By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
May 30, 2015
Waco, Texas - On June 7, thousands of bikers and supporters from throughout Texas and other parts of the U.S. will converged at the McLennan County Court House in a peaceful rally and protest against the unlawful arrest of more than 170 bikers on May 17. Police arrested at least 177 bikers including three women after a brawl between some members of the Cossacks and Bandidos M.C.s got into an altercation and ended with nine deaths whether by police or biker gunfire.
Most of the bikers arrested were not involved in the altercation and were just attending a bi-monthly meeting sponsored by the Texas Confederation of Clubs and Independents (TCCI) at the Twin Peaks Restaurant. The TCCI meeting was monitored by the Waco police, Texas Rangers and feds.
No one has been specifically charged with capital murder in connection with the nine deaths at the Twin Peaks Restaurant. All of those taken into custody on May 17 were frivolously charged with engaging in organized crime and conspiring to commit capital murder including aggravated assault and bail was set at $1M each for just being at an organized TCCI meeting. McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna told media sources that he is confident that the charges filed against all of the bikers arrested will stick, but other law enforcement experts believe otherwise and say most were unlawfully charged. Many of the bikers charged have lost their jobs because they can't make bail, according to the TCCI.
According to McLennan County court records, a total of 177 bikers were arrested and charged for conspiring to commit capital murder. The criminal complaint states, that bikers wearing club colors or "commonly identifiable distinctive signs or symbols... continuously or regularly associate in the commission of criminal activities...The Texas Department of Safety maintains a database containing information identifying the Cossacks and associates as a criminal street gang and the Bandidos and associates as a criminal street gang."
The bikers were targeted by Waco police just for being at the biker event and wearing their motorcycle club colors or logos in vests.
Police said, that they recovered hundreds of weapons, but wouldn't say how many bikers had legal Conceal Carry Permits (CCP) to carry a weapon. The State of Texas legislature on on Friday passed an open carry bill, which will allow Texans with CCP to carry weapons in plain view. Texas Governor Gregg Abbot (R) tweeted that he will sign the open carry bill into law.
On Thursday, the TCCI posted on their Facebook account that the group, including the US Defenders Program and the Texas Legislative Task Force are not in any way supporting the massive biker peaceful rally and protest being sponsored by other groups in Waco. Most of those arrested in Waco are members of the TCCI.
Biker clubs and groups that had gathered for the TCCI meeting at the Twin Peaks Restaurant were the Black Arms M.C., Escondidos M.C., Gypsy M.C., HonorBound Motorcycle Ministry, In Country M.C., Leathernecks M.C., Los Pirados M.C., Renatus M.C., Scimitars M.C., Tornado Motorcycle Club, the Vietnam Vet/Legacy Vets M.C., Distorted M.C., Los Caballeros M.C., the Bogatyrs and the Vise Grip M.C.
The following nine victims were killed during the Twin Peaks Restaurant biker altercation between the Bandidos and Cassacks M.C.s in Waco, Texas.
● Daniel Raymond Boyett, 44, shot in the head. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Wayne Lee Campbell, 43, shot in the head. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Richard Mathew Jordan Jr., 31, shot in the head.
● Richard Vincent Kirshner Jr., 47. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Jacob Lee Rhyne, 39, shot in the neck. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Jesús Delgado Rodríguez, 65, shot in the head. (Bandidos M.C. affiliate) Rodríguez was a Purple Heart recipient.
● Manuel Issac Rodríguez, 40. (Bandidos M.C.)
● Charles Wayne Russell, 46, shot in the chest. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Matthew Mark Smith, 27. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Daniel Raymond Boyett, 44, shot in the head. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Wayne Lee Campbell, 43, shot in the head. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Richard Mathew Jordan Jr., 31, shot in the head.
● Richard Vincent Kirshner Jr., 47. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Jacob Lee Rhyne, 39, shot in the neck. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Jesús Delgado Rodríguez, 65, shot in the head. (Bandidos M.C. affiliate) Rodríguez was a Purple Heart recipient.
● Manuel Issac Rodríguez, 40. (Bandidos M.C.)
● Charles Wayne Russell, 46, shot in the chest. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Matthew Mark Smith, 27. (Cossacks M.C.)
Out of 177 bikers in custody, two have made bail. Bail hearings are scheduled for June 5, 12 and 19.
Since 1994, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been adding motorcycle owners to the motorcycle street gang or outlaws classified list. All motor vehicle state registration departments in the U.S. automatically provide the information to the FBI when someone registers a motorcycle in their name. The FBI believes that 67% to 75% of motorcycle owners will eventually engage in criminal activity, according to the FBI.
The following 143 of 177 bikers were arrested and booked at the McLennan County Detention Center (jail) in Waco, Texas and were charged with one felony count each for Engaging in Organized Crime.
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