Judges summon Twin Peaks bikers for case updates

[Elderberry]

Wacotrib by Tommy Witherspoon 4/192018

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.

More: http://www.wacotrib.com/news/courts_and_trials/judges-summon-twin-peaks-bikers-for-case-updates/article_e30fadb8-016f-55e7-8da7-acd04b6f5a09.html

[Sanguine]

 

[roamer_1]

@Smokin Joe
@Salamander

[driftdiver]

How long is this miscarriage going to continue

[Elderberry]

Probably another 7 years to litigate all the civil suits.

[Sanguine]

UPDATE:

More Twin Peaks case dismissals expected as prosecutors re-evaluate evidence

Two dozen bikers indicted in the Twin Peaks shootout learned Friday the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office is re-evaluating their cases and likely will dismiss all but about 25 of the 154 indicted in the May 2015 brawl.

Judge Ralph Strother of Waco’s 19th State District Court summoned 24 members of the Cossacks motorcycle group or their support clubs to court to get answers about how the Twin Peaks cases, pending in court for almost three years, will proceed.

Assistant District Attorney Amanda Dillon told the judge that she and others on the Twin Peaks prosecution team have been re-evaluating the cases and likely will have recommendations on how to proceed to lame duck McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna by the end of next week....

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/courts_and_trials/more-twin-peaks-case-dismissals-expected-as-prosecutors-re-evaluate/article_01638f11-85b2-5eb8-81ee-11f5fe55fc3c.html?utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=Newsletter%20Master%20List&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines

[Elderberry]

More from WacoTrib:

“You know, with almost no fanfare, we just had the most significant day we have had in nearly three years,” Looney said. “The state just announced that they are going to dismiss all but maybe 25 of these cases. So in a nondescript afternoon courtroom, we and the judge found out the answer about cases involving about 100 folks, and that’s a pretty big deal. … The judge has been looking to the state forever and saying, ‘Who do you want to try? Who do you want to try?’ I think three years later, it is fair to say the answer is nobody.”

Looney said White, a disabled former construction worker, was living in Waco at the time of the shootout but has since moved to East Texas. White was walking in the parking lot and was shot in the mouth as the shootout erupted. The fight left nine bikers dead and more than 20 injured.

Looney said White ran to the bathroom at Twin Peaks, bleeding profusely from his wound.

“He has no clue who shot him. He didn’t even know there was a controversy happening at the time,” Looney said.

White is seeking a trial date because he has had the matter hanging over his head for three years, Looney said.

“I don’t want him to be on bond for a fourth year,” Looney said. “Just because they are hanging out a carrot that he may be dismissed, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to set a trial date. I want to have one or the other and let this man loose, soon. Let’s try him and let the jury cut him loose or let’s file a dismissal on him. I just want him cut loose soon.

“I don’t know what to say about his situation. You have never seen it. I have never seen it. America has never seen anything like this before. We don’t operate this way, and I think we now have an object lesson on never doing it again.”