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Offline Elderberry

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Jury Has Mongols Case
« on: December 05, 2018, 02:37:09 am »
The Aging Rebel 12/4/2018

A federal trial jury in Santa Ana, California began deliberating the racketeering case United States versus Mongol Nation, An Unincorporated Association today about 1:15 p.m. Pacific Time.

The case title is clumsy because it is a confusing case that tries to make the last 20 years of the motorcycle outlaw vision of America dance on the head of a thumbtack. The witness list had everybody but Sonny Barger and Charlie Hunnam. ATF author-heroes William Queen and Jay Dobyns testified about Operation Ivan and Operation Black Biscuit. The four undercover agents from Operation Black Rain – Gregory “Russo” Giaioni, Paul “Painter” D’Angelo, Darrin “Dirty Dan” Kozlowski and John Hollywood Carr testified – or testi-Lied as defense attorney Joe Yanny put it.

A score of alleged Mongols victims and police told their stories.

The mother and sister of a Mongol named David Martinez, whose home was invaded by Swat at four in the morning a little more than four years ago testified. Pomona Police Department SWAT Officer Shaun Diamond did not testify because he died in the raid but his photo literally hovered over hours of the trial like a wraith.

Christopher “Stonee” Ablett who killed Hells Angel Mark “Papa” Guardado in a brief, ferocious fist, knife and gun fight in San Francisco a little more than a decade ago testified.

A Mongol who was stabbed four times and shot four times in the so-called Laughlin riot in April 2002, who won a soc-called “murder patch” because somebody tried to murder him, and who later signed and renouced a coerced plea deal testified.

Al “The Suit” Cavazos who was expelled from the Mongols in 2008 testified and he raged against ATF case agent John Ciccone who sat at the prosecutors’ table.

Mony Robles, a sixty-something Mongol whose motorcycle shop was blown up in 1977, testified. Robles referenced a bouquet of red and white flowers that was sent to a funeral home; the site of another bombing. And, he did not miss a beat when he was asked who he thought has sent the flowers. “The ATF,” Robles replied without pausing to think about it.

Jesse Ventura who was last a Mongol in about 1972 testified and when he did the trial briefly caught the nation’s attention. TMZ picked up the story of the trial that day.

More: http://www.agingrebel.com/17248

Offline TomSea

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2018, 02:55:38 am »
Kind of interesting, those 1% OMGs.   Quite a few pages online to read up on these groups if one is interested and I think from the FBI for one source. I got into reading up about them about 5 years ago.

Offline Cyber Liberty

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2018, 02:43:09 pm »
First I'd heard of the Laughlin Riot.  No wonder Harrah's Laughlin casino sucks.
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Offline Elderberry

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2018, 12:25:13 am »
Mongols Deliberations Continue

http://www.agingrebel.com/17260

Quote
The prosecution is based on a theoretical distinction between what prosecutors describe as the “Mongols Gang” which is comprised of all full members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club, and “Mongol Nation” which includes patched members of the club and former members, club hang arounds, prospects, probationary members and so-called “associates.” Prosecutors defined “associates” to mean Mongols family members, visitors at Mongols sponsored events and people who buy Mongols support gear. Mongol Nation was the named defendant in the case.

Some of the crimes described to the jury were not committed by Mongols members or prospects but by Mongols associates.

If “Mongol Nation” is convicted the government will once again begin proceedings to confiscate various items that proclaim an affiliation with the Mongols Motorcycle Club: That say, for example, “Mongols,” “Support Your Local Mongols,” “MFFM” and “Free The M*****S.” Throughout the fist half of 2009, police executed indicia search warrants of suspected Mongols associates and confiscated personal photographs of men wearing the Mongols patch.

Offline Elderberry

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2018, 03:43:45 am »
Mongol Nation Guilty

http://www.agingrebel.com/17280

Quote
About one o’clock yesterday afternoon a nine-woman, three-man jury in the federal courthouse in Santa Ana, California found Mongol Nation: An Unincorporated Association guilty of racketeering and conspiracy to racketeer.

Red Sox Nation, Baylor Nation and Bachelor Nation might be next. In a breathtakingly short time, a couple of Department of Justice dust bunnies named Christopher Brunwin and Steven Welk have advanced from prosecuting the perpetrators of illegal acts to successfully prosecuting an affinity – we’re talking about an affinity – for a group with symbols that indicate membership in a brotherhood which has some members who arguably committed illegal acts.

The Verdict

What happened yesterday was that the jury unanimously decided that the government had proven that Mongol Nation was responsible for five of nine racketeering acts: Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing cocaine; the distribution of methamphetamine in Los Angeles on November 26, 2006; the beating death of a man named Leon Huddleston in a dive bar in Lancaster, California by a patched Mongol and a non-Mongol on February 14, 2007; the attempted murder of two Hells Angel prospects on April 6, 2008; and the distribution of methamphetamine by patched members of the club on June 19, 2008.

The jury unanimously decided that the government had not proven “Mongol Nation” culpable for three other “overt acts” of racketeering: An attempted murder at a toy run in Riverside County, California on December 4, 2005; the murder of Hells Angel Mark “Papa” Guardado by Mongol Christopher “Stonee” Ablett in San Francisco on September 2, 2008; and the murder of a man named Bill James outside a Gustine, California bar on November 6, 2009 by six men prosecutors alleged were members or associates of the Mongols.

The jury could not decide if Mongol Nation was guilty of what the government characterized as two attempted murders outside Nicola’s adult entertainment club on April 8, 2007. Two members of the jury thought Mongol Nation was guilty of that. Ten jurors did not.

What Next

The jurors were meticulous in their deliberations. They began asking Judge David O. Carter questions about the verdict forms at ten yesterday morning. After they rendered their verdict they were surprised to learn their work was not complete. The fact that there will be a forfeiture phase to this trial had been kept secret from them.

The trial will resume on Tuesday, January 8 when the same jurors will listen to about three days of testimony and argument about what Mongol Nation has that the government might want to steal.

More at link above.

Offline Free Vulcan

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2018, 04:02:35 am »
Damn Mongrorians.
The Republic is lost.

Offline sneakypete

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2018, 12:10:11 pm »
Kind of interesting, those 1% OMGs.   

@TomSea

Not if you know anything at all about them,and kinda circulate in the same circles. I started riding custom Harley's I built myself back in the late 60's. Have known and been friendly with people in the Outlaws,Galloping Gooses,Renegades,Pagans,Brother Speed,and probably other clubs I have forgotten. Even known a few genuine Hells Angles,but they were all cosmic assholes to a man,and it was impossible to be friendly with any of them because they all seemed to think they were movie stars. Had my first run-in with one of them in the Doggy Diner in San Francisco in 1965 while waiting to ship out to Asia for the first time,and my opinion of them hasn't improved any since then.

The thing you MUST understand is that even though you know these people,and sometimes ride and socialize with them at parties is that YOU ARE NOT THEIR FRIEND. You are just someone they know. Their only friends are their club brothers,and you ain't a club brother. Good people to be around as long as none of their brothers are around,but the minute one of more of their bros show up it's "Us and THEM time",and you are the only "THEM" there.

I will admit to getting along with the Outlaw MC Club in Denver better than any of the others. The President owned a Harley shop in town,and I've had him give me parts and lend me tools when I was in a bind. I used to go there to visit and joke when I had nothing better to do,and got along great with all of them.

I NEVER made the mistake of thinking I was one of them though,and if someone even HINTED at talking about "club business" I got the hell out of there right then.

All in all,nice people if you are dealing with them one on one,though. Except for the Hells Angels,of course. Assholes to a man.
« Last Edit: December 15, 2018, 12:10:54 pm by sneakypete »
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Offline sneakypete

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #7 on: December 15, 2018, 12:14:23 pm »
Mongols Deliberations Continue

http://www.agingrebel.com/17260

@Elderberry

Cops are all mama's boys who just can STAND the thought of someone who doesn't wear red and march in a straight line.
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Offline sneakypete

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #8 on: December 15, 2018, 12:18:27 pm »
Mongol Nation Guilty

What Next

The jurors were meticulous in their deliberations. They began asking Judge David O. Carter questions about the verdict forms at ten yesterday morning. After they rendered their verdict they were surprised to learn their work was not complete. The fact that there will be a forfeiture phase to this trial had been kept secret from them.

The trial will resume on Tuesday, January 8 when the same jurors will listen to about three days of testimony and argument about what Mongol Nation has that the government might want to steal.

@Elderberry

And there you have it. Legal theft is at the root of that whole trial. They have it,the government wants it,so the government will put them in prison and legally steal what they want.

The REAL dirtbags wear badges or have law degrees. You can go your whole life being around bikers and never have any problems at all as long as you leave them alone,but you can't say the same about cops or prosecutors.
« Last Edit: December 15, 2018, 12:20:39 pm by sneakypete »
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Offline TomSea

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #9 on: December 15, 2018, 06:20:33 pm »
@TomSea

Not if you know anything at all about them,and kinda circulate in the same circles. I started riding custom Harley's I built myself back in the late 60's. Have known and been friendly with people in the Outlaws,Galloping Gooses,Renegades,Pagans,Brother Speed,and probably other clubs I have forgotten. Even known a few genuine Hells Angles,but they were all cosmic assholes to a man,and it was impossible to be friendly with any of them because they all seemed to think they were movie stars. Had my first run-in with one of them in the Doggy Diner in San Francisco in 1965 while waiting to ship out to Asia for the first time,and my opinion of them hasn't improved any since then.

The thing you MUST understand is that even though you know these people,and sometimes ride and socialize with them at parties is that YOU ARE NOT THEIR FRIEND. You are just someone they know. Their only friends are their club brothers,and you ain't a club brother. Good people to be around as long as none of their brothers are around,but the minute one of more of their bros show up it's "Us and THEM time",and you are the only "THEM" there.

I will admit to getting along with the Outlaw MC Club in Denver better than any of the others. The President owned a Harley shop in town,and I've had him give me parts and lend me tools when I was in a bind. I used to go there to visit and joke when I had nothing better to do,and got along great with all of them.

I NEVER made the mistake of thinking I was one of them though,and if someone even HINTED at talking about "club business" I got the hell out of there right then.

All in all,nice people if you are dealing with them one on one,though. Except for the Hells Angels,of course. Assholes to a man.

I have a friend who was stationed out in or near SF and he had a few tales to tell.  His name is Duane, I see him every now and then. I think he was also at an army base in Oregon/Washington. I get them all mixed up.  I think I remember these places but I don't want to say, I might misstate things.

For the first time, I saw a guy all in motorcycle leather the other day, I came home to look up the name, it wasn't a "one percenter" outfit. I know even one of those one percenter outfits who was at the Twin Peaks (Waco) shooting of about 3 years ago actually had charitable events. Like I said, it's interesting and I was contributing to the conversation. Nothing more.  Yes, I would not want to mess with the Hells Angels and really, any of those other groups, truth to be told. There are many motorcycle groups who do not do any of those lurid kinds of things.

@sneakypete

Offline sneakypete

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #10 on: December 15, 2018, 06:35:22 pm »
  There are many motorcycle groups who do not do any of those lurid kinds of things.

@sneakypete

True,but I'm not much of a joiner,and truth to be told,prefer the company of scooter trash to the weekend posers. Scooter trash are predictable.  They never pretend to be anything other than what they are,so there are no ugly surprises.

Unlike many others,they are also more than willing to leave independent riders alone to live their lives according to their beliefs as long as you don't try to stick your nose into club business. All in all,my experiences with actual patch holders have been nothing but pleasant. The only dust-ups I ever had was with club prospects thinking they could run their mouths at me,and learning too late that prospects are on their own when they start fights. That's why clubbers make people prospect,so they can see how they handle themselves in everyday life,and if they will be more trouble than they are worth.
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Offline TomSea

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #11 on: December 17, 2018, 04:31:51 am »
True,but I'm not much of a joiner,and truth to be told,prefer the company of scooter trash to the weekend posers. Scooter trash are predictable.  They never pretend to be anything other than what they are,so there are no ugly surprises.

Unlike many others,they are also more than willing to leave independent riders alone to live their lives according to their beliefs as long as you don't try to stick your nose into club business. All in all,my experiences with actual patch holders have been nothing but pleasant. The only dust-ups I ever had was with club prospects thinking they could run their mouths at me,and learning too late that prospects are on their own when they start fights. That's why clubbers make people prospect,so they can see how they handle themselves in everyday life,and if they will be more trouble than they are worth.

In the early '90s, I was in that area, I'd go to Boulder pretty often, I remember right in the middle of the summer, some bikers with their ol' ladies on their harleys, it was just a sight, it be gang members, non-gang members (that's probably what they were) but with long hair and beards on the guys of course, it was just a surprise to see for a country boy.

@sneakypete

Like I said, I've read some FBI documents on them, stuff on the web. I'm not generally going to go looking at their websites and stuff. I think I did once reading about the Pagans but not much else ever. I don't really care about that stuff.

Offline sneakypete

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #12 on: December 17, 2018, 03:00:00 pm »
In the early '90s, I was in that area, I'd go to Boulder pretty often, I remember right in the middle of the summer, some bikers with their ol' ladies on their harleys, it was just a sight, it be gang members, non-gang members (that's probably what they were) but with long hair and beards on the guys of course, it was just a surprise to see for a country boy.

@sneakypete

Like I said, I've read some FBI documents on them, stuff on the web. I'm not generally going to go looking at their websites and stuff. I think I did once reading about the Pagans but not much else ever. I don't really care about that stuff.

@TomSea

There is no real reason for you to care. You and most other people can live your entire lives without having any personal contact with 1 percenters. I spent several years living my life on the fringes of that lifestyle,so I ran into and had personal contacts with many of them for a decade or more. Most genuine 1 percenters are very nice people  one on one,and there is no reason to have any trouble with one unless you think you need to prove something. I have had many of them go out of their way to help me keep on the road by giving me parts,lending me tools,and even personally helping me put my bike back together over my riding years. As INDIVIDUALS,I will rate them as probably the nicest group of people I ever associated with.
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Offline Elderberry

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2019, 02:24:05 am »
Mongol Nation Part Two

Quote
The Aging Rebel 1/5/2019

The widely misreported, entirely ridiculous Mongol Nation trial resumes Tuesday in a federal court in Santa Ana, California.

On December 13, after listening to Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Reuben Welk and Christopher Michael Brunwin and a parade of prosecution witnesses bloviate, exaggerate and lie for five weeks; and after listening to a parade of defense witnesses that included media personality Jesse Ventura (Ventura was once a Mongol named “Dirty” Jim Janos) protest that “it isn’t like that in motorcycle clubs at all;” a nine-woman, three-man jury found the turn of phrase “Mongol Nation” guilty of five racketeering acts including conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine a decade ago; the beating death of a man named Leon Huddleston in 2007, and the attempted murder of two Hells Angel prospects in 2008.

The Mongols Motorcycle Club was not on trial. “Mongol Nation” which prosecutors told the jury comprised Mongols patch holders, prospects, hang arounds and “club associates,” was on trial. Not even the prosecution’s own witnesses could agree on what a “Mongols associate” was.

Mongol Nation

The idea of putting “Mongol Nation” on trial originated with a federal district judge named Otis D. Wright II. Accusing “Mongol Nation” made the subsequent prosecution possible for technical, legal reasons. The short version is that racketeering prosecutions require a “RICO person” and a “RICO enterprise.” In this case the Mongols Motorcycle Club is the RICO enterprise and Mongol Nation is the named defendant rather than some actual person the law can put in jail.

More: http://www.agingrebel.com/17306

Offline Elderberry

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #14 on: January 17, 2019, 02:22:23 am »
Mongol Nation Opinions Sought

January 16, 2019

http://www.agingrebel.com/17344

Quote
The Mongol Nation forfeiture verdict last week, in which a dozen ordinary men and women in suburban Los Angeles, were convinced by a pair of scalawag prosecutors to forbid members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club from wearing what they want to wear, was far from the final word on the subject.

Given the technical complexity of the legal issues inherent to the case – like, for example, the fine points of conspiracy, the capacity of an abstract entity to feel guilt and RICO “distinctness” – it is probable that nobody thinks the verdict was good law that should now be followed in every court everywhere.

Mongol Nation is now entirely in Carter’s hands. He has the job of making a momentous decision with wide ranging implications. Today, in a proceeding in his chambers that is unlikely to be widely noticed, Carter solicited legal advice.

He issued an “Amicus Invitation” that invited “interested members of the public” to submit amicus curiae briefs” discussing three legal issues.

The issues are:

“Whether criminal forfeiture of any and all legal and equitable rights of any kind or nature associated with or appurtenant to a collective membership mark violates the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.”

“Whether forfeiture of a collective membership mark is feasible under intellectual property law.”

“Whether an unincorporated association is legally capable of committing the crimes of murder and/or attempted murder.”

Offline Elderberry

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #15 on: February 02, 2019, 03:16:08 pm »
Mongols Motorcycle Club vows to fight trademark loss

Biker News Network by THUMPERRRR on Fri, 02/01/2019
http://bnews.chopperguy.net/articles/2019/02/01/mongols-motorcycle-club-vows-fight-trademark-loss

The federal government said they're a convicted criminal gang, and Hell's Angels consider them enemies. They call themselves the Mongols Motorcycle Club - and they're one of the most notorious MC groups in the world.

"It's about honor, respect and pride," David Santillan said.

But for this East L.A.-born brotherhood, the last few years have been a fight for survival. They've been under federal indictment for the last decade. And recently, a federal jury in Santa Ana convicted the national club of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy for murder, attempted murder and drug dealing.

More than 75 of their members were convicted - including their former president Ruben "Doc" Cavazos. But the biggest blow of all - hit them where it hurts the most, they lost the rights to their trademarked emblem.

"What the patch means to me and to all my brothers when we ride, it's like a ring in a marriage. It symbolizes our loyalty and commitment to the Mongols Motorcycle when we're out there riding together as a club." Santillan said.

More at link.

Offline bigheadfred

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #16 on: February 02, 2019, 03:39:30 pm »
This would make a great tv show.
She asked me name my foe then. I said the need within some men to fight and kill their brothers without thought of Love or God. Ken Hensley

Offline Elderberry

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #17 on: March 01, 2019, 01:34:13 am »
Judge won't make Mongols biker gang surrender trademark logo

https://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/Judge-won-t-make-Mongols-biker-gang-surrender-13653098.php

Quote
A California judge delivered a blow Thursday to a decade-long effort by federal prosecutors to strip the Mongols motorcycle gang of its trademarked logo, ruling such a move would be unconstitutional.

U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter in Santa Ana nullified a first-of-its-kind jury verdict that would have given the government control of the logo of a Mongol warrior astride a chopper-style motorcycle and two other trademarks.

Ordering forfeiture of the trademarks would violate the First Amendment rights to freedom of association and Eighth Amendment protections against excessive penalties, Carter said.

"The collective membership mark acts as a symbol that communicates a person's association with the Mongol Nation, and his or her support for their views," Carter wrote. "Though the symbol may at times function as a mouthpiece for unlawful or violent behavior, this is not sufficient to strip speech of its First Amendment protection."

Mongols' attorney Joe Yanny said the ruling was a big deal for the bikers and he criticized prosecutors for wasting millions of dollars chasing "an impossible dream by some government guy who had no respect for the constitutional rights he might be trampling."

"It's an attempt at collective guilt, which has never been the law here in this country," Yanny said. "You don't hold people guilty or punish folks simply because they know people that may be related in some fashion to people who are alleged to have done something wrong."

Prosecutors were disappointed with the ruling and may appeal, said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. attorney.

More at link.

Offline Cyber Liberty

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Offline Smokin Joe

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Re: Jury Has Mongols Case
« Reply #19 on: March 01, 2019, 10:40:40 am »
How God must weep at humans' folly! Stand fast! God knows what he is doing!
Seventeen Techniques for Truth Suppression

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

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