Posted on 10/21/2015 10:47:03 AM PDT by don-o
The last biker still behind bars over the deadly clash at the the Twin Peaks in Waco is expected to be released from jail Wednesday, his lawyer said.
Marcus Pilkington and 176 others arrested had been held on $1 million bail a piece following the May melee that left nine people dead and 18 wounded. Everyone else had been able to either meet the bail amount of have their bail greatly reduced.
The McLennan County District Attorney’s Office agreed to his bail being dropped to $50,000, which means Pilkington has to post 10 percent of that to be conditionally freed pending an outcome to the case.
“Finally he can get out, we can talk and start investigating” said Houston lawyer Mark Thiessen. The money was raised by family and friends.
Pilkington has been a sergeant at arms for a chapter of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club, according to the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office.
He is charged with being part of an organized crime conspiracy to commit assault and murder as part of an ongoing fight with the the Cossacks Motorcycle Club.
So far no one has been indicted in the case and authorities have not revealed who they believe harmed who among the bikers, including how many were shot by Waco Police.
There has been increasing pressure on authorities to move forward with the case and drop charges against dozens of bikers who didn’t directly participate in any violence.
Thiessen said he decided to represent Pilkington for free because the biker has no money and needs help in one of the largest prosecutions ever in the region.
“I’m interested in this case and want to make sure justice is done,” he said. “It is a huge case in Texas, and it is going to need quality Texas trial attorneys.’
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.chron.com ...
they were called aforetime, IMO
You might also be interested to know that out of 177 people arrested, charged with conspiracy to commit murder and/or aggravated assault, and held on $1 million bail for two weeks to more than a month, all but one were Texas residents and fully two thirds -- 117 of them -- had totally clean records in the state of Texas.
Of the ones arrested with prior records, a tiny percentage had serious charges in their pasts, such as aggravated assault, robbery, and meth manufacture and selling. Most were minor things like DUIs, possession of pot, or illegal carry of a firearm.
I have been around bikers all my life, mostly independent bikers but a few club bikers, ranging from Hells Angels and very bad dudes to guys who ride with benign clubs such as Bikers Against Child Abuse. I will tell you certain sure that the true bad-dude bikers who assault, extort, kidnap, rob, and murder, all have records as long as your arm that date back to their early 20s if not earlier, and that they make up a very tiny percentage of all bikers.
Also, I will tell you certain sure that to begin an armed conflict in such a public setting as the Twin Peaks restaurant/COCI meeting is totally out of character.
I think that LEO is lying through their teeth on this, and I think the whole thing, the mass arrest of mostly patriotic innocent law-abiding people, was a Fed-led operation and the local Waco cops are the fall guys.
No, that was never answered.
Yep. Knarf, if you are really serious about trying to understand what went down in Waco on May 17, look at don-o's posts in forum and take it from there. Don-o is probably our best resident expert and certainly has enabled a path for anyone who is interested to find links that will reveal as much truth as can be found.
Of course they were. But, rather than assuming a visible posture, they were hunkered down. They did not react until AFTER the shooting started.
Expert?
Hardly. I am simply the messenger. I took on the task of trying to keep the story active on the board. I was told by a respected FReeper that Waco is the “most important story in America.”
For the legal details, Cboldt is the man.
Well, yes, cboldt is all of that. But you have been the beacon, don-o. :^)
I’m fairly certain that was a rhetorical question.
:)
True.
But it was fun to see.
I'm VERY busy with school/school board stuff ... I'm a sound byte poster these days
On the bright side, at least the authorities haven’t yet reached the point of corruption where they indict on made-up charges.
**********************************************************************************
Give them time...they may just do that as they struggle to somehow get out of the web of lies they have spun.
Thiessen said he decided to represent Pilkington for free because the biker has no money and needs help in one of the largest prosecutions ever in the region.
“I’m interested in this case and want to make sure justice is done,” he said. “It is a huge case in Texas, and it is going to need quality Texas trial attorneys.’
Thiessen didn’t point fingers over Pilkington having spent so long in jail.
“I think he just kind of got lost in the system,” Thiessen said. “I said, you know what, I’m going to do this case for free to help this guy out.”
The next step is to see who among those charged will be indicted by a grand jury and proceed toward trial.
******************************************************************************
Props to this Texas attorney who wants to see injustice undone and has agreed to represent this biker for free. That is definitely a good deed and a righteous thing to do. Of course, this good deed may later be repaid with the attorney getting in with the civil suits that will be filed against the perpetrators of this monstrous government statist travesty and its oppression of innocent people. You can’t destroy people’s lives and expect to get away scot-free.
Below is cut and pasted (minus footnotes) from “DEFENDANT PEAKTASTIC BEVERAGE, LLC’S MOTION TO DESIGNATE UNKNOWN CRIMINAL ACTORS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AS RESPONSIBLE THIRD PARTIES” as filed for record 10/21/2015 in Dallas County District Court, Case No. DC-15-05787, styled DC WACO RESTAURANT, INC. D/B/A DON CARLOS RESTAURANT vs. PEAKTASTIC BEVERAGE, LLC D/B/A TWIN PEAKS RESTAURANT, et al
******
V. THE COURT SHOULD DESIGNATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AS RESPONSIBLE THIRD PARTIES
Law Enforcement has been tracking a feud between the Bandidos and Cossacks, two motorcycle gangs, for at least the past year. Region 1 of the Confederation of Clubs and Independents (“COCI”) booked the patio of TPW for a peaceable meeting to discuss the Texas legislative session and disseminate information regarding issues of public interest to motorcycle enthusiasts.9 The twelve region COCI regularly meets for such purposes and has been recognized by public institutions as a legitimate lobbying group on behalf of motorcycle enthusiasts. Waco PD was definitely present at the scene prior to the initiation of any violence or gunfire at the scene. Additionally, Texas DPS admitted in a recent court hearing that they were present at the Incident. During their preparations that morning, Texas DPS observed the Bandidos and their support groups staging at the nearby Flying J truck stop, which forced Texas DPS to shift their own staging area to another location.
Texas DPS also stated during a recent hearing that they observed the Cossacks occupying defensive positions around TPW. Officers from various law enforcement agencies, including Waco PD and Texas DPS, were positioned around the restaurant prior to the Incident. Waco PD admittedly used SWAT officers armed with rifles with sound suppressors during the Incident. According to a June 12 press release from the Waco PD, 44 shell casings were recovered from the crime scene and twelve of the 44 shell casings were fired from the suppressed rifles of three Waco PD SWAT Officers.
In an unsworn statement to the Honorable Ralph Strother during his bond hearing, John Wilson, the alleged leader of the McLennan County Chapter of the Cossacks, said that “Waco PD had come to my [motorcycle] shop several times in the month prior telling me that there had been threats towards us.” Then, Mr. Wilson’s attorney, Mr. Mike White, said that his investigation revealed that Waco PD “actually advised him [Wilson] to begin a dialogue to try to lower the tension that had been preceding this event for numerous weeks. . . They [Waco PD] suggested that he either go to this [the COCI] meeting or start some dialogue or start having sit- downs with opposing motorcycle clubs.”
As a result, there is evidence that Law Enforcement is responsible for Plaintiff’s alleged injury or damages.
It's been done for as long as man has walked the earth.
As a result, there is evidence that Law Enforcement is responsible for Plaintiff’s alleged injury or damages.
Just read it. Wow. Thanks for the ping.
Totally agree, Fed FUBAR
Evidence?
Let the Grand Jury bill or no bill. Then let discovery begin. The Truth must be exposed, no matter who it hurts.
Does not take a rocket scientist to understand that great personal harm has been done to many innocent victims.
Peaktastic will probably file similar motions in the (at least two) wrongful death suits, too. Let the jury allocate blame. If nothing else, it dilutes Peaktastic’s share of damages.
Previous "answers" by defendant Peaktastic named John Doe "criminal actors 1-200" as liable, in addition to making other arguments. The Motion of October 21 is the first time law defendant has alleged that enforcement is also liable.
It's up to the court to decide whether or not to draw in third party defendants.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.