Twin Peaks indictments list 10th dead biker [Waco]

Waco Herald-Tribune ^ | December 17, 2015 | TOMMY WITHERSPOON

[don-o]

While authorities have said for months that nine bikers died in the May 17 Twin Peaks shootout, indictments in the cases attribute a 10th death to the melee.

The names of the nine bikers killed in the clash of the rival groups have been widely reported. But it wasn't until recently, when the indicted bikers appeared in court for arraignments and the indictments were read aloud, that the inclusion of a 10th biker, identified in indictments as William Anderson, was noticed.

Waco police and McLennan County prosecutors did nothing Thursday to help clear up the discrepancy.

District Attorney Abel Reyna did not return phone calls, and prosecutors Michael Jarrett and Brandon Luce declined comment, deferring questions to Reyna.

Likewise, Waco Assistant Police Chief Ryan Holt and Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton referred questions about the indictment to Reyna, but both said they were not aware of more than nine bikers killed on May 17.

Father and son Cossacks John Robert Wilson and Jacob Ryan Wilson pleaded not guilty Thursday during brief appearances in 19th State District Court.

John Wilson said neither he nor many other bikers know of anyone named William Anderson who was a biker and who was killed in the Twin Peaks incident.

Wilson speculated that prosecutors might have mistaken William Anderson for James Kenneth "Spaz" Anderson, a 53-year-old member of the Bandidos group who was wounded at Twin Peaks and was killed Sept. 3 in Nebraska when his motorcycle struck a deer.

"It looks like there is a Nebraska deer they need to indict," Wilson said.

Prosecutors obtained a search warrant in September to remove a bullet from Anderson's arm at a funeral home in Henderson before he was buried. The bullet was forwarded to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which is conducting forensic analysis of weapons and projectiles in the case.

Others also speculate that it was an error by Reyna's office, similar to how the indictments list someone named Cory Ledbetter among the 24 bikers included as assault victims in the case. Cody Ledbetter was wounded, but there is no record of someone named Cory Ledbetter being involved at Twin Peaks, they say.

Ledbetter's attorney, Paul Looney, of Houston, also said he has heard of no biker killed named William Anderson.

"It's peculiar," Looney said. "At the very least it is sloppy. It was a blunder. I don't know what happened and I don't know what they were doing for the past six months, but it wasn't fact-checking."

Looney filed a motion seeking the earliest trial setting possible for Ledbetter. He also filed a motion to quash the indictment. A hearing on that motion is set for Jan. 8.

Jorge Salinas, a Cossack from Lometa, also pleaded not guilty Thursday during his arraignment.

His attorney, Brian Bouffard, of Fort Worth, said Salinas is a former Marine who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan. He now works at a winery, he said.

"I am proud to know him. I am fortunate to represent him," Bouffard said.

[don-o]

And more not guilty pleas.

[piroque]

Duh, Waco-Bob must be writing these case files

[BlueDragon]

In before Waco Bob (aka "Puddles" -- and I don't mean that clown or that type of puddle, but a different, self-massaging sort of clown-troll, upside downcake gone sideways lopsided distortion who can't count type of lol clown).

[MrEdd]

Or Abel Reyna is displaying a level of incompetence now that is entirely consistent with the level of incompetence he displayed when all of this started.

[Cboldt]

I know the general rule of not ascribing malice when stupidity will explain behavior, but what Reyna ordered goes beyond stupidity. He could have tested his legal theory -- really an attempt to expand the scope of criminal conduct by getting a judge to agree that association can be grounds for criminal guilt -- with fewer than 140 present but not engaged in violence.

[Tupelo]

Once again, I can see only one way the local authorities in this case can be so incompetent.
The Federals must be involved.

[Cboldt]

it wasn't until recently, when the indicted bikers appeared in court for arraignments and the indictments were read aloud, that the inclusion of a 10th biker, identified in indictments as William Anderson, was noticed.

Tommy Witherspoon of the Waco Tribune, on December 18, 2015

The indictment you linked identifies ten dead in the first section, any idea who the tenth dead man is?

16 posted on 11/15/2015 6:58:13 AM PST by mac_truck

[Cboldt]

On the sloppiness angle, I figure some of the wounded were charged with wounding themselves as part of a gang action.

Assuming that the scribe who composed the indictments didn't adjust the list of wounded.

[Cboldt]

I notice Wilson talked to the press about the case. Reyna might notice this and seek contempt charges for violation of the gag order, which expressly forbids discussing this case with the media.

[bgill]

There were rumors an undercover cop was killed so might be him. Of course, if that’s the case then that sheds more bad light onto the LEOs.

[piroque]

On the sloppiness angle, I figure some of the wounded were charged with wounding themselves as part of a gang action.

And all these news reports I've never seen a single reference to the law enforcement's use of their sidearms.

[PAR35]

Well, once the ‘lawmen’ start making up facts, there isn’t a good stopping place.

This must be the legal theory:

A guy named Anderson was shot in the arm. Due to the arm injury, he wasn’t able to swerve and miss the deer. Thus, the bullet caused the death. And the mismatch of given names isn’t relevant.

[mad_as_he$$]

Winner! Forging new legal ground.