Twin Peaks Biker Files Objection: Waco PD Grand Jury Foreman has Conflict of Interest

Breitbart Texas ^ | July 14, 2015 | Lana Shadwick

[don-o]

Christopher J. Downey is a former Harris County prosecutor who worked in the Civil Rights Division of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. The now criminal defense lawyer has both presented numerous shooting cases to grand juries, and defended police officers on shooting investigations. As a prosecutor he investigated whether any laws were broken or civil rights violations occurred during a police shooting. He is of counsel to a police union, the Coalition of Police and Sheriffs (C.O.P.S.). His job now is to go out on calls when a member shoots someone.

Downey told Breitbart Texas, “The role of any grand jury is to review the assertion of law enforcement that there is probable cause to justify prosecuting an individual. Grand jurors enjoy the unique privilege of total secrecy in their deliberations but in that unique privilege is the assumption that the grand jurors are unbiased.”

“Selecting a grand juror in any case who has prior knowledge of the facts of the case, or allowing a police officer to serve as foreman in a matter that involves allegations of police misconduct, invites unnecessary allegations of bias. It undermines the integrity of the system. To do so in this case, in a case with national attention, is patently absurd,” said Downey.

[TexasGator]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxnW95rdTd0

[Robert Teesdale]

Good...you'll be pleased to know that the McClellan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara has just made a request for a couple of dozen AR15s for his department as well.

I'm not surprised any longer by requests for military hardware from law enforcement agencies in the United States. My pleasure, dismay or indifference is irrelevant.

This request was made in the wake of an incident where a county man armed with an AR15 and shotgun was shooting into a woman's house.

That is not a fun situation.

Apparently the local MC was unavailable to help her.

Was it club business?

[Robert Teesdale]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxnW95rdTd0

I watched the video. I saw poor riding skills, appropriate use of protective gear and luck. The rider was clearly not a "biker" as the term is colloquially used both in culture and on these Free Republic threads.

How does that video apply to the discussion here?

[wardaddy]

Is that a Texas club?

That red and yellow signifies Bandidos MC are ok with it

Doesn’t mean they are criminals

But if I were a club guy in Texas I wouldn’t sport those colors without seeking approval

It’s common sense

You’re doing good with these girls btw

[Robert Teesdale]

Is that a Texas club?

I don't know. I think it was founded in Illinois but I could be incorrect.

That red and yellow signifies Bandidos MC are ok with it

I think the colors are primarily yellow and green.

Doesn’t mean they are criminals

Correct.

But if I were a club guy in Texas I wouldn’t sport those colors without seeking approval

I think it is always wise to be courteous.

It’s common sense

Yes, I agree. It is also gentlemanly, even if simply passing through.

You’re doing good with these girls btw

I'm just filthy biker trash, with a seasoning of insurgency and an aroma of insurrectionist patriotism.

[Finny]

I'm just filthy biker trash, with a seasoning of insurgency and an aroma of insurrectionist patriotism.

You forgot to add, "and a very large, complex vocabulary." {^)

[Finny]

Also, you forgot to add also “a gift for being eloquent and RIGHT.” Like some of us have noticed, your “two cents” is worth about 10,000 times more than that, at last.

[mac_truck]

Was it club business?

The woman was not engaged in any illegal activity that I'm aware of.

But the real issue here is that the folks who responded to her calls for help were inadequately armed to deal with the situation should it have gone sideways...hence the request for upgraded armaments.

At Twin Peaks the Waco police were adequately armed and took care of business after the MCs started shooting it out.

I'm guessing the Sheriff's request will be approved...how about you?

[Robert Teesdale]

You are very kind. I very much enjoy language, and writing is a pleasure as is reading. As for being right...

...I get told I'm perhaps somewhat extreme at times.

But there's no pleasure in being a bland human.

[Robert Teesdale]

The woman was not engaged in any illegal activity that I'm aware of.

Club business may or may not involve illegal activity; one does not define the other. That is rather elementary

But the real issue here is that the folks who responded to her calls for help were inadequately armed to deal with the situation should it have gone sideways...hence the request for upgraded armaments.

That is fine.

At Twin Peaks the Waco police were adequately armed and took care of business after the MCs started shooting it out.

I expect being prepositioned had far more to do with it.

I'm guessing the Sheriff's request will be approved...how about you?

I don't doubt.

[mac_truck]

I expect being prepositioned had far more to do with it.

IIRC the police wanted to "preposition" uniformed officers inside Twin Peaks to prevent trouble on the day of the event but the venue refused to let them.

It will be interesting to find out if the Texas Confederation of Clubs itself was made aware of the threats or was involved in the decision not to let uniformed police be present on-site.

However it does look like the whole billy bad-ass biker shootout could have been prevented with a little bit of adult supervision inside the venue.

[easternsky]

Do you ever feel like people are standing up, red faced and yelling when they are posting to you? You think they go through a lot of Keyboards and have to wipe the spittle off of them often?

[Robert Teesdale]

IIRC the police wanted to "preposition" uniformed officers inside Twin Peaks to prevent trouble on the day of the event but the venue refused to let them.

I have heard that as well. It is absolutely within the rights of the venue to refuse armed State supervision over lawful public assembly and the concomitant intimidation of patrons and events. The First Amendment is there for a reason.

It will be interesting to find out if the Texas Confederation of Clubs itself was made aware of the threats or was involved in the decision not to let uniformed police be present on-site.

The COC had been holding monthly meetings for many years without incident. It is reasonable to assume that the restaurant management would have asked the COC representatives and been advised that allegations of threats were not serious, and that history did not support them. Additionally, the purpose and intent of the COC is precisely a neutral ground for all bikers and riders.

However it does look like the whole billy bad-ass biker shootout could have been prevented with a little bit of adult supervision inside the venue.

You can prevent nearly anything you want by filling venues with armed, uniformed agents of the State to supervise, control, bark orders, intimidate, arrest and kill.

That's not a free country, however.

[Robert Teesdale]

Do you ever feel like people are standing up, red faced and yelling when they are posting to you? You think they go through a lot of Keyboards and have to wipe the spittle off of them often?

Not really. Free Republic is a pretty well-behaved place, and posters tend to self-modulate, outside of occasional ozone flashes, horned cats and the odd spork-weasel.

It's not representative of the broad Internet, in other words. I like to think I'm somewhat reasonable in tone in what I post (i.e. not engaging in unreasonable personal attacks) and so it's fun to engage with ideas and language rather than vitriol. Flame wars can be fun, however.

That said, our topic is a deadly serious one. Armed overthrow of the State through metastized insurrection by prepositioned revolutionaries focused on the preservation of freedom under assault by corrupt, substance-eating officers of the State - that's a theoretical arena that's not really just light intellectual banter.

It deserves our serious attention, and in the hope that such attention mitigates the ceaseless slide towards immolation that we see in our nation.

[mad_as_he$$]

In Country is an international club of VN vets. They do mostly fund raising for vets. I support them every time they ask for help.

In Country MC Contact:

William Owens
618-559-3773
williamowens856@yahoo.com

[mac_truck]

It is absolutely within the rights of the venue to refuse armed State supervision over lawful public assembly and the concomitant intimidation of patrons and events.

Yes, I'm aware that Twin Peaks was within it legal rights to refuse a legitimate police request to be present in their venue, although in hindsight it was an unwise and costly decision on their part. As businessmen, what were they thinking?

I also disagree with the negative connotations you assign...after all why shouldn't officer Friendly attend a meeting on motorcycle safety and legislative issues, if that was really all that was going on?

The First Amendment is there for a reason.

The notion that free speech and public safety are mutually exclusive concepts is an anathema to a well ordered society. Police are present at all types of venues and events where free speech is exercised without infringement. Given the set of circumstances what harm would a couple of uniforms on the premises pose?

It is reasonable to assume that the restaurant management would have asked the COC representatives and been advised that allegations of threats were not serious, and that history did not support them.

I'll agree... and this may become a contentious legal issue for the Texas Confederation of Clubs as litigants have already begun to line up accusing the Twin Peaks venue of gross negligence in the death of their loved ones.

You can prevent nearly anything you want by filling venues with armed, uniformed agents of the State to supervise, control, bark orders, intimidate, arrest and kill.

I can't think of a single law abiding business owner who doesn't welcome the presence of uniformed police to his or her establishment. In fact many people including myself make a point of knowing where the police in their area like to frequent. Criminals do the same thing too, but for different reasons.

[RikaStrom]

That seems like a fairly easy way for an innocent party to get no-billed without having to pay a defense lawyer.
I wonder how many of the 177 arrested will opt to go that route...especially that guy who had a forty minute press conference protesting his innocence a couple of weeks ago.

I would tend to agree, and you only need to get 4 people on the GJ to believe you, It requires 9 of the 12 to get a TB, if you get 4 that think your way, it's a NB.

[Robert Teesdale]

Yes, I'm aware that Twin Peaks was within it legal rights to refuse a legitimate police request to be present in their venue, although in hindsight it was an unwise and costly decision on their part. As businessmen, what were they thinking?

That's their business.

I also disagree with the negative connotations you assign...after all why shouldn't officer Friendly attend a meeting on motorcycle safety and legislative issues, if that was really all that was going on?

If that's all that was going on, why would Officer Friendly be needed? I would point out that Officer Friendly died in the ashes of Waco. Or in the woods of Idaho, take your pick. Certainly he wasn't present in Wisconsin during the John Doe investigations and raids that the state Supreme Court recently excoriated as "unsupported by law or reason".

I'd point out that "billy bad-ass" is an assigned negative connotation on your part, wouldn't you agree? Blacken kettles much?

The notion that free speech and public safety are mutually exclusive concepts is an anathema to a well ordered society. Police are present at all types of venues and events where free speech is exercised without infringement. Given the set of circumstances what harm would a couple of uniforms on the premises pose?

Free speech does not require supervision, which is why "First Amendment Zones" or literally putting ropes around journalists and herding them down the street is so disgusting and anathema to America's principles, freedoms, and to simple human rights and dignity.

I won't accept an America like that, and guess what. I will fight you for it, and so will millions of others.

I'll agree... and this may become a contentious legal issue for the Texas Confederation of Clubs as litigants have already begun to line up accusing the Twin Peaks venue of gross negligence in the death of their loved ones.

I am aware of that pending litigation but not the details. I would be surprised if there was an absence of any litigation, regardless of direction. We are a litigious society now.

I can't think of a single law abiding business owner who doesn't welcome the presence of uniformed police to his or her establishment. In fact many people including myself make a point of knowing where the police in their area like to frequent. Criminals do the same thing too, but for different reasons.

So do patriots. And for different reasons.

[easternsky]

Yes it is very serious and I realize some do not realize the danger, but your patience and writing ability I admire. I am always here but post only when I get fed up with their stupidity.

[mac_truck]

I would tend to agree, and you only need to get 4 people on the GJ to believe you, It requires 9 of the 12 to get a TB, if you get 4 that think your way, it's a NB.

Interesting...especially about only needing to convince only 4 grand jurists for a no-bill. Someone who was truly just there for a meeting and got caught up in this mess might benefit from going this route.

Of course no self respecting defense attorney would ever advise a client their services weren't needed. :^)