OFF THE WIRE
By Tamara King ,Winnipeg Sun
An alleged member of the Rock Machine has been given another taste of freedom, amid the backdrop of what sources describe as a biker war.
Jean Paul (J.P.) Beaumont was granted bail Tuesday in advance of his trial. The judge’s reasons cannot be reported due to a publication ban.
Beaumont, 38, was charged in August 2010 with dangerous driving and weapons possession. He was arrested last week for allegedly breaching conditions of a previous bail.
As reported last week in the Winnipeg Sun, there is an “active war” between the Rock Machine and the Redlined Support Crew, which is affiliated with the Manitoba chapter of the Hells Angels, sources say.
The war, to this point, has resulted in a number of homes throughout the city being shot up. In one incident, a 14-year-old boy described by police as an innocent bystander was shot inside his family’s home. He remained in hospital Wednesday recovering from surgery.
Beaumont’s lawyer, Eric Wach, said his client is “disgusted” children and women have been put at risk in the recent violence and insists it has nothing to do with the group.
“He completely denies the Rock Machine motorcycle club’s involvement. In fact, he also feels the Rock Machine have been targets, as opposed to the aggressors,” Wach said Tuesday outside the Winnipeg Law Courts.
