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Roar of the crowd: Many unhappy at lack of Twin Peaks transparency, ...
The Waco-Tribune Herald ^ | Oct 7, 2015 | Waco Trib readers

Posted on 10/07/2015 1:59:36 PM PDT by Prolixus

Plenty of folks responded by Facebook to a Sept. 30 Trib editorial that questioned the notion of the state’s helping local authorities pay for expenses arising from the deadly May 17 Twin Peaks shooting, particularly given the ongoing lack of transparency by those local authorities. A selection of the comments:

Tonya Hilcher Gonzales: Waco should not get a dime from the state for the mess they created. Over four months later, they still won’t release the ballistics report. Four months later and we still don’t know how many of the nine were murdered by Waco police. I hope everyone remembers that the current grand jury has a Waco police detective for a grand jury foreman. No help from the state!

Laurie Claytor Jahns: Considering the fact that a Waco Police Department officer is the grand jury foreman, I have to wonder if evidence (before a grand jury) will matter. So far everything points to law enforcement (being guilty), not the parties unlawfully arrested, detained, shot, murdered, etc. If they are so transparent, why can’t they come up with more than “out-of-town thugs” (to describe the bikers)?

Marc George: No outside agency should pay a dime. The investigation has been shrouded in secrecy and lies. They slandered a lot of people, then put a gag order so that nobody could defend their name. Nine people died with about 20 wounded and the authorities are playing games.

Traci Peachy Cromwell: The people of Waco voted the district attorney, city council, etc., into place and they all had a part in the decision-making that day; therefore, the city should carry the burden, not the state. If the citizens of Waco say they support their district attorney and law enforcement, then they should have no problem with the cost. The state should use the money to do a full investigation of why there are no indictments yet and the lack of transparency. They should then decide on their next steps based on the outcome of the investigation.

Edgar Gifford: It is a god-like feat to instantly know what happened with so many “uniformed” bikers at that moment of truth. When you hear, in a single incident, how every witness has a different story and viewpoint, imagine then hundreds of witnesses (in this instance). I believe Waco police did as good a job as humanly possible. Blaming the police for what the district attorney’s office deems legally prudent seems crazy.

Marc Irving: How many times has Waco Police Sgt. Patrick Swanton changed his story?

Rhonda Elder: No release of information? Then no state funds for the police for their hiding evidence. My son Matthew Mark Smith had a beautiful heart. People loved him and he always was there for his boys. My son respected the mothers of his boys and I taught him to stand up for what you believe. My son was shot in the back — only a coward would do that. We have kept quiet about this, but it’s starting to really anger me. Show the video now.

Jerry Couger: Our family lost a loved one that terrible day. He also was a good man and wonderful father who missed seeing his daughter graduate, get two awards and a scholarship by 12 days because he was murdered. Who fired those shots? Who put up cameras in advance? Who placed law enforcement and snipers in place before bikers arrived? Who won’t release videos? No, don’t spend a dime of state taxes to help those who murdered our loved ones. This is hard enough on the families as is and we sure don’t need to feel we are aiding the ones who killed our family members. Let Waco pay. And let us see all of your evidence.

Robert Rutherford: Like many, I watched this go down on TV; unlike many, I found it hard to believe hundreds of such bikers were headed to Waco after the shooting (as news bulletins insisted). So I drove to Waco, and drove and drove, and did not see one biker. Yet still such reports came in. So I watched, listened. My conclusion: The city of Waco and all agencies associated with it should pay tenfold to the victims who did not fire a shot, who came in peace. From what I see, that’s 99 percent of them. Since the Department of Public Safety was there — yes, Texas should get the checkbook out and everyone involved on a local level should be fired and charged.

Theresa Evans: I find it hard to believe all these bikers came to Waco for just a drink and meeting with more weapons than people and even more loaded weapons in their vehicles. Twin Peaks was warned not to hold the meeting but did anyway. They knew weeks before the incident that this might turn out as it did. Twin Peaks should pay. I don’t think all bikers should have been arrested but you are guilty by association. You choose to hang with people who do bad things, then you get the same rep as those people.

Paul Barron: Waco and McLennan County own this debacle. Big Brother doesn’t need to bail them out on the taxpayer dime.

Lisa Dickison: One can support law enforcement and think this situation was not handled the way it should be handled.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Government; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: waco; wacobikers
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"Rhonda Elder: No release of information? Then no state funds for the police for their hiding evidence. My son Matthew Mark Smith had a beautiful heart. People loved him and he always was there for his boys. My son respected the mothers of his boys and I taught him to stand up for what you believe. My son was shot in the back — only a coward would do that. We have kept quiet about this, but it’s starting to really anger me. Show the video now.

Jerry Couger: Our family lost a loved one that terrible day. He also was a good man and wonderful father who missed seeing his daughter graduate, get two awards and a scholarship by 12 days because he was murdered. Who fired those shots? Who put up cameras in advance? Who placed law enforcement and snipers in place before bikers arrived? Who won’t release videos? No, don’t spend a dime of state taxes to help those who murdered our loved ones. This is hard enough on the families as is and we sure don’t need to feel we are aiding the ones who killed our family members. Let Waco pay. And let us see all of your evidence."

1 posted on 10/07/2015 1:59:36 PM PDT by Prolixus
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To: Prolixus

“Jerry Couger: Our family lost a loved one that terrible day. He also was a good man and wonderful father who missed seeing his daughter graduate, get two awards and a scholarship by 12 days because he was murdered.”

Had he been with his family at church, he would still be alive.

“Who fired those shots?”


“They rode en masse to that meeting for the sole purpose of creating some kind of trouble,” he said. “Their intentions were not saintly. . . . If they had not showed up there, we wouldn’t be discussing this now.”

Cochran said in the past nine months or so, Cossacks have been harassing other motorcycle clubs.

“They have been rolling around trying to intimidate people and tell people they own this town, and that we’re not allowed to ride here,” he said.

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/twin-peaks-biker-shooting/only-of-slain-in-twin-peaks-shootout-from-waco-witnesses/article_04745208-8210-54cd-811c-2989f0447951.html


2 posted on 10/07/2015 2:38:27 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: Prolixus
"My son was shot in the back "

Matthew Mark Smith, 27, Keller, one gunshot wound in the back and one in the abdomen.

Back: Medium Caliber NOT from police .223; Abdomen: Not Determined

3 posted on 10/07/2015 2:40:20 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: Prolixus

prediction, when the truth comes out of what really happened in Waco that day, TG will be long gone looking to sink into the blog land that many of his kind has gone before.

The name will change, but he will live on to find one more wrong LEO to prop up and swear it was only right they go home safe.


4 posted on 10/07/2015 3:25:02 PM PDT by hadaclueonce (I thought Ethanol was the devil, now i find it is America is an Oligarchy)
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To: hadaclueonce; TexasGator

It is FR protocol to ping a member when referencing them in your post.

I am betting that “TG” will be around a lot longer than the single theme’ers that are hung up on covering up for biker gangs that perpetrated the shootings at Waco. What will all you do once the harsh sentencing is handed down?

The public does not like to have lowlife criminal types openly defy public goodwill by starting an all out gang war at a busy public facility. The City and DA Office recognize that and is why they are throwing to book at the scum who somehow thought they could get by with it.

No one except ‘metro-sexual’ wimps give two hoots in hell about who posts what on facebook. Get a life.


5 posted on 10/07/2015 3:49:08 PM PDT by X-spurt (CRUZ missile - armed and ready.)
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To: X-spurt

Time will tell, sorry for missing the Protocol.

When I started donating, I did not get the rules.


6 posted on 10/07/2015 3:52:53 PM PDT by hadaclueonce (I thought Ethanol was the devil, now i find it is America is an Oligarchy)
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To: X-spurt

So should I bitch to you about not getting a copy of the Protocols, or should I take it to the big guy?

Us peon’s need to know....Master...


7 posted on 10/07/2015 3:55:24 PM PDT by hadaclueonce (I thought Ethanol was the devil, now i find it is America is an Oligarchy)
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To: hadaclueonce

“prediction, when the truth comes out of what really happened in Waco that day, “

It is already out. It is on Video.


The leader of the Dallas County Bandidos motorcycle gang opened fire on rival bikers at a shootout in Waco last month, police claim in newly-released court documents.

David Martinez, 45, pulled out a 32-caliber pistol, started shooting, and then hid the weapon in the back of someone else’s car, police said.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/investigations/Dallas-Bandido-Opened-Fire-in-Waco-Shootout-Police-308261651.html


8 posted on 10/07/2015 4:08:06 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: X-spurt; hadaclueonce

Given that several bikers said the bikers started the shooting and that the police say in formal documents that they have video prior to and during the altercation showing the bikers pulling guns prior to the altercation and shooting each other after the ‘punch’ one has to wonder why someone would keep digging their grave on this topic?


9 posted on 10/07/2015 4:21:59 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: TexasGator

.
Have you seen this magical video?

No?

Gee, I wonder why!


10 posted on 10/07/2015 4:25:27 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: editor-surveyor

Keep digging ...


11 posted on 10/07/2015 4:30:59 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: hadaclueonce; X-spurt

.
X-spurt is just one of the noisy noobs, and is not known for valuable prognostication.

He may change with time. TG is a shill for sure.


12 posted on 10/07/2015 4:31:04 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: editor-surveyor

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3345922/posts?page=5#5


13 posted on 10/07/2015 5:03:43 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: TexasGator

.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3345922/posts?page=12#12
.


14 posted on 10/07/2015 5:07:30 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
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To: TexasGator

On you mean that video, THAT NO ONE HAS SEEN.

< p>
Did you read some of the comments? No one with any sense believes the waco authorities version of the story.


15 posted on 10/07/2015 5:20:53 PM PDT by precisionshootist
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To: precisionshootist

“Did you read some of the comments? No one with any sense believes the waco authorities version of the story.”

I don’t think the Waco authorities would lie on formal court documents.

Get real! When you testify that you saw a shooting on the video, it will come up again. You have to be dense or a gangbot to NOT believe all the biker statements AND police sworn statements.


16 posted on 10/07/2015 5:28:59 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: precisionshootist

“On you mean that video, THAT NO ONE HAS SEEN”

Many have seen it. Sworn statements have been made to its contents.


17 posted on 10/07/2015 5:29:46 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: precisionshootist

“No one with any sense believes the waco authorities version of the story.”

“”Me and my sister were on the patio when it happened, all the bikers were running out with gun!” Christal Valdez told her Facebook friends. “


18 posted on 10/07/2015 5:38:46 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: precisionshootist

“Did you read some of the comments? No one with any sense believes the waco authorities version of the story.”

And Gator’s job is to obfuscate and misdirect.


19 posted on 10/07/2015 5:45:09 PM PDT by ExyZ
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To: TexasGator

To: TexasGator

Do you have to be an ass every day?

84 posted on 9/26/2015, 5:24:20 PM by Jim Robinson (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God!)


20 posted on 10/07/2015 5:46:19 PM PDT by ExyZ
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