Biker Trials & Biker Feuds in the news

It's a wild and woolly day in the news!

In Montreal Superior Court Justice James Brunton refused a motion by the crown council to streamline the 5 mega trials where 124 members of the Hells Angels are charged with 22 murders.

Prosecutors failed to apply the new federal initiatives aimed at speeding up the mass hearings. According to the justice, the new rulings only apply to single trials. Two out of the five trials are already under way, with Brunton presiding over the trial of the Hells Angels in Sherbrooke QC and another is trying the Angels from Quebec City. Two of the other three trials are slated to begin in June of 2013 and the final one not until June 2015.

In California, the largest Biker Feud in ten years started at a Starbucks in California last year and satirist BC Bass had some fun with it in the Bennington Vale Evening Transcript yesterday.
He weaves a tale about bikers who get into a pissing contest over who has the right to hang out at a Starbuck's coffee shop. He has quite a way with words.

The real news is that there was a feud that started at Starbucks - the bloodshed started in January 2010, when the Hells Angels' and Vagos fought outside the downtown Santa Cruz Starbucks, using hammers to bludgeon each other before the police arrived. According to accounts in Visordown, Business Insider, MSNBC and many other sources, Santa Cruz Deputy Police Chief, Steve Clark said that: "The Vagos brazenly came in and tried to cement their presence. It was a pretty strong play on their part to establish themselves as the premiere club." He added: "Only in Santa Cruz would you have biker wars over who is going to control pumpkin spice lattes."

Since then, there was a gunfight between the two clubs in Arizona, the president of the San Jose chapter of the Hells Angels was shot to death, the Sergeant -at- arms of the San Jose Chapter was shot to death by a fellow HA member because he believed the Sergeant-at-arms failed to protect the president.

Wow - I wonder if that's why so many Timmy's locations really don't seem to like riders hanging out at their coffee shops?

In other serious news, a police officer in Indianapolis who was reportedly/allegedly drunk while on duty and struck motorcyclists that were at a red light killing one and injuring two others had a blood test that was administered two hours after the crash with a reading of 0.19% The results were disqualified for use in bringing a charge of drunk driving because standard procedures were not followed, but is being allowed to prove the charge of criminal negligence.

In Stugis SD, a group of business people are attempting to have the Sturgis Rally & Black Hills Trademarks quashed. The group - "Concerned Citizens for Sturgis" is taking their case to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

Begin Quote: “People have been using these marks for years,” Mortimer said. “There are so many people angry. This is their livelihood.”

The petition will be heard by a judge who will evaluate the petition on the legalities of the trademark registration, he said. The case will be decided on facts, not emotion, he said.

“We’re saying they lied on their applications,” Mortimer said.

It its petition, CCS alleges that “for many years the terms “Sturgis” and “Black Hills” are and have been used for goods and services by non-licensed third-parties,” including many members of CCS, in connection with the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, not only in Sturgis, but throughout the area." End Quote

Apparently, this past summer during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the SMR Inc approached vendors marketing goods with one or both names demanding that vendors register their products for the right to use the Trademarks sparking the challenge.

Now for some bizarre personal news.... A gal in the Okanagan calling herself Bare Knuckle Betty has started a motorcycle clothing and touring company. I have been fielding calls from people asking me if this gal is somehow connected to me and the answer is an unequivocal NO. From the calls and letters I have been getting, I understand that her use of the name Bare Knuckle Betty in conjunction with the items she is selling and the runs and tours she is promoting is causing some confusion in the industry.

I did speak with the gal in question who claims that she has had the nickname for 8 years, however no one else that has called me or written to me to ask about this situation had ever heard of her being called that until she met me and many of the people calling/writing are long time residents of the area and belong to the motorcycle industry/community in one way or the other

So if a gal calling herself Bare Knuckle Betty comes calling to your business please note that she has NOTHING to do with Belt Drive Betty Media which is a registered trade markor the Busted Knuckle Chronicles which is a copyrighted publication of Belt Drive Betty Media.

What a wild day in the news - it's no wonder we riders can't seem to get it together to protect our own or our rights - look at the feuding....geez!

What are your thoughts on these topics? I would LOVE to know...

In other news:

Jesse James is back on TV, with a Bike Builders challenge to air in December between Jesse and the Paul's Sr & Jr.

SOA star Kim Coates has found himself being approached by real bikers who, while they love the show have some issues with some of the details but the Saskatchewan native can hold his ground!

In Guelph Ontario a call to tone down the rhetoric on Noise has been issued by Greg Mercer of the Mercer Retort column in the Guelph Mercury Paper.

For all of you speed nuts, the results are in from the Bonneville Salt Flats!

There is a ton of interesting news in the feeds today, so check them out at www.beltdrivebetty.com where we sift through the news so you don't have to.

Have a safe and fabulous weekend.

Belt Drive Betty

Editor &a Rider