WACO, Texas — Two bikers out of 170 who were arrested after a shootout in Waco, Texas have been released, and now they are speaking out.

William and Morgan English, a married biker couple, posted a reduced bail of $25,000 and were released from jail on Monday. The couple have been in jail since their arrest on May 17, following a brawl at the Twin Peaks Sports Bar in Waco that left nine people dead and 18 injured.

The couple are still being charged with a felonies for engaging in organized crime, facing prison sentences that could land them behind bars for life.

“This whole thing is a sham,” said former marine William English, 33, who is a member of the Distorted Motorcycle Club. “I’m kind of upset that we had to pay to get out of jail when we did nothing wrong.”

Morgan English also says neither of them broke the law, explaining that they had arrived late to the meetup, right before gunfire broke out.

“All of a sudden I see a sea of people running towards me, and we run around the building,” said Morgan.

Paul Looney, the couple’s attorney, said their cases will go to a grand jury. Looney called the mass arrests “the most un-American activity I’ve ever seen conducted by a law enforcement agency.”

“These are great, salt of the earth people that formerly had the respect of the community,” Looney said. “In their community they have been broadcast as being thugs and members of a secret gang.”

Waco Police Sergeant Patrick Swanton is defending the actions of the police. “It’s pretty commonplace for arrestees to complain about being arrested. Our investigation is continuing, and the justice system is working as it should,” Swanton said.

Most of the bikers arrested during the incident are still behind bars, and no charges have yet been dropped. In some cases, their bonds have been reduced from $1 million.

An NBC News video interview of the couple is available below:

WACO, Texas — Earlier today, detainees in the Jack Harwell Detention Center in Waco were told that in exchange for bond reductions, they must sign a document stating the Waco police “had the right to arrest the inmate and that he/she will not file a lawsuit against McLennan County and/or the City of Waco.”

On the two-week anniversary of the “shootout at high noon” at the Twin Peaks restaurant between motorcyclists and law enforcement officers, at least 170 people remain detained on $1 million bonds.

This latest information was reported to an attorney representing at least one of the detainees. “It appears the public defenders office in McLennan County is involved in this scurrilous activity,” said Paul Looney, a Houston attorney with Looney & Conrad, P.C. “I’ve never seen anything like the lawlessness that the authorities have perpetrated on these people and now to add insult to injury they are trying to cover their own tracks in exchange for bond. I will be in the reception area of the McLennan County D.A.’s office tomorrow morning at 8:30 with the intention of not leaving until we have the issue of bond resolved.”

“They know these people aren’t dangerous or they wouldn’t be offering the bond reductions and they know the police and the D.A.’s office have violated the law and now they are trying to hold people hostage until they agree to waive their rights. It’s unconscionable,” said Clay S. Conrad, Looney’s law partner.

One family member of a biker summed up the news like this:

In other words, the Waco PD is putting a gun to the head of the accused by holding their freedom for ransom. “If you want out, give us a pass.”

Such a thing is nothing short of extortion! If they refuse, they intend on continuing to hold them on the $1-million bond.

Let that sink in for a moment. The Waco PD and feds would have you believe that nearly 170 Americans, whom are locked away, are so dangerous, that they cannot be trusted with freedom. Yet, if they’ll agree to absolve the Waco PD of any crime, suddenly they’re outstanding citizens?

Like I’ve been telling you since the beginning, these men and women were kidnapped to attain their silence. They were kidnapped to protect the Waco Police from having to answer for their crimes. And we can prove it, now.

The Waco Police wants absolution for murdering 9 people, and kidnapping and abusing 170 witnesses. But they want to circumvent the legal system. They don’t want their crimes to be exposed to the public.

This is another case of government believing that they are above justice. We cannot allow such a thing to happen. The truth needs to known, and it needs to spread from coast-to-coast. If they get away with it in Waco, they’ll do it again. Maybe next time, you’ll be the target.

If you are family of any of the victims who are being held for ransom by the Waco Police, do NOT agree to sign this document. The Waco Police shall not avoid the inevitable day when the truth comes out in court. True justice is coming! And the Waco Police will soon be exposed for their crimes against the victims of the Waco massacre. The dead and the kidnapped deserve true justice, and that won’t come with silence, it will come with the exposure of the truth.

The death toll from the “Twin Peaks” shootout was greater than the total number of homicides Waco police investigated in all of 2014 – And all of the “Twin Peaks” dead were shot by police.

Previously Waco Police Spokesman W. Patrick Swanton stated 22 members of law enforcement were present prior to the outbreak of the shooting.  Including 10 members of the Waco SWAT unit, 2 sergeants, 1 rookie, the Asst. Police Chief and 4 state troopers.

Newly released information today includes the Waco Police stating 14 Waco PD officers were involved in firing shots which killed 9 bike club members and wounded 18 more.

The 14 officers involved in the gun battle are all now on administrative leave, which is standard protocol in officer-involved shootings, Swanton said. (link)

In addition Sgt Swanton previously stated that all of the 170 arrested bikers were known “criminal gang members”.  However, a review by the Associated Press of court records finds at least 115 of the 170 had no police records:

Waco police have said that all those arrested after the shooting belonged to criminal motorcycle gangs. Most of them were being held on $1 million bonds Thursday, charged with engaging in criminal enterprise. Nine people were killed in Sunday’s shootout.

Records searched by The Associated Press show more than 115 of the 170 people arrested in the aftermath of a motorcycle gang shootout outside a Central Texas restaurant have not been convicted of a crime in Texas.  (link)

After previously saying he had not watched the CCTV video from the restaurant/bar yesterday (Wed) -which was reviewed by Associated Press reporters- Swanton now says he has watch the CCTV video.

He said he has viewed surveillance videos of the violence, and said they tell a different story from the some of the accounts being spun online.

“We can’t wait to show you what truly happened,” he said. (link)

Which is a disingenuous statement at best because all they need to do is authorize the restaurant to release the video, and the public can decide for ourselves.

One of the bikers the police killed, Jesus Delgado Rodriquez (65), was a purple heart recipient.

Family members of a man killed in a biker shootout at a Texas restaurant say he was not part of an outlaw motorcycle gang.  That contradicts police claims that all nine bikers who died were members of criminal gangs.

The son of 65-year-old Jesus Delgado Rodriguez, of New Braunfels, told the San Antonio Express-News that his father did not lead a life of violence. An Associated Press review of court records and a database maintained by the Texas Department of Public Safety found no criminal history in Texas for Rodriguez.

Family members said Rodriguez had belonged to two now defunct motorcycle clubs but was not part of any club when he was shot and killed at Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco.

Waco police spokesman Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton told the AP on Wednesday that all those killed were members of the Bandidos or the Cossacks. Swanton did not immediately return a message Thursday. (link)

In addition from a lawsuit filed against Twin Peaks by the neighboring restaurant Don Carlos it is claimed the police fired “thousands of rounds” toward the bikers; striking not only bike club members but also Don Carlos customer vehicles.

Summary and personal thoughts:  It is entirely possible that some of the bikers were criminals; and it is also entirely possible that twitchy police responded excessively and overreacted to a perceived threat.  These two possibilities are not mutually exclusive.

Who shot at whom first; who did or did not pull the trigger; and what might have spurred the 14 police officers to fire “thousands of rounds” at a group of 3 to 5 potentially armed bikers when the downrange backdrop was a patio filled with hundreds of unarmed bikers is not yet known.

Look closely at this picture:

You can see bullet holes in the customer vehicles in the Don Carlos parking lot.

NOTE: Direction of fire from Don Carlos toward Twin Peaks.
NOTE: The downrange backdrop of that fire (for the bullets that miss their target) is the patio of Twin Peaks.

However, apparently pointing out a strong possibility for an overreaction by twitchy police is now considered “Conspiracy Theory”, or something.   A radio broadcast today calls our previous outline (which quoting MSM information) as conspiracy theory. [Listen at 8:15]

I find it interesting how intelligent people cannot bring themselves to believe the police may have influenced, initiated, created and/or worsened the events with their militarized (SWAT) presence at a bike club meeting.

Ruby Ridge?… How about M.O.V.E (Philadelphia)? … Or maybe Waco 1.0? … or perhaps more recently “Baby Bou-Bou” ringing any bells?  Cops make mistakes too !!

Doesn’t anyone else find it curious that an Asst. Police Chief was on scene at Twin Peaks along with the SWAT unit, presumably as scene commander prior to the shootings, and yet no-one has heard from him/her?

Doesn’t anyone else find it curious that initial police statements claimed they had “an active intelligence operation” on the “Bike Gang” which customarily would include monitoring (camera’s, video, etc) and yet the police release NO VIDEO to support their “we were under fire” claims?

A previous comment by J.D. sums up the strange sniff of it all nicely:

I’m former law enforcement for over 20 years. I have ridden with 2 different LEMC clubs. I worked undercover back in late 80’s and have dealt with 1% clubs many times. I have friends in 1% clubs.

I’m pro law enforcement but have a funny feeling that there is lots of horseshit in the story that Waco PD is telling.

I have family living and Working in that area. They have had interaction with the clubs and never felt scared or intimidated. Always felt safe.

Now are we going get the truth or more bullshit? I’m tending on believing the bikers sides on this deal more with every day that passes. Too many people arrested and charged with RICO that were just spending time at TP.

I think LE has overstepped it’s authority on filing these type charges on most these people. $1,000,000 bonds??? BS…

Even if you find reasonable excuses for all the LEO contradictions (fight in bathroom, shots inside, all killed were inside/dragged out etc.);  even if you ignore all the misleading statements by law enforcement spokesman Patrick Swanton (100 weapons, 50 weapons, 1000 weapons etc); even if you ignore the lack of willingness to produce factual data to support their claims, ….you are still left with a ridiculous assertion that 170 non-criminal people deserve a million dollar bond because they rode a motorcycle last Sunday to a meeting, and possibly witnessed what happened.

The total number of bikers on scene, according to Swanton, was 200.  170 are arrested, 18 were wounded, 9 were killed, that totals 197.  So only 3 people were non-conspirators?

This nonsense about weapons found in vehicles etc. is just that, nonsense.

If you go to a Waco Texas Wal-Mart on Sunday, rope off the parking lot, arrest the first 200 people you see and search their pick-up trucks, suv’s and various vehicles you’ll probably come up with a similar set of statistics.

50 out of 200 people captured at Wal-Mart with prior arrest records; some with pocket knives, chains, handguns, and even rifles in their vehicles etc.  

So what? None of that is illegal or unlawful. Ridiculous. Go to a Bass Pro shop on Saturday and you’ll probably find even better stats if that’s the goal.

Another factor which makes it all the more curious is these are the ACTUAL talking points Sgt. Patrick Swanton is relying on to justify the shooting.  This innocuous nonsense is what they are focused on.  That itself indicates -to a reasonably discerning person- there’s something uncomfortable about the narrative the LEO responders are trying to avoid.

That’s not conspiracy, that’s just common sense.

It is not conspiracy theory the incident occurred at 12:24pm Central Time (1:24 pm Eastern) and in around 90 minutes, 2:04pm CST (3:04pm EST) this press conference was held, giving the specifics of 9 dead and 18 wounded and a restaurant owner who needs to be shut down for non-compliance.

Published at http://theconservativetreehouse.com by sundance