Posted on 07/20/2015 5:46:35 PM PDT by don-o
ast Friday, 62 days after the worst incidence of biker violence in history, McLennan County District Judge Ralph Strother gave prosecutors another 30 days to disclose their evidence in the case to defense attorneys. A week before, Strother had named a Waco police detective involved in the investigation foreman of the grand jury that will determine whether the accused should be indicted with a crime or not.
One hundred seventy-seven people have been accused of engaging in organized criminal activity. If indicted and convicted they all face a minimum of 15 years in prison. All of the accused were originally detained on $1 million bail. All but three have since made bail.
Pole Cameras
Strother agreed to release video shot by the Twin Peaks restaurant to San Antonio attorney Jay Norton. Norton is not subject to a gag order. Strother has also ordered the release of video from pole cameras installed at the Twin Peaks restaurant by the Texas Department of Public Safety sometime before the gunfight on May 17. Strother also agreed to allow defense attorneys to see video shot at the scene by body cameras worn by police who were there.
It is unclear whether defense attorneys will have access to information about any confidential informants who might have participated in the melee; other evidence that would help explain the surveillance of the Twin Peaks; the exact “warnings” given the Twin Peaks management about the dangerous nature of the gathering that day; or an explanation for the presence of a score of police officers and an armored vehicle at the restaurant.
Waco flies off in many directions. The official secrecy that has surrounded the Twin Peaks massacre for more than two months has given rise to widely spread, inane gossip and speculation.
Every disclosure seems to invite another mouthful of bizarre questions. For example, what did the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission know and when did it know it?
Drinking Problems
Police agencies involved in the prelude and aftermath of the Twin Peaks are known to include the Waco Police Department and McLennan County Sheriff’s Office; the state Texas Department of Public Safety, TABC and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
The morning after the Twin Peaks violence, the TABC released a statement that announced that the Commission “at the request of the Waco Police Department, has issued a seven-day summary suspension for the TABC license of Twin Peaks Restaurant, 4671 South Jack Kultgen Expressway in Waco. The suspension comes after a suspected motorcycle gang shooting that left nine dead and at least 18 people wounded Sunday, May 17.”
“During the suspension, TABC will work with the Waco Police Department to investigate whether the restaurant’s operational or management policies contributed to an atmosphere which allowed the shooting to take place. Any wrongdoing uncovered during the investigation could result in further action against the restaurant, including monetary fines, further suspension, or cancellation of its TABC license to sell alcohol.”
A List
The TABC was already studying the drinking habits of Texas motorcycle enthusiasts. For example, The Aging Rebel has legally obtained a TABC document that begins, “Beth sent me a list of known Bandidos members.” Beth Gray is a TABC officer in Denton, Texas. There are ten names on the list with birth dates and driver’s license numbers.
When contacted about that list today Chris Porter, the TABC press officer, acknowledged seeing the list of names but declined to comment on it because he could not verify its “authenticity.” He added that the TABC is a “law enforcement agency” that “has access to information collected by other” local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that is then disseminated through the “Texas Fusion Center in Austin.” The Austin Fusion Center is one of the places where everything gets fuzzy.
Fusion Center are the visible infrastructure of the federalization of all American policing since September 11, 2001. They are where all domestic intelligence, from U.S. Marshalls’ drone flight photos collected over Texas, to cell phone data collected in Massachusetts, to data collected by license plate readers in Montana goes to hide in a cloud of secrecy and confusion. The Austin Fusion Center even has two names. It is at once A “Primary Fusion center” called the Texas Joint Crime Information Center and a “Recognized Fusion Center” called the Austin Regional Intelligence Center.
According to the boiler plate on its web site, the Texas Fusion Center “is a 24/7 unit that works with federal, state, regional, and local law enforcement and serves as the state repository for homeland security information and incident reporting. It provides real-time intelligence support to law enforcement and public safety authorities, and consolidates information and data on suspicious activities and threats from all jurisdictions and disciplines as well as the public.”
The Center also “supports law enforcement and criminal justice communities by providing analytical case development, as well as strategic and tactical case support to officers regarding criminal organizations, including transnational gangs, drug trafficking organizations, and emerging threats.”
How all the jigsaw puzzle fit together may become more obvious in another 30 days. Or maybe not.
As Michael Savage used to say: “The Stench from the Bench is making me Clench!”
So Texas Freepers, when are you all going to start calling what happened in Waco (the second time) the disgrace that it is?
mark for later
>>> So Texas Freepers, when are you all going to start calling what happened in Waco (the second time) the disgrace that it is? <<<
A bunch of folks here have been saying so all along.
I thought Texas was supposed to be less socialist nanny than California! Or, as the wags say, "Kalifornia."
Sounds like it's every bit as oppressive. For our own good, of course.
Waco is a very corrupt little town, especially the police department, going back to the 80’s and the political prosecution of DA Vic Feazell.
Maybe it’s a coincidence the prosecutors have been given another 30 days to show the reports and videos.
The big 75th Annual Sturgis Rally will be over with by then and over a million bikers are expected to attend. If the info exposes gross dereliction of duty; it’s probably better to not let that info out until after the Rally is over with.
The anti-biker FR members are invited to go to the back end of nowhere during the rally.
We like to think we're slow to anger and condemn, but once we do, better watch out!
Based on their personal experiences, many Texans have already decided one way or the other. Some side with the bikers and some side with the law. The rest of us are watching and waiting for both sides to be presented. Maybe then we will see what the beast looks like and what we are dealing with in this incident.
We're watching closely to determine if Constitutional rights are being upheld or violated. Being for states rights we already have a deep distrust of a big federal government. Now we're wondering if we have been too trustful of our state and local governments as well. Then there's the first Waco incident, which has never been fully explained or justified, still lingering in our minds.
Mix in some (OK a lot of) illegal foreign immigrants and a Democratic past (Slavery, KKK and Rebel flags) heritage. No wonder it is a bit confusing to non-Texans as to why we are armed to the teeth mostly conservative Republicans waving Rebel flags and thumbing our nose at Washington. But Texans have survived many governments over the years proving we're not as dumb as some might think. We know our rights and responsibilities to ourselves and our government. And we will act to protect those rights. Yes, it's a circus down here, but it is our circus.
In the meantime, the powers in Waco and beyond are not looking very good. I, personally, think they are cornered and f*cked either way. They are just prolonging the inevitable by dragging it out. It was a royal screw-up and the federales are probably involved again, just like the first Waco incident. They need more time to play CYA, look for loopholes in the law, and find scapegoats to justify their actions.
I love my state. I agree it would be disgraceful to condone any corruption of this kind, if that is what we determine is happening. We'll let you know when we find out.
Gee.
That would be since the second article about it.
“In the meantime, the powers in Waco and beyond are not looking very good. I, personally, think they are cornered and f*cked either way. They are just prolonging the inevitable by dragging it out. It was a royal screw-up and the federales are probably involved again, just like the first Waco incident. They need more time to play CYA, look for loopholes in the law, and find scapegoats to justify their actions.”
Very well said! I agree that it doesn’t look that the law was followed, and the local judge seems to be helping in the coverup. From the article the most concerning issue for me was this “umbrella organization” that ties all the state, local and federal LEO’s together. That can’t be good at all. I just hope that when the $hit does hit the fan there in Waco, that good and righteous Texans will call them out for what they are. BTW the reference to “second time” had to do with the Branch Davidian massacre.
With respect, truly, but ... if?
Both sides to be presented? Out of 177 people, 117 of them didn't even have prior records. Yet most of them are wearing electronic ankle bracelet monitors at more than $200 a month charge plus a $300-odd installation fee. They were kept from their homes, their jobs, their obligations, for two weeks minimum, some for more than a month, and had to pay at minimum, thousands to return to their lives. They now have a permanent scar of serious arrest charges on their record, which regardless of what happens, they must explain on every application and have on every background check.
IF?
We like to think we're slow to anger and condemn ...
Anger and condemnation aside -- we had better be fast to deal with this if/when it comes up again.
I think they will. They suspect something ain't exactly right down in Waco and this isn't going to fade away because of the number of people involved directly and indirectly. That's a lot of people when you consider each defendant's relatives, employers, and network of friends across Texas are keeping tabs on the outcome.
Regardless, look for lawsuits and payouts to happen. I think Waco could be in dire financial straights if the charges have to be dropped or changed for many of the defendants.
If the worst happens, political careers will be flushed down the tubes and everybody is going to be suing everybody for damages. The lawyers smell money and they will likely make a fortune. A screw-up by LEO is in their best interests, so it is unlikely they would like to see this end favorably for the LEO's. The lawyers and politicians may do it for us. Therefore, we will wait and watch.
When we know whose bullets killed the bikers we will know 90% of the story. Right now we do not know.
Waco may not be ‘very corrupt’, but it is certainly run by a typical ‘good old boy’ network.
A ‘good old boy’ network may be worse than an ‘outlaw biker gang’ organization.
Biker (now Triker) for over 50 years.
“When we know whose bullets killed the bikers we will know 90% of the story. Right now we do not know.”
Wouldn’t that extend to those wounded, as well? The type of weapon used to inflict the injury?
yes
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