It is a muscled Genghis Khan-like figure on a chopper, part
of a set of patches which members say display their brotherhood with other
members.
Unknown Mongols MC members
A jury recently convicted the organization on racketeering
and conspiracy charges.
Now that same jury must decide if there is a link between
the patches and the racketeering acts. If so, the Mongols must give up what is
called their collective membership marks, their patches. The forfeiture would
be a penalty for outlaw activity.
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The Mongols did not speak to the media Tuesday while the
case was in trial, but days ago they described the
significance of the badges.
"It means everything to us. This is a lifestyle, a
culture and a way of life," said David Santillan, national president of
the Mongols Motorcycle Club.
The Mongols say that the criminal convictions sprang from
acts committed a decade ago, under the leadership of a president that the
Mongols kicked out themselves .
"If it wasn't sad it would be funny, these things have
nothing to do with alleged racketeering," lead Mongols attorney Joe Yanny
told the jury.
Retired ATF undercover agent Darrin Kozlowski testified that
members were allowed to buy patches or had them awarded according to what they
carried out for the club.
The Mongols say the racketeering acts and other offenses
were committed by bad apples, not the entire membership.
It's a case like none other undertaken by the U.S.
government. If the jury finds for the prosecution a separate proceeding will
follow to determine whether compelled forfeiture of the patches would violate
the Mongols' First Amendment rights.