Slain Bandido 'went like a man,' biker
tells court
Toronto Star - LONDON,
Ont.–An outlaw biker leader looked death in the eye and laughed before
he was executed by a fellow club member, court was told yesterday.
Evidence of the final seconds of the life of John (Boxer) Muscedere, 48,
of Chatham, came during the testimony of a biker informant who can only
be identified as "M.H."
The informant, now in a witness protection program, says he was present
at the farm of biker Wayne Kellestine, 60, west of London, on April 8,
2006, when eight GTA Bandidos were shot to death.
Court earlier was told Muscedere was shot in the chest and head and
several of his teeth were broken. His body and seven others were
discovered in vehicles abandoned 14 kilometres from Kellestine's farm.
Court heard a secretly recorded conversation between M.H. and accused
killer Dwight Mushey, 41, of Winnipeg, after M.H. became a police agent.
"Out of everyone there, this guy (Muscedere), went out like a man,"
Mushey tells M.H. on June 12, 2006.
M.H. said Mushey struck a boxer's pose, to signify Muscedere's nickname
of "Boxer."
"What, the others didn't?" M.H. asks.
"A couple of them cried," Mushey says.
Seconds later, M.H. says, "I didn't."
M.H. explained yesterday that he was saying he didn't kill anyone at
Kellestine's farm. He had earlier told court he had stood guard with a
shotgun, but did not shoot anyone.
In the taped conversation, M.H. then says to Mushey, "You did."
Mushey laughs and replies, "Oh yeah, of course."
M.H. said he understood Mushey to be telling him he pulled the trigger
in the alleged executions.
"I'm actually talking about shooting somebody," M.H. testified.
Winnipeg Bandidos leader Michael Sandham was also on tape as he
described a meeting at the Bandidos' international headquarters in Texas
a month after the killings.
He said the Texans didn't want to hear about the killings.
"Everything was hunky-dory and didn't really have anything to say about
them," Sandham told M.H. and Mushey on June 12, 2006.
Also found near the hamlet of Shedden were the bodies of Jamie Flanz,
38, of Keswick; Frank Salerno, 43, of Oakville; Paul Sinopoli, 30, of
Jackson's Point; Michael Trotta, 31, of Mississauga; and Torontonians
George Jessome, 52, George Kriarakis, 28, and Luis Raposo, 41.
Charged with eight counts each of first-degree murder are: Mushey,
Kellestine, Sandham, Frank Mather, 35, Marcelo Aravena, 33, and Brett
Gardiner, 25.
Judge will sentence Vancouver Hells Angels on Monday -
The Province - A prosecutor called Thursday
for a jail sentence of up to 45 months for a Hells Angel found guilty of
possessing a loaded handgun and urging another man to rip apart a family
home over an unpaid debt.
Last week John Punko was one of four members of the notorious motorcycle
club’s East End chapter to be found guilty of weapons offences.
The B.C. Supreme Court jury also found Punko, 42, guilty of counselling
to commit mischief.
That offence related to a May 2004 incident in which he urged police
agent Michael Plante to tear up the parental home of Parminder Gill, a
man with whom Punko had been having a dispute over a debt.
Punko was hoping to discourage Gill from going to police and pressing
charges. “This is very chilling indeed,” prosecutor Mark Levitz told
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Selwyn Romilly.
“Fortunately for the family, Punko and others were not arrested so there
was never any need to carry out the action.”
Levitz said another aggravating factor was that Punko had a prior
conviction for attempting to obstruct justice by threatening a
prosecutor.
Levitz called for Punko to receive a sentence of between 24 and 30
months for the mischief conviction.
On the firearm offence, in which a loaded gun was found in Punko’s home,
the accused should receive 15 months in jail, consecutive to the
mischief, said the prosecutor.
Punko, who has been in custody since his arrest in July 2005, was
sentenced to 15 months in jail in April 2008 for refusing to testify at
another Hells Angel trial.
Those 15 months should be subtracted from his sentence prior to Punko
receiving double-time credit for pre-trial custody, said Levitz.
Punko is facing drug charges arising from the RCMP crackdown and will
remain in custody pending that trial, scheduled to begin in September.
Richard Cairns, a lawyer for Punko, agreed that Punko should get 15
months on the gun offence but said a more appropriate sentence for the
mischief count would be 18 months, giving his client a total of 33
months in jail.
Sentencing submissions were made on Wednesday for Randy Potts and
Ronaldo Lising, two of the other Angels involved in the prosecution.
The judge reserved sentencing for Punko, Potts and Lising for Monday.
Jean Violette, the fourth Angel in the case, is to be sentenced in
October.
Chilling photos at biker trial - LONDON, Ont. -- One
by one, the chilling photos of eight members of the Toronto chapter of
the Bandidos motorcycle gang as they were found the morning of their
deaths flashed onto courtroom video screens yesterday at the murder
trial of six men.
Each time, the Crown's star witness worked to keep his composure.
"Did you kill him?" asked defence lawyer Tony Bryant, as he went through
each of the photos of the dead Toronto Bandidos -- nicknamed Chopper,
Boxer, Crash, Pony, Bam Bam, Little Mikey, Big Paulie and Goldberg.
"No," former Winnipeg Bandido biker M.H. would say quietly.
"Did Marcelo Aravena kill him?" asked Bryant, who represents Aravena.
"No," would come the quiet reply.
"There was no plan" to kill the eight men on April 8, 2006, at Wayne
Kellestine's southwestern Ontario farm, M.H. said, after reaching for
tissues to dry his eyes.
On the first day of cross-examination of M.H., three of the six defence
teams began reviewing his six days of testimony and tried to get a
fuller picture of what their clients were doing when the eight men from
the rival Toronto chapter were shot to death.
Among the revelations yesterday was M.H.'s testimony that he had been a
police informant in Winnipeg before the Ontario shootings three years
ago.
Six men have pleaded not guilty to eight counts of first-degree murder
of the bikers found shot to death, their bodies stuffed into vehicles
left along a rural road near Shedden, Ont.
The jury has heard evidence the men were shot to death at Kellestine's
farm before their bodies were moved.
The trial continues.
Teens hospitalized in motorcycle crash -
News-Leader.com - Two teens were taken to
the hospital Wednesday after the motorcycle they were riding ran off the
road and overturned in Newton County.
Driver Allan Pink, 19, of Webb City, sustained moderate injuries.
Passenger Karie Baldwin, 18, of Joplin sustained minor injuries.
The accident occurred at 11:18 p.m. on McCelland Park Boulevard, about
half a mile south of Joplin. Pink was southbound at the time.
Both teens were wearing helmets at the time of the accident, according
to a report from the Highway Patrol. They were taken to Freeman West
Hospital.
Cool bikes and hot wings -
Laconia Citizen - For those with a hankering for hot wings, the
Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that it has a
full complement of restaurants to compete in its inaugural Cool Bikes &
Hot Wings event.
On Aug. 8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Laconia Harley-Davidson on Route 3 in
Meredith will hold a ride-in motorcycle show and hot wings contest with
proceeds going toward future chamber capital projects.
The bike show is free and the public is invited to vote on their
favorite rides. Cash prizes will be given for Best in Show, People's
Choice, Best Paint, Best Chrome and Best License Plate.
For $5, attendees can sample hot wings from 10 area restaurants and vote
for their favorite. Participating restaurants are Patrick's Pub &
Eatery, The Manor on Golden Pond, Vineyards Family Restaurant, The Crazy
Gringo, Galley Restaurant, Wolfetrap Grill and Raw Bar, The Looney Bin
Bar and Grill, T-Bones Great American Eatery, Broken Spoke Saloon and
Shooters Tavern and Pizzaria.
The event will also feature music and a raffle for a $1,000 gift card
from Laconia Harley-Davidson. Only 200 tickets are being sold and they
can be purchased at the chamber offices in Laconia and Franklin. For
more information, call the chamber at 524-5531 or go to
www.laconia-weirs.org .
Skegness Bikers' Weekend a great success despite weather -
Skegness Standard - BIKERS from all over
the country descended on Skegness for the second annual Bikers' Weekend
hosted by Skegness and District Motorcycle Club.
The two-day event was held at The Welcome Inn, Burgh Road, Skegness, and
people from as far as Plymouth, Wales and Newcastle did not let the
torrential rain stop them travelling down.
Jeff Todd, who organised the event with his show team, said: "Everybody
appreciated what we did for them and the weekend went perfectly without
any problems.
"We had a good turnout considering the weather and were running out of
space."
There were seven prizes for the best bikes and top bike of the show.
Trophies were sponsored by local businesses, including Diamonds, Taggs
Caravan Site, Ward and Son Cycles, Slipstream and Louth Bikes.
The Welcome provided a special bikers' menu for the weekend and Quality
Outside Food provided food throughout the night.
There were around 12 stalls selling bikers' gear which added to the
atmosphere.
The weekend was deemed a wet, but successful, and plans are already
being made for next year's event.
The club meets on the first Wednesday of the month at The Welcome at
8.30pm. There will not be a meeting in August.
If you would like to get involved, contact Jeff Todd, tel 01754 811405.
Comox woman dies in motorcycle crash down-island -
Canada.com - A 52-year-old Comox woman is
dead after crashing her motorcycle near Port Renfrew on the weekend.
According to police, Veronika Lebar had been traveling between Port
Renfrew and Mesachie Lake Saturday afternoon with another motorcyclist.
But when the lead rider reached the lake, it became clear that Lebar was
no longer following.
Police said that the lead rider backtracked and eventually found that
Lebar's bike had left the road and struck an embankment at a small
bridge on the right hand side.
Passersby attempted CPR but were unsuccessful in their efforts.
Ambulance crews raced Lebar to Cowichan District Hospital, where she was
later pronounced dead.
Police said that alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash and
weather and visibility conditions were good. The investigation
continues.
Head-On Crash Kills Motorcycle Rider and Teen Passenger -
Salem-News.Com - (NORTH PLAINS, Ore.) -
Two people were killed when the motorcycle they were riding collided
head-on with a pick-up truck this afternoon at about 3:30 p.m. The North
Plains Police Department was the first agency dispatched to the scene.
Sgt. David Thompson with the Washington County Sheriff's Office, says
the male driver and female passenger on the motorcycle were both
pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on on NW West Union Road.
"The crash left the passenger, 17-year old Jessica Leigh Elder of
Warren, and the driver, 28-year old Leonid “Leo” Brodsky of Hillsboro,
dead at the scene," Thompson said.
The crash occurred in front of 29685 NW West Union Road in the City of
North Plains. Thompson says the preliminary investigation indicates that
Mr. Brodsky was traveling west bound on NW West Union.
"He was observed by an Oregon State trooper just moments before the
crash. The trooper was coming out of their office located just east of
the crash site on West Union."
Thompson continued, "The trooper said the motorcycle was traveling at a
very high rate of speed. He got in his car and attempted to catch up to
the motorcycle. He came across the crash a short time later."
The motorcycle was on fire when the state trooper rolled up on it, and
it appeared that it struck a 2003 Ford F250 pickup truck.
The 2006 Kawasaki motorcycle impacted the truck on the front passenger
side causing extensive damage to the truck and destroying the
motorcycle.
Thompson says the driver of the pickup, 80-year old Clarence Court Jr.
of North Plains, was turning into a farm implement business on the north
side of the street when Mr. Brodsky struck his pickup.
"Mr. Brodsky and Ms. Elder were both ejected from the motorcycle before
it caught fire. Mr. Court was not injured in the crash. At this time
there are no charges expected against Mr. Court."
Jessica Elder attended St. Helens High School where she would have been
a senior next year. Her parents, Robert and Elizabeth Elder of Warren,
were notified of their daughter’s death by the Washington County Rural
Fire District Chaplain. Mr. Brodsky’s next of kin were also notified of
his death.
Thompson says the Washington County Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team
was called to the scene and is continuing to investigate the crash.
Braggs man injured in motorcycle wreck -
Muskogee Daily Phoenix - A Braggs man was
injured Thursday afternoon when he wrecked the motorcycle he was riding,
according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol
Michael Bruch, 49, was listed in critical condition about 4 p.m. at
Muskogee Regional Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The accident happened at approximately 1:10 p.m. about two miles north
of Muskogee on U.S. 69 in Muskogee County. Bruch was driving a 2002
Yamaha motorcycle northbound. When traffic began to slow, Bruch began to
brake and lost control, laying the motorcycle on its side. He was not
wearing a helmet. The trooper’s report states the cause of the crash as
following too closely.
Blue Knights turns 35 - Louisville
Courier-Journal - More than 100 hollering, horn-honking,
cigar-smoking motorcyclists ambled up Second Street and across Broadway
on Thursday, to commemorate the 35th annual convention of the
international Blue Knights motorcycle club.
But forget the stereotype of a lawless, reckless motorcycle gang — these
drivers were active and retired police officers — and they all wore
helmets.
“We want to dispel the myth that motorcyclists are evil people,” said
Ruben Gardner, president of the Elizabethtown chapter of the Blue
Knights, which hosted the convention.
More than 500 club members — from across the country and as far away as
Belgium — were in town for the convention, which started Sunday and ends
Friday.
The group holds two meetings during the six-day convention to plan
events for next year, but they're mostly just here to have a good time
and celebrate a common bond.
“When we get together, we don't really talk about police work. We talk
about the trips, the motorcycling,” said Ed Gallant, a former officer in
the Bangor, Maine police department and a founding member of the Blue
Knights.
Gallant and seven other officers founded the group in 1974 to develop
camaraderie among neighboring police departments. After the national
press picked up on their story, police departments across the U.S. and
Canada began forming their own chapters. Within a year, the Blue Knights
had become an international organization.
“It was just fun … getting to know your fellow police officers,” Gallant
said. “I never had this in mind at all.”
Today there are about 20,000 Blue Knights in 29 nations across the
globe.
“I can go somewhere all by myself, and with the Blue Knights … you have
connections,” said Koen Hutse, a Blue Knight from Belgium.
While in Louisville, club members visited the Louisville Slugger Museum
& Factory and Churchill Downs, attended a Louisville Bats game and rode
along the Bourbon Trail. The vintage motorcycle exhibit at the Kentucky
Museum of Art and Craft was an unexpected addition to the mix, Gardner
said.
Frank Gillespie, 87, of Maryland, has been a Blue Knight for 28 years.
He hung up his keys for good last year, but only after logging well over
a million miles on the 17 bikes he's owned over the years, and having an
award named after him: the Frank R. Gillespie Long Rider Award, given to
the Blue Knights' most devoted cyclist.
He said riding a motorcycle is like second nature.
“When you're in a car, it's like looking into a television,” he said.
“You don't see above you, you don't see around you. I just enjoy that.”
Motorcyclist hurt in fatal collision ID'd -
Billings Gazette - The Billings man who was
injured in an accident involving his motorcycle and a car in the West
End on Tuesday afternoon has been identified as Jonathan Angel.
Angel, 33, was eastbound on Broadwater Avenue when his motorcycle
collided with a westbound car that was trying to make a left turn onto
Glen Drive.
He was taken to Billings Clinic in critical condition. His status has
been upgraded to fair.
Kyle Beeler, a 4-year-old passenger in the car, was pronounced dead at
the scene from head trauma.
No charges have been filed over the accident, which occurred shortly
after 4 p.m.
POW MIA Awareness Rally in Pocatello -
KPVI-TV - If you're a motorcycle enthusiast
and you've never seen the National Guard's touring Patriot Bike, you
have a chance to see it in person this weekend.
The chopper was on display Thursday afternoon at Pocatello Cycle on
Yellowstone Avenue. It is the POW MIA group's way of revving up for
their weekend long rally running July 24th through the 26th.
They're hoping to get a record amount of people in attendance especially
since one of Idaho's very own soldiers is a Prisoner of War in
Afghanistan right now, Private First Class Bowe Bergdahl of Ketchum.
The organization's ultimate goal is to make sure Americans and the
government never forget about the hundreds of servicemen and women who
never return home. Their prayers are with the Bergdahl family at this
time.
Roy Breshears, POW MIA Awareness Rally Corporation: "It's just a
tremendous amount of uncertainty for that family with the ups and downs
of not knowing, as with other things in life. Not knowing has to be
extremely hard for them. Pray is a powerful thing and that's what we're
advocating right now."
The POW MIA Awareness Rally takes place at the Bannock County
Fairgrounds. All proceeds go to the Idaho State Veterans Home and the
POW League of Families.
You do not have to be a member of the military or even like motorcycles
to attend. Breshears says you just have to be a patriot who wants to
support the cause.
Amity Township supervisor injured in motorcycle crash -
Reading Eagle - An Amity Township
supervisor was injured Thursday morning when his motorcycle crashed on
Weavertown Road near Old Airport Road in the township, police said.
Richard L. Gokey, 59, suffered unspecified injuries in the crash and was
in good condition Thursday night in Reading Hospital, according to a
hospital spokeswoman.
Amity police gave this account:
Gokey was westbound on Weavertown Road about 10:45, when he tried to
avoid a pickup truck that had turned in front of his motorcycle from Old
Airport Road.
Gokey lost control of the motorcycle, went over the handlebars and slid
on the roadway, coming to rest under the pickup truck.
Firefighters removed Gokey from beneath the truck, which was driven by
David Moyer, 48, Northampton. Moyer was not injured.
Gokey was wearing a helmet.
Police asked that witnesses call them at 610-689-6002.
Wash. motorcyclist injured in E. Oregon crash -
KTVZ - RICHLAND, Ore. (AP) - Emergency crews
had to use ropes to rescue an injured Langley, Wash., motorcyclist after
he plunged about 25 feet down an embankment in eastern Oregon, coming to
a stop near the Powder River.
Oregon State Police Lt. Dave MacManiman says 58-year-old Christopher
Cook was eastbound on State Highway 86 on Thursday when his motorcycle
hit loose rock on the right shoulder and went over the edge.
MacManiman described Cook as seriously injured. He was taken to St.
Elizabeth's Hospital in Baker City, then flown to St. Alphonsus Hospital
in Boise, Idaho.
Go Hog Wild motorcycle ride for Guinness World Record -
Naples Daily News - NAPLES — Seminole
Casino Immokalee is hoping to attract more than 2,000 bikers Sunday in
an attempt to break the Guinness record for the “Largest Harley Parade.”
The ride will start from Germain Arena and culminate at the casino where
a $1,000 drawing will take place at 3 and 4 p.m., followed by a drawing
for a Harley Road King at 5 p.m. on Sunday, according to a prepared
statement.
Bikers should be at the arena by noon Sunday and the ride is expected to
leave by 1:30 p.m.
Rider registration is free and Harley Davidson brand bike riders can
register by calling 1-800-218-0007 or at the arena.
For information call (800) 218-0007; fax (239) 658-1515 or visit
www.seminoleimmokaleecasino.com .
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