11 plead not guilty in wedding chapel brawl

OFF THE WIRE
FRANCIS MCCABE
Eleven of 13 co-defendants, including members of the infamous Hells Angels Motorcycle Club , pleaded not guilty Tuesday to assault charges related to a brawl with rival gang members at a downtown wedding chapel in December 2008.

The 13 men were indicted by a grand jury this month on multiple felony and gross misdemeanor counts, including four counts of battery, three counts of battery with use of a deadly weapon, two counts of attempted murder with use of a deadly weapon, and one count each of assault with a deadly weapon, coercion with force and coercion with a deadly weapon.
Two of the defendants, Samuel Murray and Armando Porras, did not have legal representation Tuesday, so their arraignment was delayed until Thursday.

The following men pleaded not guilty to the charges: Charles Goldsmith, Brad Goldsmith, Dominic Orlando, Frederick O'Dell, Brandon Young, James Sexey, John Dawson, Jeffrey Murray, John Merchant, Joseph Gennuso and Joshua Ramos.

Two of the men charged, Gennuso and Ramos, are not members of the Hells Angels, according to their attorneys.

Authorities say there were at least six victims during the melee, including three members of the Mongols biker gang, two of whom were stabbed. The brawl took place at A Special Memory Wedding Chapel on Fourth Street and Gass Avenue.

Defense attorneys have said the 13 men were acting in self-defense.

The brawl followed a wedding ceremony that the Hells Angels were attending. As they were leaving the ceremony, they saw three Mongols who were at the chapel for a different wedding, according to authorities.

The 13 men attacked the Mongols, bludgeoning them with their fists, feet, bottles and trash cans, according to authorities and the indictment.

A female victim was chased from the chapel by a Hells Angel who threw a bottle at her, according to the indictment.

Authorities allege that Jeffrey Murray and Merchant stabbed two Mongols.

Many of the charges allege substantial bodily harm and intent to promote gang activity, which could lead to lengthier sentences if the men are convicted.

Judge Michael Villani ordered bail set at $100,000 for each of the defendants after the indictment was handed down. According to jail records, all but one of the defendants, Samuel Murray, has posted bail.

Initially, no one was charged after the Dec. 20, 2008, incident. Las Vegas police spent two years developing the case and gathering evidence, including video footage.

In November 2009, police served search warrants at six valley locations in connection to several ongoing investigations into the Hells Angels, including the chapel stabbing.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.