Posted on 06/16/2015 9:57:39 AM PDT by don-o
Judge Ralph Strother, one of the judges who set $1 million bonds in the Twin Peaks biker cases, reduced the bond of the president of the local Waco, Texas, chapter of the Cossacks Motorcycle Club, but ordered that he turn over all of his guns. John Wilson has approximately 30 guns in his home.
snip
Wilson’s bond was reduced from $1 million to $100,000.
The judge reduced the bond of the motorcycle club president, but ordered him to not congregate with other members of the club. This could prove problematic because Wilson owns a cycle shop, Legend Cycles, on Interstate 35 – the interstate highway that runs through Waco.
snip
As reported by the Waco Tribune-Herald, Wilson said he has already had to keep his shop closed for a month while he has been in jail. He said his cycle shop is in danger of going out of business.
John Wilson’s 28-year-old son, Jake Wilson, is still in jail on a $1 million bond. Judge Strother has scheduled a bond-reduction hearing for July 10th.
snip
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
The July 10 date given for bond reduction hearing is an example of the appearance of slow walking these cases.
Not sure that the "gun grabbing" is quite the right headline - though I might be convinced. Note: No one has been charged with anything beyond participating in organized crime.
I still want to know why the cyclist evil doers in this case were not already locked up.
Perfect example of why nobody knows how many guns I HAD (they are in the lake now).
Justice of the Peace is an elected position. You don’t have to be a lawyer. In fact, you don’t even have to have a college degree. At one time an 18 year on in a Dallas suburb was elected back in the 90s. His pay was $70,000 a year. It can go higher or much lower depending on the population.
Bottom line, a justice of the peace is not a judge as we think of a judge.
From Wikipedia:There is no requirement that the JP be an attorney.[24] However, the Texas Government Code requires a JP to attend an 80-hour course involving the performance of JP duties within one year after initial election, and a 20-hour course every year thereafter. In addition, the JP is an ex officio notary public.
I think the cops took all these bikers before a JP so the JP could make a name for himself. But, from I read, he really didn’t have the jurisdiction of criminal cases and those involving that high of a bail.
Sounds like there is a crack in the wall starting, and maybe this will all shake out over time. With all the hype and near hysteria maybe time will bring a needed cool down to both sides and eventually justice can be served.
“No one ever said anything but that the wheel of Justice turns slowly.” (Old saying.)
To me, who hasn’t lived and breathed this story, there is this observation that the Waco residents have generally supported the police actions. Is that right? They may not have liked the heavy handedness but they must have trusted the intentions of the police and DPS.
The residents were never raising huge hell, at least that I know of. But, boy are bikers in general raising it. They are just outnumbered and they mostly don’t live in Waco to have much of a say in local opinion. That was a problem for the opposition to LE, I think. Do you?
They also found a JP because the knew he wouldn’t know what the hell he was doing so he would do what he was advised to do. JMO
You are absolutely right. A judge can be any upstanding citizen. ( That is not always a bad thing, btw.)
They are nominated by city councils and then elected by friends and neighbors. I think they have access to city attorneys for counsel and advisement, or if in a tiny berg, they can access any attorney nearby.
The Waco paper did have an editorial in their Sunday edition.
Bill Whitaker: Wacoans to learn plenty about bikers, ballistics and the Bill of Rights...
Is the “judge” this guy’s relative?:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strother_Martin
“What we have heah, is a failya to communicate!”
I’d give them the guns, bullets first.
???
Has he been convicted of felony?
No?
Then it's gun-grabbing. Pure and simple.
TYFPT
(Thank you for posting this)
Wilson needs a good lawyer who understands and who will fight for The Constitution.
Eff this JOP!
?Wacoans? why not Wacoinians or Wacoites?
CORRECT!!!!!
I asked the same question over and over. Thus far I have had no response.
It doesn't matter what the underlying offense is either.
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