agingrebel.com
A grand jury convened in Waco yesterday morning.
It will remain in session through the rest of 2015. It has already requested documents from the Texas Confederation of Clubs and Independents so, even though this is all top secret, there is an excellent chance this grand jury will decide which of the 177 people arrested after the Twin Peaks Massacre last May 17 will have to stand trial for “engaging in organized criminal activity.”
The fact that so many apparently innocent people now find their fates in the hands of this grand jury raises a familiar question: Why were they arrested in the first place? What appears to be definitive answer can be found in a report written by Waco Police Sergeant J.R. Price on July 1. The report both alleges that multiple Waco police officers fired their weapons during the Massacre and that District Attorney Abel Reyna arbitrarily decided to charge anyone who uttered a word of support for either the Bandidos Motorcycle Club or the Cossacks Motorcycle Club.
The report, all of which follows, has not previously been published.
The Price Report
“On 5/17/15 at approximately 19:45, I arrived at the Police Department to meet with the Waco Police Officers that were involved with the officer involved shooting at the Twin Peaks Restaurant. I was able to meet with the officers and their legal representatives that had arrived from CLEAT (the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas – the Lonestar State’s largest police union) as well as Sergeant Holt who was also present and had remained with the officers until such time as I could arrive at the Police Department.”“Prior to meeting with each officer, I had secured their rifles that were used in the shooting. This is reflected in a separate police shooting investigation which is under case 15-9168. That investigation is ongoing at the same time while I am assisting Detective Chavez and other investigators under the Twin Peaks investigation.”
Detective Manuel Chavez was the stooge who presented 177 fill in the blanks affidavits that asserted he had personal knowledge that all of the 177 arrestee were members of criminal street gangs. He stated upon his solemn “oath that I have reason to believe and do believe that heretofore, and before the making and filing of this Complaint, that on or about May 17, 2015, in McLennan County, Texas, the said” (insert name here) “dld then and there, as a member of a criminal street gang, commit or conspire to commit murder, capital murder, or aggravated assault, against the laws of the State.”
Price Continues
“While I was meeting with the officers, I received a call from Detective Alston at approximately 22:30 hours. Detective Alston told me all of the interviews that he and numerous other investigators had been conducting at the Convention Center had been stopped and the investigators were being asked by the District Attorney’s Office to go to a meeting room. Detective Alston told me they had learned the Attorneys from the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office had drafted an affidavit for an arrest warrant under the offense of engaging in organized crime. Detective Alston requested that I come to the Convention Center, since they had now been asked to stop all the interviews and wait on further instructions from the District Attorney’s Office.”“Prior to leaving the Police Department, I spoke with the officers involved with the shooting as well as their legal representatives and told them I had to report to the Convention Center, but I would call them and/or their attorneys as soon as possible with in the next few days to continue our meeting. I arrived at the Convention Center approximately one hour later after I had received the telephone call from Detective Mike Alston. When I walked into the lobby area of the Convention Center, I saw investigators from not only our department but also the Texas Department of Public Safety as well as Representatives from the McLennan County Sheriffs Office. I was told there were representatives from other Police Agencies there although I did not see any in the immediate area where I had entered the Convention Center. I had seen other officers from outlying agencies providing security around the Convention Center. Therefore, it was easy to assume there were probably other officers assisting our department inside.”
“I walked further in through the main lobby. I was able to meet with several detectives from the Special Crimes Unit as well as Neighborhood Services Section , which is part of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Waco Police Department. I learned there was a pending decision to possibly charge documented members of the Bandidos/Cossacks Motorcycle Clubs, with the offense of engaging in organized crime. I did confirm that detectives had already started the process of interviewing members of not only those two motorcycle clubs but as well as others that were present at the Twin Peaks Restaurant. I was given information that at least one city bus had left the Convention Center with individuals that had already been interviewed, indicating they had been released after items such as their ‘colors’ and other personal property that would be essential to the Capital Murder Investigation. (Had been seized?) I also confirmed that a representative from the District Attorney’s Office had asked all of the detectives to stop their interviews and go to one of the conference rooms for a meeting.”
In The Convention Center
“I located Assistant Chief Lanning in the lobby area, and very shortly after I began speaking with him I saw that representatives from the District Attorney’s Office approached us, these individuals being Mr. Abel Reyna, Mr. Michael Jarrett and Mr. Mark Parker. It was then when I learned a decision had been made that upon interviews with any of the individuals, if it was learned that they were members of the Bandidos or Cossacks; that they would be charged with engaging in organized crime based on the wording of an affidavit that had been prepared by the District Attorney’s Office. I was also told that information had been given to them from the Texas Department of Public Safety, that their agency had classified these two motorcycle clubs as Criminal Street Gangs. I was aware of an ongoing investigation and intelligence that had been coming into their agency, that DPS had been sharing with other local Police Agencies, since at least February or March of 2015. I was also told by representatives of the District Attorney’s Office that if investigators were able to document that anyone else from any other Motorcycle Club was a supporter of either the Bandidos or the Cossacks, then they should also be charged with engaging in organized crime.” (Italics added by The Aging Rebel.)“Assistant Chief Lanning also acknowledged this information as he had been in the Convention Center prior to me arriving. It should also be noted there were detectives from Waco PO, Department of Public Safety agents, McLennan County Sheriffs Office staff, that were present in the lobby during the conversation we were having with representatives of the District Attorney’s Office. I assumed a conversation had already taken place between the District Attorney’s office staff, possibly my Supervisor, Assistant Chief Lanning, and/or others prior to my arrival at the Convention Center.”
“After our conversation in the lobby area of the Convention Center, myself, Assistant Chief Lanning, Mr. Reyna, Mr. Jarrett and Mr. Parker went to one of the offices of the Convention Center. Upon arriving in that office, I saw there was another individual from the District Attorney’s Office whom I do not know by name, but I was told he was one of their Appellant Attorneys. I also noticed there were a couple of investigators from the Special Crimes Unit in another office using a computer for some paperwork need. Also present were representatives from the Convention Center, to include the Director Ms. Liz Taylor”
The Arrest Warrant
“I asked representatives from the District Attorney’s Office to provide me guidance regarding what the criteria would be for investigators to either document and/or possibly indicate that individuals would be charged with engaging in organized crime. I was told that due to the wording in the arrest affidavit that had been prepared that it specified that these two previously mentioned Motorcycle Clubs had been documented by the Department of Public Safety as a Criminal Street Gangs. I was also told the arrest affidavit would support the arrest of not only any members of the Bandidos or Cossacks, but also anyone else who was a supporter of the Bandidos or Cossacks. It was explained to me that if a person was wearing a patch, clothing or insignia that indicated he or she was a supporter of the Bandidos or Cossacks; or if they mentioned in an interview that they were a supporter of the Bandidos or Cossacks, then they should also be charged with engaging in organized crime. (Italics added by The Aging Rebel) I told representatives from the DA’s Office that detectives had already started interviews regarding a capital murder investigation. I learned that we would still be conducting our capital murder investigation, but it would be more than likely be a separate investigative report, from that of the engaging in organized crime.”“I was told by staff of the District Attorney’s Office, that as written in the arrest affidavit, engaging in organized crime would be a proper and legal charge. I also received the same acknowledgement from Assistant Chief Lanning. I learned that he had already been in communication with representatives from the District Attorney’s Office prior to my arrival at the Convention Center. He acknowledged the decision after discussions with the District Attorney’s Office. At that point, I told both him and representatives from the District Attorney’s Office, I would need to meet with any investigators that were still waiting on instructions as to what criteria would be used and had been set out per the arrest affidavit, specific to charging anyone with engaging in organized crime.”
“I walked out of the office with Assistant Chief Lanning and he acknowledged some of the investigators possibly already knew the criteria. I began making rounds throughout the lobby area and the meeting room with the information that had been given to us by the District Attorney’s Office. I also spoke with Assistant DA Mark Parker and asked him to meet with Detective Manuel Chavez. I had been told the arrest affidavit specified that it would be signed by a member of he Special Crimes Unit of the Waco Police Department. Detective Chavez was the On-Call investigator for the Unit at the time this incident occurred at the Twin Peaks Restaurant. Therefore, I did speak with him and explained what I had just learned. I also asked him to meet with Assistant DA Mark Parker to ensure he understood what criteria had been set out by their office.”
Remaining Silent
“I also explained to Detective Chavez as well as other investigators, that I had asked representatives from the DA’s Office, if someone could be charged under this affidavit if they refused to speak to a detective during an interview; as long as the detective was able to see or document they were either a Bandido or a Cossack, or a supporter of either one. I also had been told this could be based on their jackets or what is referred to as ‘cuts’ or ‘colors,’ as well as a any other patches or particular identifiers to show they were a documented member or a support member. I had noticed there were quite a few individuals wearing ‘colors’ that displayed a patch showing, ‘I support the Bandidos.’ I also noticed some patches indicating ‘I support the Fat Mexican.’ I was told this would be specific to a supporter of the Bandido Motorcycle Club.”“Detective Chavez told me he would meet with Assistant DA Mark Parker and then he was instructed to go to a room that had already been set up by the McLennan County Sheriffs Department as a Processing Center, for anyone that would be referred as a person who should be charged with the offense. It should be noted that when I arrived at the Waco Convention Center, I saw representatives from the McLennan County Jail, specifically Captain Kolinec and Lieutenant Armstrong. With them were additional staff from the jail, in the event that people would be processed at the Convention Center prior to being taken to the McLennan County Jail.”
“It was my understanding that after the specific interview, or based on any physical observations of their colors or other evidence that fit the criteria as set out in the arrest affidavit; that individual’s name would be placed on a list which would be provided to the Processing Area. In that processing area, there was staff from the McLennan County Sheriffs Department-Jail Division, Detective Chavez, Judge Peterson, a representative from the District Attorney’s Office, and Captain Steve Smith from the McLennan County Sheriffs Office.”
Maw Of The Best
“It should also be noted I saw that detectives from the Waco Police Department-Neighborhood Services Section had set up an Evidence Receiving Area in one portion of the Convention Center. This was done for the purpose of collecting any cell phones, Motorcycle Club identifying clothing , and any other evidence that would pertain to the investigation that was being conducted on the shooting that occurred at the Twin Peaks Restaurant. The interviews once again commenced, and continued to the very early morning hours of 5/18/15.”“I remained at the Convention Center with Assistant Chief Frank Gentsch until such time we confirmed all those individuals that would be charged per the criteria of the arrest affidavit, had either been interviewed and/or were awaiting transfer to the McLennan County Jail. There were a number of individuals that had not been documented with any criteria based on the arrest affidavit. They had been placed in a holding area until such time they could be taken to a specific location for their release. It should also be noted that individuals that had been transported to the Convention Center had been photographed, their names had been obtained, and other information documented in the event they had to be re-contacted at a later date.”
“I left the Convention Center at approximately 08:00. I returned to the Police Department to await the arrival of other detectives so that we could conduct a briefing. We discussed what needed to be done during the next few days, as it was obvious that we would be spending several more days at the initial scene of the Twin Peaks Restaurant. It was still a secure crime scene, and was being held by officers of the Waco Police Department.”