Laffing Devils Are The New World Order

Eric Bischoff Web Site

You might be interested to know that if it wasn’t for Hulk Hogan, we wouldn’t have The Devils Ride, a parody TV show about an outlaw motorcycle club that is produced for the Discovery Channel by Bischoff Hervey Entertainment.

Yeah, I did it.  I just connected the dots of Lex Luger, Ric Flair, “Hollywood Huckster” and the Giant… to a semi-glorified American motorcycle TV show.  It’s a long read, but click HERE for the details.  I’ve previously laughed at the Devils HERE.

It turns out that Eric Bischoff, one of the Executive Producers of The Devils Ride along with Jason Hervey, was instrumental in redefining the WCW wrestling landscape with clowns, midgets and other outlandish characters and has now applied his wrestlemania ‘magic’ to a TV show about the world of motorcycle clubs and the sometimes simple-minded members of San Diego’s — The Laffing Devils (LDMC).

Clearly with today’s lowest common denominator of TV viewers we face a real crisis in mainstream society’s media preferences.  The measurement bar was on the floor, but everyone wants it lowered!  Just when you think it’s become increasingly difficult for producers to insult the intelligence of the American public the Discovery Channel announced this week that the Laffing Devils is officially a hit after only six episodes and it has been renewed for a second “season.”  Is it futile to hope that none of the original cast members return?!  For Discovery Channel, David Pritikin is Executive Producer of The Devils Ride.

David Pritikin – Discovery Channel Executive Producer of The Devils Ride.

As the competition for the stupidity dollar grows ever more fierce The Discovery Channel has repeatedly stated that the television show is about a “real” club.  They even brought in the real and apparently retired Hells Angel Rusty Coones.  Coones is the former President of the Orange County (California) charter of the Hells Angels.  Back in June 1999 he was arrested on federal drug charges and sentenced to eight years in prison. One of his defenders with an 8-minute attention span limit was celebrity bike builder Jesse James who married Sandra Bullock, then divorced, but in his spare time somehow made some Hollywood business connections. After he got out of prison Coones with the help of James connections made some show business connections, too.

So for viewers who need to be spoon-fed credibility, one episode of The Devils Ride featured Coones sending a group of Laffing Devils to repossess a bike for him in Las Vegas. It’s unconfirmed, but one could speculate that Coones was compensated for his appearance.  With a lot of free time in prison Coones continued to play the guitar and also began writing songs. He now plays lead guitar for a heavy metal group named Attika7 and is an owner at Illusion Motorsports.

No-one is better at pandering to an outlaw image or their bad tendencies than Kurt Sutter, so the Attika7 songs have been placed in episodes of the Sons of Anarchy (SOA) TV show.  Meanwhile Coones appeared in a second episode to play with his band in the Laffing Devils’ new club house where they all seem to smoke expensive cigars while sipping expensive glasses of wine.

Thank you Discovery Channel you complete me!

Clearly it’s all about this symbol —  $$$ — because the old fashion stuff like ethics, morals and honor are way down on the list for a TV producer.  It’s interesting to note that the trademark registration for “Sinister Mob Syndicate MC” was filed by Bischoff Hervey Entertainment Television, LLC of 1754 14th Street in Santa Monica on May 18, 2012. That application listed Tommy “Gipsy” Quinn, the founder of the Laffing Devils as the last listed owner of the mark. However, that application was withdrawn and re-filed on May 24, 2012 without Mr. Quinn’s name.  I smell a new round of t-shirts and hoodies for the very lucrative stupid-person market.

Photo’s courtesy of Eric Bischoff web site and Twitter

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Cash Is The Icing On Iron Pigs HR218 Cupcake

Can embarrassment and personal demons be squelched with money?

It would seem so and that $169,800 is all that’s needed!

I’m referring to the Iron Pigs MC member and Seattle police detective Ronald Smith.

It probably comes as no surprise that Smith, who as you may recall shot a member of the Hells Angels MC in Sturgis a couple years ago has filed a lawsuit against the city of Seattle and the Seattle Police Department.  The suit alleges the department disparaged him and negligently provided false information that led to his indictment on a perjury charge.

Disregard that all charges were dropped and why let any of the facts get in the way when Mr. Smith sees dollar signs.  The only thing missing in this little drama is an attorney to throw in the proverbial race card and get the ACLU marching.

I’ve blogged about this incident HERE, HERE and HERE as well as provided a number of updates.  A brief recap is during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Smith, who was in Sturgis with members of the Iron Pigs, a motorcycle club composed of LEO’s and firefighters shot and wounded a Hells Angels MC member, Joseph Patrick McGuire, in self-defense during a fight in the Loud American Roadhouse on Aug. 9, 2008. Smith was charged in Meade County, S.D., Circuit Court with the felonies of aggravated assault and perjury. He also was charged with a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.

Now comes the pain and suffering.  Mr. Smith claims he was “guilty until proven innocent,” shunned and neglected.  Huh?  The lawsuit contends his reputation was harmed by the criminal charges and that shortly after the incident, the Seattle Police Chief at the time, Gil Kerlikowske said during a public-relations event that Smith was an “embarrassment” to the department and would “not be working for him much longer.”

That working for him part was absolutely correct!   Shortly after Mr. Kerlikowske became the “drug czar” or the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy for Obama.  He is responsible for advising the president on drug control programs, and for coordinating drug policies among all federal agencies.

My point?  While the various bloggers have raged back and forth between supporters of the police to distrust of the police and the justice system…could someone, even the Seattle Police Chief please just apologize to Mr. Smith before he continues to take all of your hard earned tax dollars.

Photo courtesy Flickr and Iron Pigs MC.

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Legal Intimidation Or Cyber-Squatting

A metonym is a word that denotes one thing but refers to a related thing.  For example “Washington is a metonym for the U.S. Government.”  And the number 81 stands for the eighth letter of the alphabet which is “H” and the first letter which is “A”:  HA = Hells Angels.

And speaking of the number 81, the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corp. has taken legal action against Fawn Myers (Visalia, CA.) and the Internet domain name registrar (GoDaddy.com) for trademark infringement.  The motorcycle club which is defined as a California nonprofit organization, states that Fawn Myers and GoDaddy.com are trafficking in domain names that infringe the club’s trademarks.  They put longtime outside counsel Fritz Clapp who is representing the club on the domain case.  For reference it is Hells Angels Motorcycle Corp. v. Myers, 1:09-cv-00118, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California (Fresno).

I’m just a little curious if Fawn was somehow new to the “internet thing” and received one of those confusing pop-up-ads — you know the type like the jack-in-a-box, in your face when surfing the net that describes (FLASHING) “great opportunity” for a business start-up — work from home — let your computer do all the work?!

It seems the “allegedly” infringing domain names were offered for auction on EBay, according to the complaint filed Feb. 11th in federal court in Fresno, CA.  The domain names offered for auction were ha-mc.com, All81.com, USA81.com, and 81mc.info.  The names were offered for sale on EBay beginning Feb. 7th.  Fawn stated on eBay that the names up for sale were “parked” with GoDaddy, and that she would donate “a majority of the profit” from the domain name sales to the society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Evidently Fawn doesn’t know how to do the “Google” and didn’t correlate the number 81 with Hells Angels when she bought the domain names.  Yet, the HA-MC.com name was offered for $8,181.81 and according to court papers all the eBay pages listing the domain names featured an illustration of a devil’s head which remarkably looked similar to the HAMC logo.  Go figure.

This looks like an open and shut case of cyber-squatting and the HAMC will likely recoup damages from the infringement.  But what happens if the motorcycle club decides to push legal limits and seek damages from very legitimate domain names like hamc.org which belongs to the Hebrew Academy of Morris County in New Jersey, or the name hamc.com which belongs to the Heart of America Medical Center in Rugby, N.D.  Where does symbolic naming end on the internet?   From a math point of view the number “81” is the square of 9 and the fourth power of 3 and that like all powers of three 81 is a perfect totient number.  Will mathematic books now be required to provide accreditation to the symbolic number of the club?

How ironic would it be if Google used the same cyber laws on HAMC for a “likeness” infringement re; the Hells Angels search engine called Go81gle?

Photo courtesy Flickr

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No Angel

There are many ways to talk about the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC); as a reporter illuminating the record, as an advocate praising their actions or as an undercover agent providing clear insight into the mind of a biker enterprise.  Sure, not everyone agrees with the mission and tactics of law enforcement just like not everyone is going to praise OMG. It’s the way of the world.

Much thanks to G. Walker (Det. Retired) who provided me a preview of the book “No Angel” by Jay Dobyns and Nils Johnson-Shelton.  I wanted to pass this along because as the preview suggests, this is going to be one great read!

“No Angel – My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels”

ATF Special Agent Jay Dobyns and Nils Johnson-Shelton

(Crown Publishers, 2009)

      ATF Special Agent Jay Dobyns sat with his back to me.  He was furiously typing on a well-used keyboard.  He wore a white wife-beater t-shirt and both his exposed arms were fully “sleeved”, or covered with tattoo work.  Pulled down low over his bald skull was a dirty blue knit cap.  I quietly watched him as his fingers danced over the keyboard, wondering how no one else at the outlaw motorcycle gang conference I was attending hadn’t spotted this brazen infiltrator who was even now probably sending license plate numbers and other handy information to whichever 1%er club he belonged to.

      It had happened before.  Two full patch members of the Vagos MC had openly walked into a past OMG conference presentation, the room filled with cops and investigators.  The Vagos went unnoticed for several minutes before being identified and ushered out of the hotel.

      I found the conference coordinator and shared my concern about the tough-looking b*astard using the business room Internet service.  “Oh,” he replied, “that’s just Jay…Jay Dobyns.  He’s our ATF guest speaker on the Hells Angels.”

      Well f*ck me…

      Later in the conference I listened to Dobyns speak about his role in Operation Black Biscuit, a two-year ATF undercover operation against the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club in Arizona.  Pacing back and forth in front of a table featuring some of the OMG props he and his ATF team of UC bikers, known as the “Solo Angels”, had used to gain introduction and then admittance into the inner sanctum of the HAMC, Jay’s rapid-fire account of the deepest UC thrust into the heart of the Angels’ organization came alive.

      Today Jay Dobyns, in conjunction with co-author Nils Johnson-Shelton, has written the true story of both his greatest professional and near personally ruinous achievement – riding shoulder to shoulder with the Hells Angels to include the ultimate Angel himself, Ralph “Sonny” Barger.  It is a book the Red & White won’t appreciate; however in all fairness, it’s also a book some in the ATF will hate with equal passion.

      Whether brokering deals for illegal automatic weapons, taking on murder for hire contracts, arming up to do battle with the rival Banditos on behalf of the “81”, or riding 18″ off the rear wheel of an Angel juggernaut Jay Dobyns shoves us down the slippery steep steps that lead to the glowing red inferno that is the world of the Hells Angels.

      Finely woven throughout the book is the agent’s personal decent into the madness of both the investigation and his increasing loss of identity as a human being.  He writes “As I said, dark days.  I turned to the only things I had left: God, friend, and family…It wasn’t my job, it wasn’t ATF, and it wasn’t the Hells Angels that had transformed me into the worst version of myself.  It was I alone who had done that.”

      There have been several previous books on the HAMC and Operation Black Biscuit but none comes close to the knife-edge reality and factual accuracy of Jay’s memoir.  Of the Hells Angels he observes “I realized in that single moment that the brotherhood the Hells Angels claimed to be part of was nothing more than a support group for misunderstood loners held together by hate and money…I’d thought I was the one infiltrating them.  I had it backwards.  They were the ones who had infiltrated me.”

      In mid-2003 Operation Black Biscuit was brought to closure in a series of search warrants and arrests.  The case, however, was gutted by squabbles among prosecutors and the decision makers at the ATF and by 2006 “Black Biscuit” looked more like Brier Rabbit’s badass tar baby.  Earlier, in 2004, the Angels put a contract on Dobyns’ head.  In 2008 his home mysteriously caught on fire and while no one was injured the implications were obvious to the man once draped with the Angel’s coveted Deathhead for “killing” a rival Mongol down Mexico way, an elaborate mock murder that brought Dobyns to the goal he’d always thought he wanted – to become a fully patched Hells Angel as an undercover ATF agent.

      You can advance order your copy of “No Angel” through Amazon.com. The book will be released this February.  Warning! Once you’ve opened its cover and entered the world of Special Agent Jay “Bird” Dobyns there’s no putting it down.  This is one 5-star weekend’s reading about the man who dared enter the innermost sanctuaries of the Hells Angels and returned with his soul singed but intact.

More information available on Jay Dobyns web site.  Book pre-order information from Amazon.

Previous posts on 1%er bikers (1, 2, 3, 4).

UPDATE: February 5, 2009 – Good interview and summary written by Leo W. Banks of the Tucson Weekly.

Book cover photo used with permission.

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Respect The Badge Or The Gun

From the movie Righteous Kill the tag line is “There’s Nothing Wrong With A Little Shooting As Long As the Right People Get Shot“…sure that’s Hollywood, but it seems this could be applied to the law enforcement investigation of Seattle Detective Ron Smith whose felony assault charges for shooting a member of the Hells Angels motorcycle club in Sturgis were dismissed yesterday.

Dropped because as Jesse Sondreal (Meade County State Attorney) states:

“the investigation that I have reviewed indicates he (Smith) was assaulted and it was premeditated.”  The investigation established that Detective Smith was defending himself from a violent pre-meditated attack and he responded in a manner which was neither excessive nor unreasonable under the circumstances.

DeNiro Target Range

While the case illustrates reserving final judgment until all facts are examined it leaves some unanswered questions about how much, if any, the Sturgis incident was influenced by Smith’s testimony in a Hell’s Angel federal racketeering and murder trial in Seattle last year which sent several former and current members of the motorcycle “club” to prison ranging from seven years to life without parole. Or how much the decision to dismiss the assault charges were based on the lack of cooperation of the HAMC who wouldn’t testify before the grand jury?

The Seattle Times (Jennifer Sullivan) reports HERE that Court records and police testimony indicate Smith has clashed with another Hells Angel back in 2005.  Authorities filed charges alleging that Anthony James Magnesi, a member of the Washington Nomads chapter of the Hells Angels, had threatened Smith over the phone.  The end result from an internal investigation dismissed misdemeanor charges filed against Magnesi and Smith was referred to his supervisor for a training issue.  Much more on the Magnesi clashes HERE.

Detective Smith will return to full active duty (he was on administrative leave pending results) and obviously the Seattle Police Officers Guild is happy with the outcome and issued a press release HERE.

For more background information look at:

1. Northwest Harley Blog Archive | Iron Pigs Ride The Northwest
2. Northwest Harley Blog Archive | When Iron Pigs Fly
3. Northwest Harley Blog Archive | Sturgis Ends With First Shooting In 20 Years
4. NEW – Northwest Harley Blog Archive | Behind The Scenes Of The Sturgis Shooting
5. NEW – Northwest Harley Blog Archive | Cash Is The Icing On Iron Pigs HR218 Cupcake

I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit conflicted and feeling this outcome is anti-climatic.  Does this mean the Iron Pigs won’t return to Sturgis next year?  Can the motorcycle events industry afford yet another motorcycle “club” clash?

Operator, I need Mr. Happy.  Now!

Update: November 18, 2008 – Weapons charges dropped.  See HERE for more info.

Update: May 7, 2010 – Detective Ronald Smith has filed a lawsuit against the city of Seattle and the Seattle Police Department.  Even though all charges were dropped the suit alleges the department disparaged him and negligently provided false information that led to his indictment on a perjury charge.  This was an embarrassment and the lawsuit contends his reputation was harmed.

Photo courtesy of the movie Righteous Kill web site.

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Outlaw Motorcycle Gamer

Ride To Hell Game

I smell another law suit. 

Just as HBO is trying to get 1% off the ground despite a lawsuit launched by Hell’s Angels leader Sonny Barger – that litigation has yet to slow down Deep Silver (a division of Koch Media GmbH, Austria) from moving forward on the Ride to Hell video game.

The yet to be released game is based on a certain unnamed motorcycle club, headquartered (let’s say) in Oakland, and running illegal operations (let’s say) in California’s central valley….it’s an outlaw motorcycle gang mash-up in a “Grand-Theft-Auto” (GTA)-like open-world.  Cool!  The Ride to Hell is all about a ’60s bike culture in the American West with an objective to make a game that reflects a mood and feeling of the era – hence the Sex, Drugs and Rock n Roll.  According to the dev team they took a lot of inspiration from Hunter S. Thompson’s classic book ‘Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs‘.

Game Screen Shot

As the media continues to make OMG the “darlings” of entertainment, the Ride to Hell is certainly going to be a game with a mature rating. 

I’m sure the developer could care less if a thrilling gang banger motorcycle club/game will bring class, culture and dignity back to America.  It’s business and OMG are a money makeing opportunity these days.

Photo and screen shots courtesy of Deep Silver and Videogamer.

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Bikes, Bullets and Brawls

It’s the secret formula for television success…at least to the execs at FX and the new drama series which focuses on members of an outlaw motorcycle gang called the Sons of Anarchy.  I’ve blogged about this show previously HERE and HERE.

I took an hour away from blogging last night to watch the gritty, beer-chugging, hell-raising and occasionally gruesome premiere.  When was the last time you saw that in prime time? You haven’t!

Sagal is thoroughly convincing in the hellcat role.  She completely destroyed any image you may have had of her as the ditzy Peg Bundy. And Drea de Matteo of “Sopranos” fame makes an appearance that you can truly believe as Jackson’s wrung-out, drug-addicted ex-wife.  I thought Jax seemed to be telegraphing his sensitive, gentle side a little too early in the first 30 minutes of the pilot.

At any rate, the show is well-acted and is crafted in a way to showcase the fictitious inner workings of outlaw motorcycle gangs.  It’s dark, grim and at times very violent, but as a gunrunning gang banger club it will surely be a TV hit and I can visualize t-shirts sales skyrocketing.

Production poster courtesy FX Networks.

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Men Of Mayhem

 

Sons of Anarchy

I previously blogged about media darlings back in May and wanted to provide an update about FX Networks attempt to immortalize outlaw motorcycle “clubs.”  The “Sons of Anarchy” web site is now live and the FX Network TV show debut’s September 3rd. 

In big budget “Hollywood” fashion the FX Network marketing folks have gone all out on this site.  John Landgraf (President and GM FX, FX HD, Fox Movie Channel and FX Productions) pulled out all the stops to fund this series.  The site is jam packed with information on the show with background on cast & crew, a bike gallery, videos and trailer clips.  They’ve added elements of social media in that viewers can participate via mobile or in a community discussion.  The “board” already has a bunch of comments weighing in on the right to wear colors.  I especially liked how they took liberties with and provided a “Biker Terms” section…I guess to help those who are unfamiliar with the biker culture or vernacular and help out any hang-arounds?!

The show was originally called “Forever Sam Crow”,  however, the litigation folks at Hells Angels caught wind of the pilot from Kurt Sutter (writer & director) who was in a Variety interview and noticed there were references to a specific Northern CA. motorcycle “club”…shortly after the interview hit the newswire they received a cease and desist notice from the same “club”.  Something about copyright infringement so, the name of the TV show and club was changed.

Even the club slogan “Live Sons of Anarchy, Die Sons of Anarchy” rings 1%…

Production poster courtesy FX Networks.

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When Iron Pigs Fly

Flying Pigs

“When pigs fly”…is an idiom or a popular saying used to indicate that something will never happen.  So, when will the “Law Enforcement” spin stop on this Sturgis shooting?  No time soon it would seem…

The Seattle Times is reporting that the off-duty police officer who shot Hells Angel member Joseph Patrick McGuire (33, of Imperial Beach, Ca.) at the Loud American Roadhouse in Sturgis was forced to open fire after being attacked and pinned to the floor by up to three members of the outlaw motorcycle gang.

The Rapid City Journal identified the Seattle police officer as Ronald Smith (43, of Seattle, WA). He is assigned to the departments pawnshop unit.  In grand-jury investigation statements he said:

The detective said one Hells Angel member “got in my face” and began an argument.  “I was cold-cocked on the left side of my face by at least one, if not three, Hells Angels,”…”I woke up on the ground pinned against a bar stool by a Hells Angel in a red bandanna,”…”I was receiving fists and feet from the top during this.”… “I tried to wriggle free, but didn’t have any leverage.”…”The Hells Angel in the bandanna tried to grab my gun just as another man was choking me… “I then pulled the handgun from my hip and opened fire.”

According to the newspaper, 25 people testified during the seven-hour court hearing.  No arrests have been made and the investigation could continue until the grand jury reconvenes on Aug. 27^th.

Not everything is as tranquil as they would want us to believe…new information has been released on the detective involved in the Sturgis shooting has twice been investigated by the department of Office of Professional Accountability, a civilian police-oversight group, during his 15 years on the force. Both complaints were confirmed by the group.  One investigation stemmed from a verbal argument he got into with a Seahawk fan while working an off-duty assignment at Qwest Field in 2004. He also got into an argument inside a Pierce County restaurant in 2005 with a restaurant employee who was taunting and threatening him and his then-fiancée.  He received a two-day suspension for the incident with the Seahawk fan and a written reprimand for the other incident.

I’ve received a number of questions about whether it was legal for Smith to have a gun on him in the Loud American Roadhouse, because he was off duty at the time.  According to South Dakota law, people with concealed-weapons permits cannot carry firearms into bars. Police officers are exempt from this rule if they have written permission from the county sheriff, according to the law. However, the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (a federal law) enacted in 2004 supersedes the state law, allowing off-duty law-enforcement officers to carry weapons anywhere they choose, but it requires that the weapons handler not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

So let the spin continue as nothing has been reported about sobriety tests conducted after the shooting…

Update:  August 14^th – Seattle PI is reporting that Hells Angel member Joseph Patrick McGuire was arrested Jan. 18, 2007, as part of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the San Diego Police Department. Police served warrants on two San Diego-area homes that belonged to the president of the Hells Angels’ local chapter.  McGuire is the chapter treasurer and was arrested at one of the homes in Pacific Beach, Calif. Police seized a pound and a half of marijuana, in addition to hydrocodone and oxycodone pills, and $5,000 in cash.  The San Diego chapter president and vice president were charged in separate cases in the investigation.  McGuire was released on bond and scheduled for a pre-trial hearing Aug 20 in San Diego County Superior Court, with his trial set for September.  He was charged with possession of marijuana for sale and two counts of illegal possession of narcotics.

Update: September 5th – The Argus Leader is reporting that both men (McGuire (HAMC) and Smith (Iron Pigs)) are charged with alternative counts of aggravated and simple assault.  Smith was also charged with perjury.  In addition, misdemeanor gun charges were also brought against the four other fellow bikers with Smith (also part of the Iron Pigs): Scott Lazalde (Bellingham, WA); Dennis McCoy (Seattle, WA); Erik Pingel (Aurora, CO) and James Rector (Ferndale, WA).

Update: September 9th – The Seattle.pi is reporting that the perjury charge has been dismissed against Smith.  The grand jury indicted Smith last month on charges of aggravated assault, perjury and illegal possession of a concealed weapon.  Smith initially stated he was carrying his personal firearm, but the Seattle Police Department records contradicted him, showing that it was a department-issued gun.  This was the evidence that was presented which resulted in the perjury charge.

Update: September 17th – Aggravated assault charges dropped.  See HERE for more info.

Update: November 18, 2008 – All weapons charges dropped.  See HERE for more info.

Update: February 25, 2009 – In a plea agreement Joseph McGuire (HAMC) pleads no contest to simple assault (versus aggravated assault) and was sentenced to one year in the Meade County Jail.  According to Rapid City Journal, McGuire’s sentence was suspended as long as he does not break the law.  No fines were imposed, but he can not attend this years rally.

Photo courtesy Flickr.

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Sturgis Ends With First Shooting In 20 Years

The Seattle PI reported yesterday that an off-duty Seattle police officer attending the Sturgis Rally was detained in a shooting that left a Hells Angels MC member injured early Saturday morning.  UPDATE: Sturgis Police identified the Hells Angels member as 33 year old Joseph McGuire of Imperial Beach, CA. The police officer is a member of the Iron Pigs Motorcycle club which is open to all law enforcement and firefighters who own and ride a V-Twin.

The confrontation happened on Main Street about 1 a.m. at the Loud American Roadhouse between the Hell’s Angels and members of the Iron Pigs Motorcycle club.  It included five other Seattle law enforcement members and the Seattle Police Department has

“All five officers placed on administrative reassignment (relieved of duty) pending further investigation by the South Dakota authorities.”

Loud American Roadhouse, Sturgis

It was reported that as many as 500 people were inside the club when officers from several agencies converged on the bar, evacuating patrons and securing the club.  Dean Kinney, one of the bar’s owners, told the Rapid City Journal in Rapid City, S.D., that workers at the bar noticed several Hell’s Angels gathering in and outside the bar, and actually called police prior to the shooting as a precaution.

The Sturgis rally has a reputation, but Saturday’s shooting is the first to take place during the rally in nearly 20 years.

An unfortunate way to end the rally. I plan to follow this story and watch if the “spin” machine goes into overdrive!

Update #1: more background on the Iron Pigs M/C HERE.

Update #2: Sturgis Police identified the Hells Angels member as 33 year old Joseph McGuire of Imperial Beach, CA.  Police are not releasing the Seattle Policeman name out of fears of his safety.

Update #3: The Rapid City Journal identified the Seattle police officer as Ronald Smith (43, of Seattle, WA). More info posted HERE.

Update #4: August 14^th – Seattle PI is reporting that Hells Angel member Joseph Patrick McGuire was arrested Jan. 18, 2007, as part of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the San Diego Police Department. Police served warrants on two San Diego-area homes that belonged to the president of the Hells Angels’ local chapter.  McGuire is the chapter treasurer and was arrested at one of the homes in Pacific Beach, Calif. Police seized a pound and a half of marijuana, in addition to hydrocodone and oxycodone pills, and $5,000 in cash.  The San Diego chapter president and vice president were charged in a separate cases in the investigation.  McGuire was released on bond and scheduled for a pre-trial hearing Aug 20 in San Diego County Superior Court, with his trial set for September.  He was charged with possession of marijuana for sale and two counts of illegal possession of narcotics.

Update #5: August 15, 2008 – Seattle Times is reporting that Smith testified against the HAMC in a high-profile racketeering and murder case last year.  His testimony was characterized as “pretty periphery” to the case, however, suggestions were hinted that the Sturgis confrontation could be linked.

Update #6: September 5, 2008: The Argus Leader is reporting that both men (McGuire (HAMC) and Smith (Iron Pigs)) are charged with alternative counts of aggravated and simple assault.  Smith was also charged with perjury.  In addition, misdemeanor gun charges were also brought against the four other fellow bikers with Smith (also part of the Iron Pigs): Scott Lazalde (Bellingham, WA); Dennis McCoy (Seattle, WA); Erik Pingel (Aurora, CO) and James Rector (Ferndale, WA).

Update #7: September 9, 2008 – The Seattle.pi is reporting that the perjury charge has been dismissed against Smith.  The grand jury indicted Smith last month on charges of aggravated assault, perjury and illegal possession of a concealed weapon.  Smith initially stated he was carrying his personal firearm, but the Seattle Police Department records contradicted him, showing that it was a department-issued gun.  This was the evidence that was presented which resulted in the perjury charge.

Update #8: September 17, 2008 – Aggravated assault charges dropped.  See HERE for more info.

Update: #9: November 18, 2008 – All weapons charges dropped.  See HERE for more info.

Update: #10: February 25, 2009 – In a plea agreement Joseph McGuire (HAMC) pleads no contest to simple assault (versus aggravated assault) and was sentenced to one year in the Meade County Jail.  According to Rapid City Journal, McGuire’s sentence was suspended as long as he does not break the law.  No fines were imposed, but he can not attend this years rally.

Update: #11: May 7, 2010 – Detective Ronald Smith has filed a lawsuit against the city of Seattle and the Seattle Police Department.  Even though all charges were dropped the suit alleges the department disparaged him and negligently provided false information that led to his indictment on a perjury charge.  This was an embarrassment and the lawsuit contends his reputation was harmed.

Iron Pigs M/C logo courtesy of web site and Loud American Roadhouse photo courtesy of Yan Soderlin / Rapid City Journal

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