Hells Angels Member Wins Lawsuit

Denver, Colorado, USA (September 11, 2020) BTN- Five Colorado police agencies paid $25,000 and issued an apology to a Hells Angels member after an officer two years ago joked that he’d shoot the man to get “paid vacation.”

The settlement stems from a federal lawsuit filed in April by Anthony Mills against the city of Greeley, the town of LaSalle and the Weld County Sheriff’s Office, as well as individual officers from those jurisdictions and from the Kersey and Garden City police departments.

The suit came in response to an April 8, 2018, incident in which David Miller, a LaSalle police officer, pulled over Anthony Mills for speeding.

Saying he “loved getting to (expletive) with” the motorcycle club, Miller asked the other officers who had responded to make sure their body cameras were off as they shared stories about the violent acts they had committed against members of the group, Mills’ attorney, Sarah Schielke, said in a news release announcing the settlement.

“Officer Miller then announced to the group that if Mr. Mills did anything he didn’t like: ‘I’m shooting him! I need some paid vacation!’ ” Schielke said, citing footage from the officer’s own body camera, which he’d left on.

As part of the settlement, Miller issued an apology to Mills, and has since resigned from the department, Schielke said.

“When police officers openly discuss with one another their disdain for one group of citizens that they are sworn to serve and protect, and make jokes about killing those citizens for ‘paid vacation leave,’ they normalize police misconduct and murder,” Schielke said in a statement. “Cop jokes about some lives not mattering inevitably fosters a culture of police officers who are much more willing to pull the trigger on those same lives later.”



The incident marks at least the third time in recent decades in which Colorado cities have paid money and have been forced to apologize to Hells Angels members.

Denver settled two cases — one in 2003 and another in 2008 — over lawsuits alleging illegal searches and traffic stops against bikers.

In November, federal agents in Denver raided the motorcycle club’s Highland neighborhood headquarters, arresting 14 members on organized crime charges. Those cases are still working their way through the courts.

SOURCE: The Denver Post

Police Investigate Shooting Death

Lawton, Oklahoma, USA (September 11, 2020) - Lawton Police officers were called around 4 a.m. to 1806 SW Monroe on a shooting. A male was found suffering a gunshot wound, according to Officer Andrew Grubbs, LPD information officer.

No reference to where the man died, whether at the scene or at a hospital, has been reported. The two story home has a large banner for the Outlaws Motorcycle Club displayed. Any connection has not been released.

“Detectives are still actively investigating the scene. … still interviewing witnesses,” Grubbs said. Grubbs said detectives will identify the victim and offer more information this afternoon.

The shooting death is the sixth from gunfire this year, according The Constitution’s records. It marks two, very recent cases of lives ended by gunfire.

SOURCE: The Lawton Constitution 

Hells Angels Club President Released

Oakland California, USA (September 10, 2020) BTN - A federal magistrate judge signed off on the release of a high-ranking Sonoma Hells Angels member, who is facing charges that he participated in a plot to murder a fellow club member who had fallen out of favor with the club.

But the Thursday morning order by U.S. Magistrate Judge Virginia K. DeMarchi is not the end of the debate; the U.S. Attorney’s office is appealing the release order, meaning that the defendant, Jonathan “Jon Jon” Nelson, will remain at Santa Rita Jail for the time being.

If Nelson’s release is approved, he will be required to adhere to certain conditions; he is forbidden from interacting with other Hells Angels members or going to clubhouses. He will also be forbidden from using a computer or the internet and be limited to a flip phone.

Nelson, named by federal prosecutors as the president of the Hells Angels Sonoma Chapter, was indicted in 2017 as part of a large-scale investigation into the Hells Angels. Eleven club members — most of whom were tied to the Sonoma Club — were charged with racketeering and engaging in serious violent crimes, including murder.

But Nelson’s attorneys have painted him as a “father, son, coach, and small business owner” who is well-respected in the Sonoma area. One of the biggest defense points in favor of releasing Nelson was that he spent several months out of jail after the 2017 indictment.

He was detained in September 2018, when prosecutors filed new charges that made Nelson eligible for the death penalty. When the government decided not to pursue death in this case, Nelson’s attorney have moved for him to be released from jail.

“I believe one important fact in Mr. Nelson’s favor was his previous good performance while released in this case for over nine months on the previous indictment,” said Jai Gohel, one of Nelson’s lawyers. “Also, it is clear that the fact that Mr. Nelson no longer faces the death penalty was enough to tip the balance towards his release.”

Nelson is facing charges that he conspired with several other Hells Angels to murder Joel Silva, a former Hells Angels sergeant-at-arms who prosecutors say had fallen out of favor with his fellow club members. Prosecutors allege that Nelson lured Silva to the Fresno clubhouse, where another member shot him in the head. Silva was illegally cremated at a nearby funeral home, according to prosecutors. Brian Wendt, the president of the Fresno Hells Angels chapter, is alleged to have pulled the trigger.

SOURCE: The Mercury News

Roar To The Shore Event Canceled

Wildwood, New Jersey, USA(September 10, 2020) BTN - Members of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club are expected to be in the resort this weekend, police said, even though an annual motorcycle event they frequent has been canceled.

Police are aware that members of the club will be in the city this weekend, police Chief Robert Regalbuto said Thursday, adding he doesn’t know what they’ll be doing as there’s no event attached to their visit.

“Everybody’s welcome here; anyone who rides a motorcycle is welcome to come to town,” Mayor Pete Byron said. “We just hope that they remain respectful and regard the rules on the governor’s orders. We welcome everyone to town.”

The Pagan's are a fixture at Roar to the Shore, an annual motorcycle event in the city, as it’s a “mandatory run” for club members in the state. However, the event was canceled this year after the city denied organizers necessary permits, according to the event’s website.

The city paid about $40,000 for police overtime at last year’s Roar to the Shore, according to previous reports. In a Facebook post, police listed 26 arrests during the event for charges ranging from possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose to possession of a controlled dangerous substance, but it was unclear whether all the charges listed were filed against Roar participants.

SOURCE: The Press Of Atlantic City