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32 WheelsOfGrace.com Issue 39 MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY NEWS "As a female, you're always going to have someone who may not take you seriously," Muecke said. "Just keep at it, work hard, and show them your passion for motorcycles and everything will fall into place." waco mistrial: Here's wHy banDiDo Jake will remain a free man By David "Double D" Devereaux The first trial of Christopher Jacob Carrizal has come to an end. As an expert consultant to his defense, the MPP refrained from releasing anything related to the trial in an a empt to avoid any nega ve impact or poten al conflicts of interest. But the trial is now over and it's me to speak the truth. Judge Ma Johnson declared a mistrial a er two days of delibera ons in which the jury was hopelessly deadlocked. The President of the Dallas chapter of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club was facing three separate charges rela ng to events that took place at the Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas on May 17, 2015. Carrizal was charged with direc ng a criminal street gang and engaging in organized criminal ac vity, or conspiring to engage in criminal ac vity, as a member of a criminal street gang, resul ng in 9 murders and 18 instances of aggravated assault. Although a new trial se ng has been scheduled for April 2018, there are many factors that could impact the decision for a retrial. Regardless, based on observing the trial firsthand, there is every reason to have hope that Jake Carrizal will remain a free man. Why? Because Jake chooses courage over cowardice. And that choice makes America a be er place. The State's Case Against Carrizal The state's case rested largely on two text messages sent by Carrizal to other members of the Dallas chapter, and Dallas area support clubs, in the week preceding Twin Peaks. The first text asks for all members of the red and gold (that aren't working) to a end the COC mee ng at Twin Peaks and to leave their Ol' Ladies at home. The second text simply suggested that everyone bring their tools. The prosecu on contended that these texts were sufficient to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Fortunately for Jake, the red and gold na on, and the motorcycle club community at large, a jury of 12, all ci zens of Waco, disagreed and refused to convict. The a empt to retry Carrizal will likely be fu le. At one point on Friday, November 10th the jury sent a note to Judge Ma Johnson indica ng that they had a unanimous verdict on one charge but were hopelessly deadlocked on the other two. But later that day the jury indicated that they were hopelessly deadlocked on all three charges. According to firsthand accounts, the jury was nearly unanimous in the opinion that Carrizal was NOT GUILTY an all counts. One of the 12 jurors sent a message to Casie Gotro, Carrizal's a orney, valida ng this claim a er the trial was over: "Hello my name is ******** and I was one of the jurors on Jake's case. Please let Jake and his family know that I am so sorry that we couldn't get 2-3 guys to change their mind to not guilty. They weren't budging. I hate that you, him, and his family are possibly going to have to do this again. Jake seems like a great guy, and his mom seems so sweet. I think you are an awesome a orney and did a great job. If you have any ques ons, please feel free to reach out to me. If this case happens to go to trial again I hope you get all of the evidence beforehand." The Most Important Factors In Carrizal's Defense Based on directly observing the trial, the MPP contends that there were two major elements of the defense that resulted in the majority of jurors concluding that Carrizal was not guilty. First, Jake Carrizal, in the MPP's opinion, was the most credible witness to take the stand during the five week trial in the 54th District Court of McLennan County. Second, Miss Gotro's closing argument was powerful and convincing. Self- defense and courage are far more credible and persuasive than the McLennan County District A orney's discriminatory and specious conclusions related to the Bandidos Motorcycle Club and 1% culture. Jake Takes The Stand Carrizal took the stand in his own defense and told the jury a first hand account of the events of May 17, 2015. Carrizal, arriving in a pack of motorcycles riding from Dallas, was immediately ambushed by a large number of members from another MC (Motorcycle Club). Dozens of them jumped over a rail and poured out of the Twin Peaks pa o area surrounding Carrizal's group. Words were exchanged. Things quickly escalated. A member from the other MC hit a Bandido. More punches were thrown and gunshots quickly followed. Police responded and subdued the conflict. Police killed four members of the other MC that died that day. One Bandido and one Bandido supporter were killed by the ambushing of the other MC. Carrizal, based on his vivid tes mony, says he was ac ng in self-defense when he shot two bullets from a .38 Derringer that his father had given him for protec on. (Ballis cs confirm that neither of these shots hit anyone.) Carrizal's father, also ambushed, was shot but survived. Interes ngly, based on Carrizal's account, there is only one party responsible for the tragedy at Twin Peaks. While many people over the last two and a half years have insisted that law enforcement is the culpable party, Carrizal's tes mony directly disputes this no on. In fact, Carrizal maintains that law enforcement saved his life that day. Not once. But twice. Two were shoo ng at Jake from less than ten feet away, and were jus fiably shot by officer Jackson of the Waco PD. According to Carrizal, the other MC was solely responsible for the conflict that day by viola ng sacred ground among motorcycle clubs. With the excep on of a few minor incidents over decades, Confedera on of Clubs mee ngs have been peaceful gathering places, even among alleged rivals.