Posted on 04/19/2018 5:13:05 PM PDT by Elderberry
With the McLennan County District Attorney's Office in a state of flux, the county's two felony court judges have summoned about 50 Twin Peaks biker shootout defendants to court in coming weeks to try to determine how the 128 or so remaining cases will proceed.
Judge Ralph Strother of 19th State District Court and Judge Matt Johnson of 54th State District Court have scheduled status conferences for many of the Twin Peaks defendants. Strother has summoned 27 defendants for April 27, while Johnson's conference with about 25 defendants is set for May 4.
All of the defendants directed to be in court on those days are or were affiliated with the Cossacks motorcycle group. Nine bikers were killed and more than 20 were injured in the May 17, 2015, shootout between the Cossacks and Bandidos that played out before a lunch crowd at Twin Peaks in Waco.
Since then, only one defendant, Jacob Carrizal, has gone to trial. Carrizal, 36, president of the Dallas Bandidos chapter, remains free on bond after his trial ended in November in a mistrial when jurors deadlocked.
Barry Johnson defeated McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna in the March Republican primary, and two of Reyna's assistants who participated in Carrizal's trial confirmed this week they are leaving the office for other jobs.
Attorneys for bikers tried to conduct hearings in recent months in an effort to disqualify Reyna from handling the Twin Peaks cases. They subpoenaed Reyna and current and former assistants to testify at the hearings.
However, Reyna dismissed 26 Twin Peaks cases and refused 32 others that had not been indicted, effectively putting an end to the hearings at which testimony damaging to Reyna was expected. Since then, activity in the Twin Peaks cases has stagnated.
(Excerpt) Read more at wacotrib.com ...
Three years, one trial, no convictions. What a clown show.
I remember when Stac6 told me I was stupid and didn’t know how the law worked, and that all off these cases would soon end in conviction. LOL
IBTG
They don’t want a mixed crowd at the court house?
They’re probably going to dismiss all the Cossacks.
Isn’t the only known shooter besides the police a Cossack?
I believe his indictment has been dropped already.
Thanks for that link Elderberry. I’ll catch up.
When Waco Gang Unit Detective Jeff Rogers, who showed up to testify at the trial of Jake Carrizal with no notes, no recollection of the specifics, and no way to give any really firm answers, apprehended the information, he urged the top echelon of the department’s brass to visit the local Cossack chapter to encourage them to attend the May 17, 2015 Confederation of Clubs meeting at the Twin Peaks Restaurant in order to try to make peace.
That smells like set up to me.
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