proceeds.  Joseph McGuire pleaded not guilty to alternative charges of aggravated assault & simple assault.  The Hells Angels member was shot & wounded during a brawl at the Loud American Roadhouse.  The prosecutor said off-duty Seattle police officer Ronald Smith shot McGuire in self defense during a fight.  Smith & 4 others pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor gun charges. They’re members of the Iron Pigs MC made up of law officers & firefighters.

 

Bikers ride to collect toys for kids – Nov 1, 2008 – Delaware - Debbie Shelton said the stereotypes that people have about motorcycle enthusiasts would shatter if they saw what happened today.  “People see the long hair & all the tattoos & they think that the person on the bike is a bad person,” she said. “But actually they are some of the most giving people.”  Along with about 300 other bikers, Shelton & her husband Jeff made a 30-minute trek on their motorcycles today morning through greater Wilmington as part of the 27th Annual Bobby Hall Sr. Memorial Toy Run.  In the past quarter century, the Toy Run has raised more than $100,000 for more than 4,000 children who are members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware.  It is expected to raise almost $4,000 in donations from participating bikers.  The riders, from several local motorcycle clubs, bring toys or donations.  The Toy Run is sponsored by the American Bikers Aiming Toward Education of Delaware, Inc., ABATE.

 

Bikies to be stripped of colours, insignia by police – Nov 1, 2008 – Australia – By Paula Doneman - Queensland bikies have called a truce to discuss action over the State Govt’s plan to strip them of their prized club colors & insignias.  The Gov’t is looking at a bold move adopted by US authorities, who have sought a court injunction under forfeiture laws to seize the trademark on the name of the Mongols bikie gang.  If successful, US police would have the power to demand Mongol members remove their club patch or “colors”, which bear the gang insignia – the most prized possession in the bikie culture.  Several Australian-based bikie gangs, including the Hells Angels, have a trademark over their name.  Police Minister Judy Spence said she would ask the state’s police bikie Task Force Hydra to consider the move.   It comes as the State Gov’t is looking at introducing tough laws against outlaw motorcycle gangs that have been implemented in South Australia & Western Australia, where it is illegal for gang members to associate.  The Australian Crime Commission has deemed bikie gangs to be a significant criminal threat nationwide.  The Sun Mail also can reveal that 10 of the 14 resident bikie gangs in Queensland called a truce to meet at a secret location on Brisbane’s southside to discuss the proposed anti-bikie laws.  Gangs sent 2 to 3 representatives to a suburban Brisbane coffee shop 2 weeks ago to the meeting organized by the Hells Angels.  Members attended unarmed, not wearing club colors, & were not allowed to bring mobile phones.  They told The Sun Mail that if the Gov’t moved to ban the wearing of colors or introduced laws similar to SA or WA, the gangs would take legal action.  “If there are no colors, how dangerous do you think that will be for police & the public, not being to able identify us?” he said.  “No colors will break down barriers between us & we will work together. That means there will be more drug deals & more murders,” another bikie warned.  SA Premier Mike Rann has called for other states & territories to adopt the groundbreaking laws to prevent outlaw gang members fleeing to other states.  Under the legislation, the SA Atty-General can declare a criminal bikie gang an outlaw organization & confiscate their assets, including their motorcycles.  This week the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Crime Commission will hold hearings in Brisbane for their inquiry into legislative arrangements to outlaw serious & organized crime groups.

 

2006 biker gunfight trial starts – Nov 2, 2008 – Sioux Falls, South Dakota – By Carson Walker - Jury selection starts Monday in a trial stemming from a 2006 shootout between Hells Angels & Outlaws motorcycle club members at Custer State Park in South Dakota’s Black Hills.  Prosecutors accuse the Hells Angels of trying to kill 5 Outlaws. Defense lawyers argue the Outlaws were the aggressors & that their clients acted in self-defense.  Chad Wilson, 33, of Lynnwood, Wash., & John Midmore, 35, of Valparaiso, Ind., pleaded not guilty to 5 counts of attempted first-degree murder & 1 count of commission of a felony while armed. A conspiracy charge will be handled separately.  Wilson, a Canadian citizen, is a member of the Dago Chapter of the Hells Angels in San Diego. Midmore, who has dual citizenship in Canada & Australia, is a prospect of the Haney Chapter of the Hells Angels in British Columbia, Canada.  The 5 Outlaws shot & wounded are Thomas Haas, 50; Allen Matthews, 59; Danny Neace, 61; Claudia Wables, 20; & Susan Evans-Martin, 35. Crystal Schuster, 29, suffered injuries unrelated to a gunshot. Their addresses are not listed.  The Aug. 8, 2006, shooting was at Legion Lake Resort in Custer State Park, where the Outlaws gathered for the Sturgis motorcycle rally 70 miles north.  The Outlaws were stopped along the road for a traffic violation when Wilson & Midmore drove past in a white Ford F-350 pickup, according to the indictment.  They pulled into a parking lot & when the Outlaws arrived, Wilson got out & started shooting at them with a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun, the indictment states.  Matthews & Neace were hit multiple times. Haas, Wables & Evans-Martin were shot once.  Wilson & Midmore took off, threw the gun out the window, abandoned the pickup & hid guns, ammunition & personal belongings, the indictment says.  They were arrested that evening after telling an off-duty park ranger their pickup had broken down & they needed a ride.  Spent shell casings, bullets, bullet fragments & the handgun were found near the scene, according to a court document.  The abandoned truck was found on a logging road with guns, ammunition & an empty .40-caliber magazine on the floorboard. Nearby, concealed in a hollowed-out log, were more weapons & bullets, a hand grenade & a Hells Angels T-shirt, it states.  That shows “a path of flight” not consistent with self-defense, prosecutor Michael Moore said at an August hearing.  An Outlaws member who was not wounded said he returned fire at the man who shot at his group.  Defense lawyer David Kenner said that rival probably began the fracas.   “Nathan Frasier is the person who likely started this whole scenario by pulling the gun,” Kenner said.  In a separate Fed lawsuit, Wilson & Midmore sued 19 Fed agencies & officials on grounds they’re withholding information supporting self-defense.  That lawsuit states that as Wilson & Midmore tried to leave the resort, several Outlaws members attacked them, so they fled to save their lives.  They felt in danger because of information law officers told them stemming from past conflicts & the fact that all Outlaws members were required to attend the 2006 Sturgis rally, according to the document.  Gov’t surveillance & information from informants inside both organizations predicted the Outlaws planned attacks on Hells Angels at Cody, Wyo., & Sturgis in 2006, defense lawyers wrote.  Defense attorneys also argue that the indictments of other Outlaws, including some who were at Custer, prove the organization was carrying out attacks on Hells Angels.  One Fed case in Michigan charges Neace, 1 of the Custer victims, & 5 other Outlaws with targeting Hells Angels.  Months before the Custer shootout, Neace & the other defendants conspired to “commit an assault with a dangerous weapon against various members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club,” according to the Detroit indictment. And around April 1, 2006, the Outlaws used a cane, hammer & motorcycle parts to assault Hells Angels members, it states.  That case is scheduled to go to trial Nov. 24.  The South Dakota trial for Wilson & Midmore was delayed several times, including for an appeal to the Supreme Court over hearings held without prosecutors, which led to the appointment of retired Judge Gene Paul Kean.  He moved the trial from Custer to Sioux Falls over concerns of pretrial publicity & because the courthouse is larger, more secure & is in a bigger city to fly in & lodge witnesses.  Neace & the 4 other victims are among hundreds of names prosecutors & defense lawyers list as potential witnesses, including numerous law enforcement officers & various experts.  The defense also wants to call Dr. Michael Baden, chief forensic pathologist for the New York State Police & star of HBO’s documentary “Autopsy.”  Jury selection should last 2 or 3 days & the trial is expected to take 3 to 4 weeks.

 

Bikies behave – Nov 3, 2008 – Australia – By Britt Smith - Bandidos bikies who attended Ross Brand’s Geelong funeral have been commended for their “gentlemanly” behaviour.   Business owners said members of the outlaw gang were a pleasure to deal with following Brand’s burial at Eastern Cemetery on Friday.  About 300 bikies & mourners gathered at the Bandidos’ Breakwater clubhouse before embarking on a procession through Grovedale to Tucker’s Funeral Home.  Geelong police said no gang-related trouble was reported over the weekend & residents went as far as praising bikies’ for their good manners.   Admiralty Motor Inn receptionist Helen Savage said about 30 Bandidos guests who stayed overnight at the four-star venue on McKillop St were “perfectly behaved”.  “They were a pleasure to deal with. You can’t judge a book by it’s cover. They were all gentleman,” she said.  The manager of Breakwater Hotel supplied alcohol to the clubhouse before Brand’s funeral.  “We have dealt with them for years, & they are a pleasant, great bunch of guys to deal with.”

 

End justifies means to Mongols gang – Nov 4, 2008 – California – By Frank Girardot - There are some fascinating peeks at the workings of the Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang in the Fed grand jury indictment released Tuesday.   Their brutality is apparent: “On August 18, 2006, in Los Angeles County, defendant (William `Dago Bill’ Shawley) advised an undercover law enforcement officer that he & defendants (David `L.A. Bull’ Gil) & (Aaron `Sick Boy’ Price) had captured an individual & tortured him for three hours, by breaking the man’s knuckles with a pair of pliers, breaking his knee by hitting it with a metal pipe.”   Alongside the action, a sub-plot emerges from the pages & pages of court documents.   It lies in the ongoing feuds among individual Mongols & a turf battle between bikers & area street gangs who are loyal to La Eme.   While there’s been a push by former Mongols president Ruben “Doc” Cavazos to recruit street gang members, old-time members have been resistant.   Meanwhile, newer members have been reluctant to pay taxes on illicit drug sales to La Eme, because they are already paying the Mongols.   Last year, Cavazos wanted to broker an agreement between the organizations, but instead found himself targeted, according to the indictment.   According to the indictment, an informant told an undercover ATF agent that “Cavazos was attempting to negotiate with La Eme to compensate them for the narcotics-trafficking being conducted by Mongols members.   “Cavazos had met with La Eme representatives at City Walk in Studio City to offer them a one-time tax payment, but that the offer had been rejected & La Eme had ordered a greenlight on the Mongols.”   Although the meeting took place on the other side of town, it’s pretty clear the San Gabriel Valley is fertile ground for organized crime.   This is prime turf for credit card scams, dope deals, money laundering, extortion, prostitution, assault & murder.   Stuff that happens here every day. Stuff that often gets reported in the newspaper, but in a disconnected, bullet-points-on-a-blotter sort of way that occasionally fleshes out the big picture.   Think about all the groups that operate in our neighborhoods. There’s La Eme. We have the Wah Ching & assorted other Asian gangs. Crips & Bloods rule some neighborhoods, while Armenian & Russian gangsters continue to filter into the SGV from Glendale & Los Angeles.   If anything it’s a Balkanization of sorts. And from time to time, each gang has its moment in the spotlight because of a large-scale Fed or county prosecution.   Despite turf battles & rivalries, the prosecutions of these gangs highlight plenty of similarities - mainly the desire to make money. Lots of it. By any means necessary - including beatings & murder.   But it also paints a picture of young men who believe they are the last true individualists in America.   In his 1966 book “Hell’s Angels,” Hunter S. Thompson saw violent motorcycle gangs as part of the bleak & terrible rise of a new form of gangsterism dispensing equal amounts of violence & dope.   “(They are) not some romantic leftover, but the first wave of a future that nothing in our history has prepared us to deal with,” Thompson wrote.   Frank Girardot is metro editor of the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group.

 

Motorcyclists hit the road for 8^th annual March of Dimes fundraiser – Nov 4, 2008 – Florida – By Leslie Williams - The earth vibrates & jagged sound waves swarm the air.   From everywhere, it emanates, resembling the sound of a lion’s roar melded with a buzzing chain saw.   Hundreds of bikers revved up Sunday morning at North Collier Regional Park before motoring en masse to Fort Myers, capping the eighth annual Bikers for Babies weekend benefitting the March of Dimes. The March of Dimes, founded in 1938 to beat polio, is dedicated to fighting infant illness & mortality.   “It’s the only escorted ride from Naples to Fort Myers,” said Norma Eveland, the executive director of Southwest Florida March of Dimes. “They go down around the beach, & there are just thousands of people lined up, & if you know bikers, you know they love to be seen.”  The two-wheeled parade was led by police escort, shutting down some portions of road along the route.   “In Fort Myers Beach, people used to be really upset about it taking place there,” said Rick Gallo, the Florida revenue chair for March of Dimes. “Now, they throw a party, & for the hour the bikes go through there, they have a great time.”   Registered bikes exceeded 1,400, with an estimated 2,000 people riding in the event. It rivals crowds drawn in the event’s eight-year history, but organizers could not say Sunday how close they would be to their goal to raise $200,000 to $250,000, which would be in line with what the event has raised in past years.   “It’s a lot more extra work, but it seems as though when things get like this, when the economy is down, people really step up to the plate,” said Rick Gallo, the Florida revenue chair for March of Dimes.   The reason, said Eveland, is that beneath the leather, patches & grizzled beards lie some of the biggest hearts in Southwest Florida.  “I can’t explain it,” said Eveland. “It’s so exciting, & they’re such great people.”

 

Will elections lead to sentencing reform? – Nov 5, 2008 – FAMM / USA – By Julie Stewart; FAMM President - I am hopeful that the results of this election can lead to meaningful sentencing reform in Congress & in many states.  Of course, we don’t know exactly what to expect from the incoming Obama administration, but we think the tide in Washington & elsewhere is beginning to turn in our favor.  More & more leaders are taking stands in favor of individualized justice & against the ineffective approach of 1-size-fits-all sentencing.   FAMM will be contacting the transition team tasked with setting up the new Obama administration in hopes of making sentencing reform a national priority.   During the past year, FAMM achieved some hard won & long overdue changes to Fed sentencing guidelines for crack cocaine.  We hope to keep this momentum going with the new administration & the new Congress next year to achieve more mandatory minimum reform.   As we documented in our recent report, Correcting Course, Congress & the White House have demonstrated bipartisan cooperation on sentencing reform in the past.  We are hopeful that we are approaching another tipping point now.  This is an exciting time to be a member of FAMM!

 

Bikers rev it up for Santa Rosa Kids House – Nov 5, 2008 – Florida – By Kate S. Peabody - Here they come. Local bikers ready to rev up their engines, will descend on Milton to raise money for abused children on Sunday.   The Santa Rosa Kids House has invited area bikers to participate in its inaugural fundraising program, “The Ride to Stop the Hurt.”  A Sheriff’s escort will take bikers through Northern Santa Rosa County & end at the Kids House at 5643 Stewart St., where there will be lots of food, music & a tour of the new center.  Kids House opened its doors in April & provides help to sexually & physically abused children. The fundraiser is the first of its kind & will be held each year, said Cathy Powers-Sears, interim co-executive director. The money raised will be used primarily for the operating costs of the advocacy center.   “We are funded solely by grants & donations, & so the more people we can get to participate, the better it is for the center,” Power-Sears said. “Our goal is to raise $15,000.   As an advocacy group for physically & sexually abused children, staff works with several agencies, including law enforcement, the court system & the Department of Children & Families to help children in such cases.   In the past when a child was sexually or physically abused, he or she was interviewed by each agency individually. The good news is that, thanks to the Kids House, children will no longer be required to repeatedly tell their painful stories over & over again. Instead, a one-time interview performed at the House will be taped, which would be used as evidence by the other agencies.   One reason for the fundraiser, organizers say, is to continue to provide this kind of service to the children. And with the help of groups like local bikers, Powers-Sears hopes the house will raise enough money to continue to make the program available to children.   The decision to help out, was a no-brainer, said Gary VerCrouse, president for the Gulf Coast Chapter of ABATE of Florida Inc.   He’s expecting up to 30 of his members to participate in the race. And not only will members be riders, some will also help register other bikers for the event.   “I think a lot of these kids are undergoing traumatic experiences,” VerCrouse said. “They are our future.”   Other participating groups include the Sheriff’s Dept, whose officers will escort the riders & the Christian Motorcycle Association’s, BACA -- Bikers Against Child Abuse.

 

Biker charged with recklessness – Nov 5, 2008 - Milford, New Hampshire - A motorcyclist from Nashua who was seriously injured while doing a stunt in Wilton in August pleaded guilty to a reckless operation charge on Tuesday in Milford District Court.  On Aug. 8, Carl Hannigan, 51, was going east on Route 101 in the area of West Intervale Road at about 12:14 p.m., standing upright on the seat of his 1974 Harley Davidson with his arms extended sideways, when he fell off, police reported.  Hannigan suffered serious injuries to his head & legs, & was flown by Lifeflight to U-Mass Medical Center in Worcester, Mass., according to Wilton police.  On Nov. 4, Milford District Court Judge Martha Crocker revoked Hannigan’s license for 60 days & fined him $600, which he paid.  Police also cited him for failing to register the motorcycle. Hannigan also pleaded guilty to this offense & paid an additional $60 in fines.  Hannigan apparently was performing a particularly dangerous stunt, which involves standing up on the seat of a moving motorcycle.  The stunt requires the use of some sort of device to lock the throttle in place.  Custom motorcycle builder & stunt rider “Indian” Larry Desmedt, 55, died of head injuries after falling while performing the stunt at a motorcycle show in North Carolina in 2004.

 

Hells Angels attack on Outlaws was unprovoked – Nov 5, 2008 – South Dakota - By Josh Verges - In opening statements today, a prosecutor said Hells Angel Chad Wilson fired a gun unprovoked into a group of rival Outlaws motorcyclists in 2006, hitting 5 of them.   Custer County State’s Attorney Tracy Kelley gave no indication of any confrontation or words exchanged before the shooting at Custer State Park.   “After emptying the gun, the defendant Wilson gets back in the pickup truck & they flee,” she said.   Wilson, a member of the Hells Angels, & John Midmore, a recruit, are on trial for 5 counts of attempted 1^st-degree murder.   The defense chose to delay its opening statement until after the state rested its case. A defense lawyer, David Kenner, has said Midmore fired at the Outlaws in self defense.

 

Dear Michael – Nov 5, 2008 – USA - On behalf of Senator McCain, Governor Palin, & all our GOP candidates, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to you for your generous support of the Republican National Committee this presidential election year.  Though we fell short of our goal of retaining the White House in a very difficult political environment, I’m grateful for the strong effort you made on our Party’s behalf.  As Chairman, I’m confident our Party will be back stronger than ever in elections to come as we work to promote policies that make America safer & more prosperous.  I look forward to continuing our work together & rebuilding our Party to meet the challenges ahead.  Best Wishes, Robert M. “Mike” Duncan; Chairman, Republican National Committee…

 

Motorcyclists know importance of a ride – Nov 6, 2008 – Oregon - Art West is a rough-and-tough kind of guy who’s belonged to a motorcycle club for 35 years. But under his leather vest, he hides a soft spot for sick kids.   For the past several weeks, the 57-year-old has been making phone calls, printing fliers & lining up sponsors for a Nov. 8 concert to raise money to buy expensive wheelchairs for children being treated at Portland Shriners Hospital for Children.  “The short version of why I do this is that my wife & I never had any kids,” says West, a member of Brothers Speed MC, one of the Northwest’s largest motorcycle clubs. “This is a way we can help.”  His wife’s Portland blues band, Francine West & The High Speed Wobblers, will host Saturday’s 10-hour show featuring musicians from this area & California.  The idea traces to 1994, when the band’s drummer had a child being treated at Shriners. He told Art West how impressed he was with Portland bikers’ support of the hospital. For 28 years, as many as 1,500 bikers have met in Dec to wind through the city & deliver loads of toys for Shriners patients.  “The drummer said he wished there was something he could do to help as a musician,” Art West says. “I thought we could put on a gig as a band & raise money.  We got $600 that night.”   The event ran for three years, until Francine West took a break from the stage. She returned three years ago, & so did the benefit. The musicians donate their time, & the $5 admission goes toward buying wheelchairs. Last year’s show raised $5,000, Art West says.   Tina Huber, who met West through Brothers Speed, says she always attends the show. “My son went to Shriners from the time he was born,” Huber says. “He had terrible problems with his legs. They took care of my child, & I didn’t pay a dime. My son’s married, has a son & a job & can walk. Shriners gave him a life.”   West turns the money over to Abate of Oregon, a motorcycle-rights group formed in the 1970s. Mike Friend, who coordinated last year’s Toy Run & is ABATE’s chaplain, says the organization has 2,000 members across Oregon.   “When it first started, most of the members were the real bikers, the so-called 1-percenters,” Friend says. “They’re still involved, but mostly it’s just your average Joe motorcycle rider.”   Early on, Friend says, Portland-area bikers had a bad image.  Someone in Abate had the idea to change perceptions by doing something for kids.   Helping kids Musician’s Toy Run Benefit concert: 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday at Trails End Saloon, 1320 Main St., Oregon City. The $5 admission goes toward buying wheelchairs for kids.   Toy Run: Public welcome. Riders will start gathering about 10 a.m. Dec. 6 at the TriMet parking lot at 4012 S.E. 17th Ave. Tickets for a chance to win a Harley-Davidson, $10, will be sold there. The drawing will be at noon, & the ride to deliver toys to the Portland Shriners Hospital for Children will begin at 12:30 p.m.   “A handful of bikers in Portland thought they’d get some toys & take them to a hospital for kids,” Friend says. “Hospitals turned them down. They figured they stole the toys. Or they said they could bring the toys around to the back door. The Shriners welcomed the group with open arms. We’ve been with them ever since.”   The group raffles off a Harley-Davidson each year, selling tickets at $10 each & announcing the winner at the Toy Run. That money, too, benefits Shriners.   “The bikers fill a need,” says Kay Weber, a Shriners spokeswoman. “Some of these wheelchairs can cost more than $10,000. The kids who receive these chairs are from families who have maxed out their lifetime insurance for medical equipment, have no insurance or just can’t make ends meet.”   Bikers present the chairs several times a year. On Oct. 16, six children received chairs & special equipment totaling $35,000.   “The bikers are so cute,” Weber says. “You see them come in all tough looking. Then the therapist talks about the child & why the chair will change their life. You turn around, & all the bikers are wiping their eyes. It’s very sweet, & melts your heart.”

 

King County man convicted of slaying despite lack of body – Nov 6, 2008 – Washington – By Jennifer Sullivan - A South King County man charged with the slaying of a member of a rival MC whose body has never been located was found guilty today.   A South King County man charged with the slaying of a member of a rival motorcycle gang whose body has never been found was convicted today of 1^st-degree murder with a firearm & 2 counts of witness tampering.   John Price, 37, is facing about 35 years in prison when he’s sentenced for beating Donald Jessup with an ax handle & shooting him in the face inside a Ravensdale home in Dec 2004.  King County sheriff’s deputies say Price believed that Jessup stole his H-D motorcycle & was trying to sell it back to him for $800.   Jurors had been deliberating since Tuesday afternoon.  A sentencing date hasn’t been set.   Senior Deputy Prosecutor Scott O’Toole said one of the most difficult elements of the case was that Jessup’s body has never been found.  At the start of Price’s trial on Oct. 13, O’Toole told jurors that witnesses heard Price claim to have rolled Jessup up in a rug & buried him “up north.”   O’Toole said that deputies searched unsuccessfully for DNA & other evidence linking Jessup’s slaying to the Ravensdale home. In the nearly four years since Jessup disappeared, his family & friends haven’t heard from him, O’Toole said.   Price was a member of the Ghost Riders motorcycle gang & known among fellow bikers as “Nazi John,” O’Toole said. Jessup was a past Pres of the Gypsy Jokers, a rival gang.   “I’m very, very pleased. There was no body, no forensics & no weapon,” O’Toole said of the verdict.   Defense atty Julie Gaisford told jurors that the testimony by many of the witnesses should be discounted because of their drug addictions, criminal histories & anger at Price.   The 23-year-old mother of Price’s 3 children testified against him during the first week of the trial.

 

2007 was safest year in highways in history – Nov 6, 2008 – New York - Gov David Paterson Wed announced that 2007 was the safest year on New York’s highways since the State began keeping records on highway safety in the early 1920s. According to final Dept of Motor Vehicle records for 2007, the total number of traffic fatalities decreased from 1,433 in 2006 to 1,317 in 2007, an eight percent reduction. Additionally, data from the DMV shows that in 2007 motorcycle crash fatalities decreased by nearly 11%, large truck crash fatalities decreased by nearly 20% & pedestrian crash fatalities decreased by 14%.

 

The First Banning of an MCs Colors – Oct 24, 2008 – USA – Editorial By LJ James  - If you are a Member of a Motorcycle Club as I am, I’m sure you have heard about how a Judge has banned the Colors of the the Mongols MC.  Not only are the Members not allowed to wear their Colors, but any item that’s has their Colors on it must be forfeited upon demand.  I cannot expect many who are not in a Motorcycle Club to understand what this really means!   Twenty years ago this would have struck fear into the soul of every American Citizen!  Today I am sure most probably will not even hear about it & those that do will probably not care!   What has happen to this Country?   I cannot believe this is actually happening, I have been writing stories on this for years.  Part of me had always hoped I was just being paranoid or that all the MCs would somehow come together on some level & work out the problems.  I have been getting emails on how the Story I wrote last year called “Taken from a History book in the year 2095” does not sound so far-fetched anymore?  Are there Criminals in Motorcycle Clubs?  We hear about Drug dealers, Rapists, Murderers in the National Football League & in Major League Baseball every day.  When was the last time you heard of a Biker running a Dog fighting ring?  Can a Judge just ban the Logo of a Sports Franchise if its Members are involved in some kind of Criminal activity?  You may be saying No because it’s different.  Well I say it is only different because they haven’t done it yet!  There are the same problems in Motorcycle Clubs that there are in all organizations.  The Police force has much more Criminal Activity going on in it then all the Motorcycle Clubs put together!  Only Difference is they can bury the Truth!  When it comes to Motorcycle Clubs & criminal activity the big difference is, The legend of Motorcycle Clubs is we are America’s bad boys & it just sells so dam good.  This law cannot be allowed to stand!!!   I am sure some Sport Bike Clubs & AMA Club’s feel they have nothing to fear!  I am sure many are thinking this has nothing to do with them, Its only the Outlaw & One-Percent Clubs!  They are thinking this isn’t about us “we are the good guys”.  This always happens this way, take down the top level’s first!  The other levels will make excuses as to why it is not their fight & stand aside.  All Bikers must join the fight now because once they are done with the Outlaw & One-Percent Clubs, Who do you think they will be looking at Next?  Once the Outlaw/One-Percent Clubs are gone there will be no one left to come & help when they come for you!  I am pretty sure this is still America & this is completely against everything this Country was founded on & stands for!  We all must ask, If this ruling is allowed to stand what Motorcycle Club will it be next? Will it be yours?  What will the reasons be that they will use to ban your Clubs patch?   Will Jay walking be enough?  Is that too ridiculous?  How about if your an MC member & you get caught with a bag of weed?  Is that enough?  Will there have to be two Members involved?  Three?  What reason will they need to ban your Motorcycle Clubs patch?  When Motorcycle Clubs start having their Colors banned many members will start or join new Clubs, Because that is what we are Motorcycle Club Members!  Soon the Gov’t will realize this & then Ban Motorcycle Clubs all together!   Anyone who thinks their Club is not at risk is kidding themselves!   The time to unite & try to work together was yesterday!   Today we have no choice but to ban together & fight for our right to survive for tomorrow it will be time to hide!!!  Even if somehow all Motorcycle Clubs can come together & work to win this fight, It is just the beginning & there will be many more rounds to come.  If we are to win this fight we MUST at least make it thru the first round, Then we will have a Minute to pull ourselves together!!!  I am Your Bro L.J. James AmericanBikerX.com 

 

Feds Consider New Helmet Standards – Nov 6, 2008 – Washington, DC – By Jeff Hennie, MRF VP of Gov’t Relations - Recently, it was reported by the Motorcycle Riders Foundation  that the US DOT is contemplating some new requirements for motorcycle helmet labels, as well as testing methods & tolerances.  The Fed Gov’t rulemaking process requires that the proposed new rule be made available to the public for a period of time to allow the general public offer comment.

 

Free rein for Finks on party strip – Nov 6, 2008 – Australia – By Robyn Wuth – The Finks outlaw bikie gang will have a free ride into the Surfers Paradise party precinct this weekend, with Gold Coast police warned not to intercept gang members without a senior officer’s approval.  More than 120 members of the Finks will descend on the tourism strip this weekend as part of the club’s annual national run.  It is the third national run by outlaw gangs through the city in as many months & senior police admit they are powerless to keep the gangs out.  Yesterday, the Gold Coast Finks chapter set off from the Oxenford Tavern & were believed to be bound for Goondiwindi to form a welcoming committee for the southern chapters as they cross the border.  Once the various clubs meet up, they are then expected to ride in formation back to the Coast some time tomorrow.   Police sources said as many as 200 members & associates could descend on the city after stopping to party at an isolated Hinterland property.   The Finks’ visit to the glitter strip is seen as a bold move to bury a string of negative incidents that have plagued the club & its members this year.   Several Finks members & club associates have been accused of a series of violent assaults in the precinct.   In Jan, 3 Finks bikies allegedly went on a random 30-minute rampage at Broadbeach which ended with 5 people being taken to hospital.   Several other club members are yet to face court over a number of other assaults.   The visit is also being seen as an attempt by the Finks to stamp their authority over the strip, sending a message to other gangs.  The Coast’s clubs have maintained a tenuous peace since the rivalry between the Finks & the Hells Angels erupted in the so-called Ballroom Blitz at the Royal Pines Resort in March, 2006.   The national run will be shadowed by members of Task Force Hydra, but local police have been banned from carrying out unapproved intercepts.  They are outraged by the move & by what they say is the region’s soft approach to bikie gangs.   A memo sent to Gold Coast police this week states:   “All officers are reminded to exercise due caution & officer safety when dealing with OMCG (outlaw motorcycle gang) members/associates.  Any mass interceptions must be approved by the DDO (district duty officer) prior to actioning.”   Angry officers said they were already struggling to police the party precinct & fear they will be unable to contain the bikies if violence erupts. They point to the recent bikie activity in the city as proof that the region’s tactics with the gangs do not work.   The Finks’ event is the 3^rd major club run through the region in 3 months following visits by the Rebels & the Nomads.   This weekend, the Odin’s Warriors have also planned their tattoo show at the Kirra Hotel.   “Isn’t that enough to send a message?” said one angry officer.  “Three national runs through the city & all senior police are doing is sitting on their hands.  The longer we ignore it, the worse the bikie problem is going to get.”  Gold Coast District Supt Jim Keogh said the issue with intercepting the bikie gangs was a matter of public & officer safety.

 

Mistrial denied in Hells Angels trial –Nov 7, 2008 – Sioux Falls, South Dakota - A defense lawyer for two men affiliated with the Hells Angels motorcycle gang twice Thursday had his motions for a mistrial denied in the trial of a 2006 shooting in Custer State Park.  David Kenner asked Judge Gean Paul Kean for a mistrial because he felt the testimony of some witnesses was substantially different than testimony made during the discovery process, the time when each side in a case shares evidence.  Kenner asked for a mistrial after Ted Ramsdell of Missouri said a second man got out of the pickup & began shooting people who already had been shot.  That differed from evidence presented during Custer County State’s Atty Tracy Kelley’s opening statement, Kenner said.  “The prosecution in its opening statement made the statement that there was one shooter,” Kenner said during a break in the trial. “They know there was one shooter, & everybody at the scene knows there was one shooter. And for them to say that there was more than one shooter is a lie.”  Several witnesses recounted their versions of the gunfight, though none could say who fired the first shots.  Steven Davis of Missouri, who was in the parking lot at the time of the shooting, said he watched one man near a white pickup fire several shots & that people were running away & screaming. Davis was there with friends for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.  “There was a girl that ran up to me & said he had shot her finger off & then she continued to run & jumped into the lake,” he said.  Davis also said that he saw a second shooter, thought to be an Outlaws member, pull a pistol from the saddle bag of a motorcycle & return fire from the opposite side of the parking lot.  “He jumped a fence ... & he started firing at the truck as the truck was leaving,” he said.

 

Refusing a Search Doesn’t Mean You’re Guilty - Oct 19, 2008 – Florida – By Scott Morgan - People who’ve had bad experiences with police have sometimes responded negatively to our materials, arguing that police will simply take things to the next level if you refuse a search. Here’s an interesting example from Florida, in which police were forced to drop the charges after wrongfully arresting a suspect who refused a search:

Pensacola City Council candidate Jeffrey A. Humbles will not be prosecuted in connection with resisting a law enforcement officer, the State Attorney’s Office said.The decision was made Wednesday after investigators with the State Attorney’s Office finished reviewing his case. A Sheriff’s Office report regarding the incident said a K-9 unit alerted on Humbles’ vehicle, indicating the possible presence of narcotics. The dog’s action gave deputies probable cause for a search, Escambia sheriff’s spokesman Glenn Austin said. After Humbles refused multiple times to give deputies keys to his locked vehicle, he was arrested on a charge of resisting a law enforcement officer without violence.Once in custody, Humbles gave his keys to deputies, who opened the locked vehicle & searched it. No narcotics were found, the sheriff’s report said. Humbles said deputies violated his civil rights by searching his locked vehicle. “The Constitution is there to protect everyone & it works,” he said. “Those words have value & meaning, & we need to keep them alive to protect our rights.  “We have the right to privacy & the right against illegal searches & seizes.  And that makes us America. That’s what make this country great.” [Pensacola News Journal]. We couldn’t agree more. In this case, Humbles could probably have avoided some hassle by simply letting police have their way. Instead, he stood up for his rights & was vindicated in the end. Even though he had nothing to hide, he understood the importance of asserting his rights. After all, it’s always possible that a careless friend left something in the car.  You can never be 100% sure, even if you never break the law.  Now he has a solid wrongful arrest lawsuit, if he chooses to pursue it. And, at the very least, he taught the police that even law-abiding citizens like himself are willing to stand up for their rights.

 

Bikers blame ‘prank’ for fatal crash – Nov 8, 2008 – Texas - A father is dead & three others injured in what a group of motorcyclists think may have been a prank that turned deadly.  Over the weekend, Carl Pierson & a group of other motorcycle riders hit the roads on their bikes. As the men - all members of a group called the “Lake Pirates” - rode down the service road of Central Expressway in McKinney, one of the bikes hit a railroad tie.  “All of the sudden I just saw smoke, motorcycles colliding & they started flying,” said George Henley, who watched the fatal scene unfold as he rode his motorcycle behind the pack. “And out of reaction, I just threw my motorcycle to the side.”  The impact with the railroad tie led to a chain reaction. Pierson, who is engaged & the father a 13-year-old girl, was killed & three other riders were injured. One of the riders is still in the hospital with severe injuries.  “It was very devastating,” Henley said. “I couldn’t believe it was happening.”  Investigators are trying to find out how the railroad tie ended up in the road, but Henley said he & the other riders believe it was likely a prank.  “I know it’s intentional,” he said. “It was completely horizontal on the road, & it was in a very dark spot.”  Now, Pierson’s friends & family say they want answers & hope a reward may help in their quest.  “Somebody shouldn’t get away with that,” Henley said. “They just shouldn’t.”  The Lake Pirates have offered a $3,000 reward for any info related to how the railroad tie ended up in the road.

 

Four arrests follow shooting outside bar – Nov 9, 2008 - California - By John Driscoll - A Merced man was seriously wounded after he was shot outside The Shanty in Eureka late Friday night, & four men were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder shortly afterward.   Robert Daniel Thompson, 43, of Merced was found lying in the intersection of Third & C streets, bleeding from several gunshot wounds, when police arrived at about 11:10 p.m. About five minutes later, officers stopped a vehicle at Watson & D streets & arrested four men believed to be involved in the shooting.   Eric Gunner Lundin, 28, Dustin Christopher Liebes, 36, & Brad Lee Miller, 26, all of Eureka, & Eric Dean Garcia, 28, of Redding, were booked into Humboldt County jail on charges of attempted murder.   Det. Ron Harpham said that there were a number of witnesses to the shooting or its aftermath, since the incident took place outside two popular bars on a Friday night. But he added that despite talking with some of the witnesses, a complete picture of what happened hasn’t been put together.   “We’re really looking for citizens’ assistance to come forward & talk about what they witnessed,” Harpham said.   Eureka Police Chief Garr Nielsen said earlier Saturday that the shooting may have stemmed from the longtime battle between the Hell’s Angels & Mongols motorcycle gangs, but detectives have not been able to confirm that.   Thompson was sent to U.C. Davis Medical Center for treatment. The center confirmed he was in their emergency room Sat afternoon, but could not say what his condition was.  A bartender at The Shanty, who asked not to be named, said the man who was shot had been in the bar earlier that night for a drink, & was wearing a Hells Angels T-shirt. The man was not a regular, the bartender said, & there was no altercation inside the bar. The shooting happened outside the bar, the employee said, & some patrons inside ran out to see what was happening.   “Everyone thought it was fireworks,” the bartender said.   Harpham said that officers were able to recover a gun or guns, but wouldn’t say what type or how many due to the ongoing investigation. He said that there were more rounds shot than were accounted for at the scene, & asked people in the area to let police know if they find bullet holes or other evidence in the area.   “We’ve got a lot of work to do before we can really say what our conclusions are,” Harpham said.

 

Finks visit to Coast trouble free – Nov 9, 2008 - Australia - Up to 200 Finks outlaw motorcycle gang members kept a relatively low profile when they dropped in on the Gold Coast at the weekend.  The bikies were in town as part of the club's annual national run -- the third visit to the Coast by an outlaw motorcycle gang in the past 3 months.   Police yesterday set up random breath testing near the Coomera Lodge Tavern where Finks were expected to party.   A strong police presence -- including officers from the Hydra Taskforce, state traffic branch, Surfers CIB & Coomera station -- blanketed the area, however the Finks failed to show.  The Tavern, where rock band The Radiators were playing, stopped serving drinks in glasses with only plastic cups & cans offered to patrons, much to the dismay of disgruntled locals.   To complement the random breath-testing station set up along Maudsland Road, several police vehicles including H.P. cars, motorcycles & unmarked cars, patrolled the area.   The only sign of the Finks was just before 5pm when a sole member, who had a swag attached to his bike, rode past the police set-up.  It is thought the rider may have been acting as a lookout for the club.  Several Finks were also spotted in northern NSW yesterday, heading south along the Pacific Highway.  On Friday, the Gold Coast Finks chapter set off from the Oxenford Tavern & were believed to be bound for Goondiwindi to form a welcoming committee for the southern chapters as they crossed the border.   The members returned to the Coast on Saturday with interstate comrades in tow, partying at an isolated Hinterland property that night.  Gold Coast District Superintendent Jim Keogh said Finks members had not caused trouble & stayed away from major entertainment precincts.

 

 

 

National Coalition of Motorcyclists…

An Idea Whose Time Has Come…