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HOME I DRAGONATERS I ROCKSLIDE I HYPE I DTV I RACIN I WARNING I SAFETY I TRAFFIC COURT I POLICE PORN I CRASH CURES I 129 STORE
 636 Turns in every 22 Mile Lap 636 curves and 36 cops per 22-mile lap |
Maryville Daily Times The Tennessee Highway Patrol is kicking off two special enforcement campaigns aimed at areas known for dangerous driving, including part of U.S. Highway 129 in Blount County. Thanks to funding provided through the Governor's Highway Safety Office, troopers will be cracking down on drivers who break the law on a deadly stretch of U.S. Highway 129 in Blount County known as "Deals Gap," as well as in the Shady Valley area of Johnson County. "A similar initiative conducted along Deals Gap last year resulted in a decrease in deadly crashes," said Department of Safety Commissioner Dave Mitchell in a THP release. "Rigorous enforcement programs are effective, and our goal is always to protect the motoring public and save lives." [Ed - and killed 3 bikers during the Dragon Surge in 2007] During the four months troopers participated in the Deals Gap/Blount County Enforcement Initiative, the calls for University of Tennessee Medical Center Lifestar helicopters dropped 99 percent, according to information from THP. The same campaign will be conducted this year using a $75,000 grant from GHSO. "The Governor?s Highway Safety Office is happy to once again partner with the Tennessee Highway Patrol," said GHSO Director Kendell Poole in the release. "These funds will allow troopers to work extra hours on the weekends, and this increased enforcement will undoubtedly help reduce bodily injury crashes and ultimately save lives." THP Colonel Mike Walker hopes a similar enforcement campaign in the Shady Valley area of Johnson County will produce the same results. Walker said in the release, "Troopers will be out in force looking for any vehicle that violates the law and makes the roadway unsafe. We applaud the Governor's Highway Safety Office for providing the grant money to enable THP to step up enforcement and deter dangerous activities." A $36,000 grant from the GHSO will be utilized to fund overtime for troopers each weekend during the Johnson County enforcement initiative. Both programs will be conducted through the fall. Update: Did THP arson one of its confiscated bikes to "justify" it's Police State Surge in 2008? Note that the Forest Service admitted it did set most of that fire.  FTP Dragon mojo at the Overlook February 2008
500 veterans and farmers make citizens arrests and fire machine guns at 300 crooked cops, deputies and THP, and dynomite the jailhouse to rebel against bogus speeding tickets Gangsta Govt mayor and copsters gunned down, 6 dead Propaganda is defined as pathological lies to promote terrorism Defective guardrail kills tourist Defective signs, defective trike and lack of flag vehicle kill tourists Porn star wins 29 trials in Tennessee traffic court Precedent case requires dismissal of ALL traffic tickets in Blount County courts Cop warns cops about the Police State Versus 20 biker deaths on the Dragon in 12 years A semi-scientific analysis
"EVERYONE WHO GOES TO DEALS GAP------PLEASE READ THIS-----I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU ALL OUT Hey, just to give you a heads up for next season----we have a new captain in the knoxville district which covers blount county------he has already told us that we will put a stop to the "race track driving" up on the dragon this year------so far what they have said is that the speed limit is 30mph and "ANYONE" caught going 50mph and up will be charged with reckless driving and will be jailed and their bike/car will be impounded-----I am telling you this because i am trying to put the word out to everyone i know----or to people who know people that go up there-----I don't want to have to take people to jail for this---however I have bills to pay and I kind of like having a job---so never the less I have to do what i am told to do-----so the way i see it is that if killboy.com knows and you know and dealsgap.com knows and whoever else can find out can pass this along---it will benefit everybody--------feel free to copy and past this and let everyone know-------if you get caught up there it is only your fault because i am trying to pass the word along for everybody's sake-----we are not just going to come up from the bottom like in years past---they are gonna have us go through cherohala skwy in north carolina and come from the top down to the bottom----so no more free rides on your way back to the state line----they are gonna bring unmarked cars with radio's and have unmarked bikes up there----this will be a joint effort with blount county and the THP-----The entire THP motor unit will be brought in 2 people at a time(for a week long assignment) to be paired up with the local car----they plan on busting tail at least 3-4 times right off the bat---then they will sit back and see what takes place-----these orders came from Nashville Headquarters---we have a complete brand new higher ranking structure from the very tip top spot down----they have said we will work until the problem is solved----just wanted to give you and your friends a heads up..........SIGNED..........Trp Cagle with THP assigned to Blount County Division----(don't come crying to me if you get busted----cause I'm telling you now)" "You may recall a little letter that circulated last winter from a certain TNHP officer Cagle that warned of all this. That officer sacrificed his job basically to get the word out to us, and now works weight scale duty on I-40 as I understand it, as a result." "I'll write a couple very nice polite letters explaining how my tourist dollars will be going elsewhere this year due to excessive 'tourist terrorism'. This gestapo-style law enforcement appears to be mostly prevalent on Hwy 129 near North Carolina. This is the very area I visit and enjoy and spend my hard-earned vacation dollars in. I do hope this is not the new version of 'southern hospitality'. I fear I may have to stop visiting Tennessee and spend the thousands of vacation dollars elsewhere. Take heed, Tennessee is not the only state with beautiful mountains. I do not patronize regions that support 'tourist terrorism'. Prolly not a good idea to boot out the soldiers in the field. They're just following orders. Ya know... They didn't get up one morning, meet for coffee, strategize, and then decide to decend on Deal's Gap in droves. Nope, that order comes from above, prolly WAY above. Given a choice I would believe a patrolman would much rather track down a burglar, thief, or rapist and ultimately help his own family become safer; instead of passing out coopins for incorrect plate mounting. But.... if you wanna keep your job, you do what the BOSS tells you. Soo.... take some of that forum writing energy and write to the higher ups, the TN tourism board (website previously posted in this thread), county commissioners, and to your district reps. Write to those 'bosses'. VOTE LIBERTARIAN!" "So, when the stormtroopers kick down your door without cause you'll let them in because they're just doing their job and were ordered to do so by their higher-ups? These 'soldiers in the field' could just have easily parked by the side of the road and not stopped motorcycles on specious 'helmet check' dragnets. There is a modicum of choice there, and they're choosing to write tickets for things they shouldn't. Turn 'em away. I guarantee you the first time a trooper gets poison ivy all over his nether regions because he doesn't have a place to go other than the woods, the higher-ups will hear it, loud and clear." "I have seen Darryl's efforts ... what popped up and was visible was Pirate News. I appreciate what he does for the area and his talent is quite inspiring."
"Yesterday, we saw something that was a bit surprising. We were inundated with local law enforcement. Although it's tough to get a head count on how many, we were told it was at least 7 of them, and they were handing out tickets to all the deserving people. Some people reported the LEO’s as saying that they will be here consistently for the next few weeks. Hopefully they will do their job with diligence, and not flagrant abuse towards the people that bring much needed tourist dollars to this area. We can all agree that there are some up here that deserve a good talking to, or worse, but there is no need to show your butt through 'iron fist enforcement'. In our opinion, a constant presence would thwart the buttheads that they are looking for. Either way, you have to remember, when you are having a ton of fun in life, it makes the others that aren’t that much more jealous...."
"Friday the showers kept riders away. Saturday and Sunday saw about average traffic with fewer than normal sportbikes probably because of the increased LEO presence. We noted two Blount County Sheriff cars and a Sheriff motorcycle shooting radar in Cooper Straight and a couple of TN HP cars at the State Line with troopers standing directly under the WELCOME TO TENNESSEE sign scowling at riders. Nice welcome guys. Want to let the Governor know how you feel? CLICK HERE "Another fairly slow week on the Gap, despite the holidays. The police have been hanging around every day from about 10am to 5pm...mostly watching, but passing out invitations to come back once in a while. They will be out every day for the next couple of months, so don't act a fool! So far they have been mostly reasonable, busting people for blatent speeding, crossing the center, and the license plate thing. Tail of the Dragon has been saying it for years, don't come out with your plate mounted in any way other than straight up and down on the back of the tail section unless you are prepared to be stopped. It's a gateway infraction that allows them to follow up with license/registration/insurance checks. A few other things you can do to stay out of trouble: Slow down...especially on your first run through. That's just a good practice anyway to avoid running up on any road hazards or accidents, but especially now that the area is being heavily patrolled. Use a higher gear! I know your R6 sounds wicked awesome at 17,000 rpm, but right now is not the time. They can hear you coming from 2 miles out, and it gets some of those guys riled up...even though you're in first gear going 25mph. I'll be keeping this post up top and updating it as needed over the course of this operation initiated by Tennessee governer Phil Bredesen." "I've haven't seen so much constabulatory attention on and around the Gap in a long time. I counted 6 THP and 4 BCSD on Sunday."
"From the source that I talked too you can count on BCSD being there every day of the week. 3 officers on the weekends and 2 on the weekdays. Supposedly blount county got a 60K grant for patrol on the hill. I would take it as a very good source. I guess we shall see what happens." "yeah, it was really bad today. We were riding along the lake and passed a Blount County cop and he did a U turn to run us down. We had 3 bikes and 2 cars behind us and he come flying by all of them to pull my brother over for " improper placement of license plate". Trust me, it is not tucked up under the undertail. It is mounted on a fender elim. bracket and it is well seen. The cop gave him a warning because he had insurance ect. The cop said they are going to be up there 7 days a week for the next 12 months and they will be writing tickets for the smallest little thing. He said they got a grant from the state to pay for the man hours to patrol the Gap. I guess time will tell how bad this is going to suck." "Someone did smack a cop. Forget who it was exactly, think it was a regular. The cop had pulled someone over in a blind curve and was parked in the street. The rider came around the bend and hit the cop stopped in the road. It wasn't on the dragon, it was in NC where the speed limit is 55."
"This is no parking lot rumor. The rider is fine. The bike is toast and they gave him a stupid ticket. IMO, it was the cops fault." "Exactly! So why are they only concentrating on that small 11 mile section? If the deaths and complaints occur around Deals Gap, but not necessarily AT Deals Gap, shouldn't we be patrolling those areas around Deals Gap. I don't know about you, but if I was a citizen in Blount County, I would be disgusted with this misuse of funding, and make all the noise I could. *hint hint*" "Riders need to know that lately we have had more than our fair share of police presence on the Gap. There are a few theories behind it, but reality is with increased numbers of riders, this is inevitable. With more riders, comes more accidents and that is (in my opinion) exactly why they are here. The TN governor gave Blount County Sheriffs Office $60,000 to cover overtime in relation to Deals Gap, which to them is considered the '129 corridor'. Anyhow, you can look at this as a cash grab, or strong armed law enforcement tactic, or just over saturation for safety, but either way, the LEO’s are here to stay for a while. I was upset for being pulled over for my spirited pace. It is not the officers that are here because they want to be, they are here because that’s what they were told to do by their superiors. My personal opinion is TN is upset that they don’t get more of the tourism dollars in TN proper, but that’s no ones fault but their own, as there is little to support the motorcycle community in the immediate area of the Gap. Either way, as long as you are respectful to the rules of the road, as well as the other riders, you should have no issues. They are here to find and talk to the hooligans that can be found here from time to time."
"The State of Tennessee has allocated funds to assist Blount County Sheriff in patrolling the Dragon according to a BCSO spokesperson. Riders can expect daily partols with increased activities during the weekends. This is not meant to be a harsh crack-down, but is an effort to slow riders down in order to reduce accidents. Be warned that excessive speeds and other violations will be enforced." "Like every other Sunday i took a ride to the gap yesterday and had a miserable day.Got ticketed down by the lake before ever hitting the dragon and from there on out it was like a funeral procession.It really wasnt busy but their was so many cops it ruined the day.I saw 3 THP and 3 BCSO.The young man that ticketed me was pretty cool and kind of apologetic but told us about the grant and they were under heavy pressure to clean up the area.Said they wernt targeting any certain group which i kinda scoffed at, but on the way out he nailed a pickup that passed me down by the lake when i was doing my best to go 40mph.I asked him if he could give me a warning and he said no but he would just give me a County ordinance ticket instead of a state ticket,which he explained is just a fine and no report to the state.Said the fine would be around 25-30 dollars, i will believe that one when i see it. Any way they are serious this time unlike the rumors you hear about the crack downs that never seemed to happen.It isnt like i wasnt warned but getting a ticket that early in the morning just f$%#% up your whole day because then your gunshy the rest of the day and riding a sport bike at 30 mph is not on my list of fun things to do."
"Another busy day for cops on the Dragon today. I counted 6, with a THP SUV shooting Ka Instant-on RADAR at Little Whip hairpin. Another THP car hiding at Parson Branch. Ben at DealsGap.com even got a ticket for speeding, according to his blog. Were those the 2 BCSO deputies parked at the DG Resort, taking valuable parking spots from bikes? Were they outside their state's jurisdiction due to a 'high-speed chase' with Ben? When the number of crashes are reduced, cops will take credit. But it's like closing the road to all traffic, then taking credit for reducing crashes. Never mind that tourists will go elsewhere. Never mind that TN DOT is criminally negligent for not signposting the deadly 'humps' and 'dips' that cause most crashes on the Dragon."
"Never mind that US Forest Service has jurisdiction on the Dragon, not THP/BCSO. The Great Smokey Mtn National Park boundary runs down the centerline of US 129. Plus ALCOA Corp donated 11,000 acres on the Dragon to Nature Conservancy Corp, which donated it to GSMNP. The Forest Service is negligent for not banning commercial trucks, like it already bans on US 441 and Foothills Pkwy. Funny how the same BCSO deputies were driving 75 mph all the way back to downtown Maryville, via Foothills Pkwy and 321, crossing the centerline, without the required emergency lights and siren. Sure is handy having a zoom videocam that records tag numbers and car numbers at 70 mph. Imagine what a few riders with covert videocams could do, hunting cops and filing affidavits of probable cause for criminal complaint (Internal Affairs or PARC complaints are for suckers), or just making citizens arrests, like Knoxville lawyer Joe Levitt liked to do to KPD parking police... The Dragon is now a target-rich environment, and it's IMPOSSIBLE for a cop to not speed and not cross the centerline, caught on tape."
"YES it can be a nightmare at the Gap, as I experienced on my first-time-this-year ride there on Fri 4/13. It had rained lightly that morning and as it was drying out, there was not much traffic there except for the 6 TN trooper cars, 2 TN motocops, 2 of Graham Counties finest, and the usual semi stuck winding it's way through.... I was at Killboy's spot chatting with him and a couple other cool dudes (hey the dreadlocks were far-out Miata Boy!) and Darryl asked me to jump out and escort the truck to the store which I gladly did. Didn't get far and one of the TN Boys pulls him over to do an inspection and advise him not to come that way again, hehehe. I sat next to another TN lady trooper at the next curve (I was watching her shoot radar too) and asked if they ever escort the trucks through, and she stated it was not policy to do so because of liabilities due to legal ramifications, etc. So they appreciat the help and assistance "we" give to escorting trucks through the Gap is what I was told - cool. I did hear the comment "they" would be patrolling up there more often than in the past; maybe the rumor is somewhat true after all... hmm."
"If you are riding and pass a cop or see one, is there a sign to give to other riders to let them know a cop is up ahead? I am not sure if the head light flash would work with a bike. prob a dumb question but figure it might save some people some $$$$$$$ one day." "Common signal around here is to pat the top of your helmet. You know, like a blue light on top?" "tapping the top of your helmet is pretty much a universal signal. please limit it to a mile or less after the cop. I realy hate it when i see helmet tapping 5 to 10 miles before the cop. usualy i slow down for a few miles get fed up and speed back up again." "My brother's a state trooper in north carolina and even he says this is bullsh!t." "I love the gap and hate all the cops there, I think they are only fooling themself, I also think they are needed cuz there are sooooo many retards on the road. Learn to drive BEFORE you hit the gap and STAY IN YOU LANE." "To all you THP Pigs that are reading this, FUCK YOU you dickless pieces of shit!! I hope you all die chasing streetbikes through the dragon! You are the most pathetic pieces of fat, donut eating, bacon smelling, shit there is! What big men you are. Youre all a bunch of FAGS if you dont ride fast and Scream FUCK THA COPS!" "I fear this is ethnic cleansing, since Nature Conservancy Foundation grabbed 10,000 acres on the Dragon. The bulldozed ALCOA executive resort, golf course and airport is worth $500,000 an acre on the lake. They grabbed 5,000 acres also in Blount county and built a gated community and golf course, and banned everybody else..."
"A Michigan man fell to his death Thursday evening after losing control of his motorcycle on the Dragon and sliding off an 80-foot cliff. The call was received after the accident by emergency personnel at 6:52 p.m. The incident happened near Mile Marker 7 on Calderwood Highway (U.S. 129, also commonly known as the Dragon). According to Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Ernest Marion, it appears that the motorcycle driver 'lowsided' his bike by applying too much braking pressure on the front wheel while taking a curve — which caused the slide. The man then slid with the bike over the edge of the highway, down an 80-foot cliff and landed on a small ledge in a heavily wooded area off the side of road. His black 2005 Yamaha motorcycle continued on for another 15 feet, coming to rest 95 feet below the road. Speed was not a factor in the accident, Marion said. 'Not at all.'”
"Lucky for The Surge by THP and BCSO, this tourist allegedly killed himself on 129, 7 miles from Deals Gap. This conveniently takes a little heat off the crooked cops. Now they can "justify" 24/7 speed traps on the Dragon, even though this was officially "not speed related". Never mind that cops do zero for safety, since govt can't afford to hire ambulance crews in order to afford the cops. Cops outnumber rescue squads at least 10:1. Cops never provide first aid to crash victims and carry no rescue gear. All cops do is write the victim a ticket, and a THP trooper was fired for writing tickets to dead people to meet his illegal quota (fired because it's not profitable). Ambulance response time is usually very slow on the Dragon, and most everywhere else in rural TN. Rural Metro ambulance corporation got fined $100,000 last week for breach of contract, for failing to reach 90% of victims in 10 minutes or less. This tourist did not have this road memorized, therefore he did not know that virtually all the official street signs are defective on the Dragon, due to negligence by TDOT. For example, signs erroniously show 45-degree kinks or 90-degree turns, when in fact the curve is a 180-degree hairpin. There are no warning signs on the Dragon for "dips", which appear to be the number cause of crashes and fatalities. This negligence is a violation of the Manual on Uniform Traffic control Devices, both USDOT and TDOT editions. This negligence by TDOT makes Blount County Municipal Corporation and State of TN (municipal corporation?) civilly liable for tens of millions of dollars in lost lifetime wages for dead Dragonslayers. The Dragon is a "defective road", as defined by US DOT, which makes it fun if you memorize it, or dangerous if you're a rookie tourist. The Dragon has curves that are never seen on other roads, which tricks good drivers and riders into crashing. A lawyer specializing in products liability cases could do a good job on this wrongful death case. This would benefit all drivers and riders on the Dragon, by forcing TDOT to finally spend $2,000 on warning signs. Slow response time by Rural Metro appears to be the cause of death in this case. The Blount County contract allows Rural Metro to be as slow as they want... Imagine if an ambulance were always stationed on the Dragon, or six ambulances on the Dragon 7 days a week, replaced the police state death squads. That is, if Big Brother actually cared about highway safety for the taxpayers." "BULLETIN: GUESS ALL THE GOVERNOR'S MONEY CAN'T KEEP THE 18-WHEELERS FROM CRASHING ON THE DRAGON - 2 PM WEDNESDAY AN 18 WHEELER TIPPED OVER TRYING TO NEGOCIATE A CORNER ON THE DRAGON. LANES ARE OPEN BUT THE ROAD WILL CLOSE AS THEY TRY TO PULL THE WOUNDED BEAST BACK UPRIGHT."
"As usual, the Sheriff is leading this attack on taxpayers’ wallets. The salary increases he is proposing for his cost centers range from 74.4 percent down to a measley 9.1 percent. This technique of pointing to someone who is making more money to justify an increase is interesting. Go find someone you think has a similar job to yours, but makes a lot more money than you. Then, go to your boss and demand that he or she give you a major salary increase. Let us know how it works out for you. The taxpayers of this county supported reasonable pay increases for our employees. The large increases shown in this table are an insult to the taxpayers and can only stir outrage in the community."
"Back in January we asked the Commissioners why, according to the State Audit Report, the Sheriff needed 263 vehicles when he only had 268 employees. Since this total employee number included more than 100 jail guards, cafeteria workers, clerical and other workers who have no need for a county vehicle, we observed that the number of vehicles seemed extraordinarily high. We also pointed out that Sullivan county does essentially the same law enforcement job with 130 vehicles. Our confusion, turned to serious concern when the Sheriff told the News Sentinel, in a January 20th article, that: “the department has a maximum of about 180 vehicles”. Repeated requests to the County Finance Department for an explanation of the difference in Audit Report number and the Sheriff’s number went unanswered. The state auditor arrived in the County a few weeks ago. That is the good news. The bad news, according to our sources, is the auditor found that the Sheriff has 239 vehicles, including 24 additional cars he bought last January. The county books said he had 263 plus 24, or a total of 287 vehicles. The auditor was able to find only 239. What happened to the other 48 vehicles? But the Sheriff wants the taxpayers to support a tax increase, so that he can have even more money to spend next year. Does this make sense to you?"
"The discussion at the Financial Management Committee bordered on bizarre. Several departments (including past champion of waste, Circuit Court Clerk Tom Hatcher) requested permission to transfer money to a new account from which bonuses can be paid. These bonuses are in addition to the 5% salary increases included in the new budget. Commissioners Walker and Ballard suggested suspending action on these requests until a formal county bonus program could be defined that was fair and equitable to all county employees. Instead of taking this reasoned approach, the Financial Management Committee voted to let some departments go ahead and pay the bonuses. The fact that the members of the Committee had idea why they were paying out tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money did not seem to bother most of them. Only Commissioners Walker and Ballard voted against this nonsense. Commissioners Melton and Lewis, Road Superintendent Bill Dunlap, School Superintendent Alvin Hord, and Mayor Cunningham voted for these Alice-in-Wonderland “bonuses”. Why not? It’s only the taxpayers money."  $50 OPEN FACE HELMET COSTS TOURIST $10,000 CHOPPER RIDE 1ST-YEAR CRUISER CRASH AT BEGINNERS END AT STATE LINE FOR FAILURE TO COUNTERSTEER AT 20 MPH COUNTERSTEERING BILLBOARDS WOULD REDUCE CRASHES AND KEEP COPS OFF THE DRAGON WARNING - MEDICAL DOCTORS MURDER 2.5-MILLION US CITIZENS IN DEATH CAMPS EVERY YEAR PHOTO BY DEALSGAPDRAGON.COM - 2007  Take a ride on the wild side at Deals Gap, if you dare...
Warning to bikers and cops on the Dragon at Deals Gap Best resolution download by DealsGapDragon.com
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J.J. Stambaugh, Knoxville News Sentinel, 
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 BCSD VIDEO DOWNLOAD -- DCIV VIDEO PLAYER DOWNLOAD UNZIP FILE AND DOUBLE CLICK ON DICVVIEWER.EXE THEN OPEN AVD VIDEO "BACKUP FILE" Blount County deputy illegally speeding in a 30mph zone (reckless driving) No Emergency Lights displayed nor Siren warning as required by law This high-speed "chase" of a 30mph vehicle lasted 15 seconds Class C or Class B misdemeanors allow immediate arrest of copsters ters can be arrested by: Grand Jury indictment, Judicial Commissioner warrant, Law Enforcement arrest without warrant, or Citizen's Arrest NOTE THE GPS TRACKING FOR: GPS TAXATION BY THE MILE AND GPS SPEEDING TICKETS BY MAIL
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DEALSGAPDRAGON.COM - "So THP wants to arrest every rider, and steal every bike, for the 'crime' of riding safely at 51mph on a rural US highway? We need to boycott THP and Tennessee Gangsta Govt. This is the same THP that sold 250,000 SPANISH LANGUAGE 'Tennessee driver licenses' (AKA fake ID) to illegal alien criminals with immunity from arrest or deportation (despite copkilling illegal aliens murdering 45,000 US citiziens in USA since 9/11/2001). The same THP that gives FREE vehicle title to any car thief, for any vehicle listed as 'STOLEN' in the NCIC computer database. The same THP that bans the word 'COUNTERSTEERING' on motorcycle rider tests. Copsters have never cared about tourism, since the only 'tourism' they care about is robbing the tourists during traffic stops, then killing their pets. If the slaves would ever learn how to read, think and talk, there would never be another traffic ticket in USA. Traffic courts would be forced to shut down within 6 months for lack of profitability, just by following the pro se skills discussed on this webpage, as proven in Blount County and Knox County courts. Filing criminal charges against every cop who dares sue a traffic ticket is a very usefull tactic. So is forcing Gangsta Govt to pay you for speeding, er, pay sanctions for your expenses after winning in traffic court. Driver license contracts are only required for commercial drivers 'for hire', and are voluntary waivers of your inalienable (unwaiverable) Constitutionally guaranteed God-given Natural right to travel. Without a driver license contract, no court has jurisdiction in a traffic ticket lawsuit. Note that motorbike riders in Tennessee are NOT required to purchase a driver license to ride on public highways, as published by Tennessee Code, and printed in Tennessee Driver License Handbook and Driver License Study Guide. Note that pilot licenses for ultralight aircraft are NOT 'required' in USA, but after the 'terror attacks' of 2001, the FAA created a "optional voluntary" Sportpilot license contract, "for non-commercial use", because, you know, kamikaze terrorist bombers might want to fly motor kites at 56mph to evade NORAD. Speeding, etc, is not a crime, since there's no victim, and no financial damages, but is alleged breach of civil contract (Tennessee Code Title 55). Signing a traffic citation is also a 'voluntary' civil contract, extorted at gunpoint by a carjacking copster (Police State Death Squad). All civil contracts must be voluntary, and duress voids that contract, which removes the court's jurisdiction. Fraudulent concealment of the fact that driver licenses are voluntary for private persons also voids that contract, denying the court personal and subject matter jurisdiction. This is a slam-dunk multi-billion-dollar class action waiting for an honest lawyer to invest $100,000, to set precedent with US Supreme Court to eliminate all driver licenses, and refund billions of traffic tickets. Constitutional Equal Protection doctrine means that when copsters or other employees of Gangsta Govt get to so something such as speeding (or free parking), without prosecution, then everyone gets to do it. It's a maxim of law that those who fail to assert their rights, have none. That's why I was censored and banned off EastTNriders.com forum, and other automotive forums worldwide (SafeSpeed.org.uk), for daring to break free from the Police State plantation, and telling the Truth about motor vehicle law - especially to cops who still care about being honest. Ignorance of The Law is no excuse for slavery. What's amazing to me is how bikers spend so much work, time and money learning how to wheelie, stoppie and drag a knee, which are lifesaving skills requiring bravery, yet are terrified of the thought of defending themselves pro se in court, and WINNING traffic ticket trials, for the alleged 'crime' of 'RIDING SAFELY WITHOUT CRASHING'. Imagine where we'd be if the Wright Brothers had been such wimps? American Airlines would still be flying biplanes at 30mph, with the US Air Force shooting down all aircraft breaking the speed limit. Now you CAN buy a pilot license from Uncle Sam to travel safely at ANY speed, and for doing ANY aerobatic stunts in public airspace - including Blount County and the Dragon. BTW, the Wrights discovered Countersteering, according to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. IF there are any honest cops in THP, they will immediatedly arrest all their criminal commanding officers, including faggot 'Gobernador' Phil Bredeson, and arrest all employees of TN Dept of 'Safety' and county court clerks who sell fake I.D. cards to illegal alien felons. Here's how I filed felony charges against military commanding officers during time of 'war', and how I filed felony charges against police, judges and court clerks in Knoxville and Blount County, resulting in the firings of over 100 gangsters in Gangsta Govt, and resulted in a bribe, er, job offer from Dick 'DWI' Cheney. At the Dragon, THP, Blount County Sheriff Dept and Graham County Sheriff Dept don't give a darn if you're a cop, they'll still stalk you, rob you, torture you and kill you, then name a highway for the killer. God cop, bad cop... I'd love to see police incar video from THP, to see the cops exceed the speed limit by 1mph or touch a line, then I'd make a citizen's arrest of the trooper for a Class C misdemeanor crime, which is 30 days in jail. ¿Habla usted español? Tu madre tiene un bigote pgawest. Hijo de la gran puta policia. Cago en tu leche. Cuando monos vuelven de mi culo, sacate a la chingada." "Wow. That website is really extreme. For the record - yes, we banned him because we felt he was detrimental to our site (and broke countless rules, despite multiple warnings). Looks like he's retaliating. Oh well..." "Thank you for logging in Daytona. You have been banned for the following reason: You are not welcome on the forum. Take your views somewhere else. Date the ban will be lifted: Never." "apparently our very own banned member 'Daytona' thinks that this site is a Data Mining setup by the police to throw us all in jail... or something. dealsgapdragon.com" "If that's the case, I understand....but of the things below that he wrote, which...if any, are against the rules here? Data mining by Law Enforcement Organized Crime Intelligence Units:Welcome back to high school!!!" -Engloid, EastTNriders.com, "easttnriderspolicestate.com?", 11-21-2006
"Before anyone says anything... dude, I thought I sent you a PM. Enough is enough. I don't want to have to ban you, but this kinda stuff doesn't need to be brought to attention and who are you to call whoever it is a "criminal". Innocent until proven guilty, I think that's the law. Furthermore, SMR does not condone this style of obviously potentially unsafe riding. Stay in your lane please, and stay safe out there. Bye" "You have been banned from this forum. Please contact the webmaster or board administrator for more information."
"Of what he posted on his website? None, however I fail to see the relevance. I'm not going to disclose specific disciplinary issues of a former member (or current member). Please understand that the moderators and administrators carefully evaluated the situation and took action we felt appropriate and in the best interest of ETR." "Wow, just when I thought this guy was gone, now he wants to be my friend on MySpace! Needless to say he was denied. "That was an interesting thread. Just a note: if the police really wanted to mess with Dragon riders, all they (we) would need to do was set up driver's license checks at 2 points. It would congest things so badly that there would be NO problems at all. The police are obligated to respond to complaints. Especially Sheriff's dept's. The boss is elected. Dealsgapdragon.com; is your helmet made of tinfoil to stop the "government mind control waves". i'll bet those black helicopters drive you to distraction... What a maroon...." "Well it looks as if it did get pulled. Any One Know WHY...." "Yep, I pulled it because it was getting long winded full of bad information and rumors. Basicaly it was becoming full of crap. It is the same rumor we hear every year....EVERY YEAR and it is not true. The next step would have been for folks to start foul mouthing the local law enforcement agencies so I want to avoid that as they are doing thier best for us as a community. I know this as it is the same thing that happened last year." "I was having fun with Dealsgapdragon's responses. That dude's out there...I mean really out there... like the planet Zork. Trust me, I have no problem w/ the LEO's at Deals. i was up last Wednesday and met a deputy going in both directions. I was running a brisk, in my lane pace, and only got a wave. Ride well and you will have no problems." Yep. But this is the same post we fight with every year, I leave it up so folks can get their points out their then we start carring it overboard and name calling begins so in the best interest in my sanity as well as our readers once the BS level reachs a point we cut it off. I am 110% sure that we will have the exact same post next year lol. Hey where do you get those tin coated helmets anyway????? Dealsgapdragon "So I have read all of this guys posts. I don't see any bashing, bad manners, flaming of other members. All I saw was a member quoting the law directly from the TN Codes. You can research them by just simply doing a Google search. No one was offended by this charactor. No one got out of line because of any comments. So I see it as you all banned this guy because you didn't like hearing about the laws? You didn't like his opinions? You didn't like him quoting directly from the TN Codes? I am only curious as to why he was banned. I have not seen a reason as to why he should have been banned. No this isn't my site and I don't make the rules. So if nothing wants to be told that is fine with me. I am only a curious member." "Its not what you say, but how you say it. At least thats how I see it. Having said that, I guess I will have to set up some way to keep him from linking my stuff on his site. Hes got my web cam on there now.. What an arsehat, or is that foilhat."
"'piratenews' was a spammer. Now deleted." "I loved your video. People are really talking about it. No, really, that took a lot of guts, to say what you said. It really gets a reaction from people. Some violently reject it, but most stop and think about it. I guess that's why the U.S. commander at Guantanimo Bay, Cuba ordered us not to play that song during our tours." "The one big thing that I saw was he posted a picture from killboys website maybe? But hell, everyone does." "That Terry Bernard Memorial Hwy sign is not a photoshop. That sign was paid for by the AMA shortly after Mr Bernard was killed and the 321 was named in honor of the senator that killed him. I remember seeing the sign when I rode through on 321. An excerpt from the AMA article, 'Worse, after Koella died a year later, the Tennessee Legislature passed a resolution naming a highway after him. That’s like naming a bank after John Dillinger.'"
The Most Dangerous Roads - The Dragon didn't even make the list
Biker Rights Articles - Fast Fred's Motorcycle Ezine
"A 22-year-old Maryville man has been charged with aggravated assault after he allegedly struck a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper with his motorcycle, then fled the scene on the Dragon. Trooper Brent Cagle was investigating a fatal motorcycle accident between Mile Markers 5 and 6 on the Dragon Tuesday when he was injured by another motorcyclist. Cagle said he was still at the scene of a 1:27 p.m. crash that killed a Florida law enforcement officer when he heard the whine of a motorcycle engine coming down the mountain rapidly. He said he stopped what he was doing and watched for the fast-moving vehicle to reach the accident scene. According to Cagle's report, the motorcycle rounded the curve traveling well over the posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour. Cagle said he stepped out into the center of the roadway and held out his hands signaling the motorcycle to stop. The motorcycle came to a halt in the lane where he had been traveling and Cagle said he told the driver to pull over to the shoulder on the opposite side of the twisting two-lane road. 'There was no shoulder on the right side,' Cagle said. 'That's where the other motorcycle had gone off.' The trooper said the man, operating the Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R, moved a few feet forward and to the left, stopping in the on-coming traffic lane. Cagle said he again told the man to pull off on the shoulder but the man raised the face mask on his helmet and asked, 'Am I in trouble?' Cagle said he instructed the man for the third time to move to the shoulder 'Now!' Cagle said he was concerned that a vehicle traveling up the mountain would round the curve and be unable to stop before striking both the stopped motorcycle and the trooper standing on the pavement. Instead of obeying the order to move to the shoulder, Cagle said the motorcyclist turned his wheel to the right, as though he was starting a U-turn to head back up the mountain and across the state line in to North Carolina. The trooper ran toward the motorcycle and, instead of completing the turn, he said the driver straightened his handle bars and drove at the trooper who was then six or seven feet away from the motorcycle. Cagle tried to sidestep and grab the man on the motorcycle, but the impact near the center of his body knocked him backward and off the ground. He hit the pavement on his left shoulder and the left side of his face as the motorcycle sped away. Cagle said he was unable to pursue the fleeing man due to the traffic fatality investigation he needed to complete. It appeared the motorcyclist had gotten away. On Wednesday, Cagle said he is glad that most law enforcement vehicle's including those used by the Tennessee Highway Patrol are now equipped with video cameras. He said cameras provide documentation and clues that often lead to an arrest. On Thursday, Cagle traced the temporary tag on the motorcycle that left the scene by using the dates on the tag and the type of motorcycle displaying the tag. Cagle checked the Tennessee driver's license photo on file for the person to whom the temporary tag was issued and confirmed the identity of the motorcyclist. Cagle said he planned to try to locate Daniel Thomas Elson Jr., 21, of Morganton Road, Maryville, on Friday. However, as he left the Maryville THP office Thursday afternoon, he recognized the motorcycle and its operator coming down Home Avenue. He made a traffic stop and took Elson into custody. Elson was booked at the Blount County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Cagle also issued citations charging him with reckless driving and misdemeanor fleeing to avoid arrest. Elson is free on a $1,000 bond pending a 1:30 p.m. Aug. 24 appearance in Blount County General Sessions Court." "A Rockford police officer has been charged
with a vehicular homicide in the death of a Knoxville man
killed in a motorcycle crash on March 10, 2001. The charge
against Sgt. James Ray 'J.R.' Johnson, 33, of Maryville, came in an
indictment returned Aug. 28 by a Blount County Grand Jury sitting in
special session. Laton was employed as a
Corrections Officer at the Knox County Regional Juvenile Detention
Center in Knoxville. Laton was divorced, but he had full
custody of his three minor children. Soon after being notified of the
indictment and the warrant for his arrest, Johnson surrendered to
authorities at the Blount County Justice Center. Escorted by fellow
Rockford police officer Bill Allen, Johnson entered the Justice Center
through the sally port where people in custody are turned over to
corrections officers. The accident report made at the scene by Tennessee
Highway Patrol Officer Ronald McDonald, stated that Laton lost control
of his 1997 Honda CR900 as he tried to pass Johnson's cruiser, hit the
guardrail and skidded into Johnson's patrol car. McDonald said that two
witnesses came forward two days after the accident and said Johnson
swerved his cruiser into tile path of the motorcycle, sending it
careening into tile guardrail. The witnesses are reportedly Tennessee
state highway troopers. Since the accident, Johnson's friends claim he
has been labeled as a 'motorcyclist hater,' although Johnson owns a
motorcycle and has ridden for over a decade. In addition to the criminal
charges, he is named as a defendant in a $3 million lawsuit filed in
U.S. District Court by Laton's ex-wife on behalf of her three minor
children, ages 7, 8 and 9. Named in the same lawsuit are Rockford Police
Chief Robert Simerly, City of Rockford, Blount County Sheriff James L.
Berrong and Blount County. Johnson was released after posting a $25,000
surety bond. He awaits a 9 a.m., Sept. 10 appearance in Blount County
Circuit Court."
"If anyone reproaches me and asks why I did not resort to the regular courts of justice, then all I can say is this: In this hour I was responsible for the fate of the German people, and thereby I became the supreme judge of the German people. It was no secret that this time the revolution would have to be bloody; when we spoke of it we called it 'The Night of the Long Knives.' Everyone must know for all future time that if he raises his hand to strike the State, then certain death is his lot." POLICE PURSUIT IN PURSUIT OF POLICY - Traffic copsters summarily execute over 500 Amerikan slaves every year, including 1/3rd innocent bystanders and 100s of dead copsters, without trial, during civil service of process for frivolous civil lawsuits for alleged breach of civil "driver license" contract POLICE PURSUIT IN PURSUIT OF POLICY - Mirror "Option: The MAINTAIN TOP SAFE SPEED (EM-4) sign (see Figure 2I-1) may be used on highways where conditions are such that it is prudent to evacuate or traverse an area as quickly as possible. Where an existing Speed Limit (R2-1) sign is in a suitable location, the MAINTAIN TOP SAFE SPEED sign may conveniently be mounted directly over the face of the speed limit sign that it supersedes. Support: Since any speed zoning would be impractical under such emergency conditions, no minimum speed limit can be prescribed by the MAINTAIN TOP SAFE SPEED sign in numerical terms. Where traffic is supervised by a traffic control point, official instructions will usually be given verbally, and the sign will serve as an occasional reminder of the urgent need for maintaining the proper reasonably safe speed. Guidance: The sign should be installed as needed, in the same manner as other standard speed signs. Standard: If used in rural areas, the MAINTAIN TOP SAFE SPEED sign shall be mounted on the right side of the road with its lower edge not less than 1.5 m (5 ft) above the pavement, 1.8 to 3 m (6 to 10 ft) from the roadway edge. If used in urban areas, the height shall be not less than 2.1 m (7 ft), and the nearest edge of the sign shall be not less than 0.3 m (1 ft) back from the face of the curb." "A list of speed limits on roads in the U.S. may be found at
American Trucking Association and
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety .
These include limits on different types of road as well as split speed
limits (different limits for trucks than cars -- currently 10 states
have split speed limits). See also massachusetts institute of technology.
Currently the highest absolute posted speed is 160 km/h (about 99 mph)
on two highways in the United Arab Emirates, for a trial period in
mid-2005. Currently the highest permanent absolute posted speed is
130 km/h (about 81 mph) in Austria, France, and Italy. The highest
posted speed allowed in the U.S. (as of September 1, 2005) is 80 mph
(about 129 km/h) on parts of I-10 and I-20 in sparsely-populated
counties of TX per House Bill 2257 of the 79th Regular Session of the
TX legislature, passed June 17, 2005. Kansas also formerly posted 80
mph - see route56.com). In
addition, Germany has no set upper limit on its freeways (Autobahnen)
but recommends 130 km/h; similarly, Montana in the U.S. had a "I saw two officers as before, who rode up to me, with their
pistols in their hands, said God damn you stop, if go an Inch further,
you are a dead Man, and swore if we did not turn in to that pasture,
they would blow our brains out. Major Mitchel of the 5th Regt clapd his
Pistol to my head, and said he was going to ask me some questions, if I
did not tell the truth, he would blow my brains out. I told him I
esteemed myself a man of truth, that he had stopped me on the highway,
& made me a prisoner, I knew not by what right; I would tell him the
truth; I was not afraid." "In 1937, Tennessee became the 32nd state to enact a driver license law. During the first year, 521,571 licenses were issued, while today the number of licensed drivers in Tennessee is 4.1 million."
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NOTE: DealsGapDragon.com and Pirate News TV believe that the job of police is far too important to be wasted on 100-million annual traffic tickets and stalking all travelers in USA, while ignoring 40-million criminal aliens, and refusing to arrest millions of career criminals employed by government. Pirate News is an equal opportunity whistleblower. NEWS FLASH: DISCOVERY TV STAR BILLY LANE OF CHOPPERS INC ARRESTED FOR DUI MURDER OF DRUNK SCOOTER COP - Billy Lane was drinking prior to the crash at Coconuts on the Beach and traveled to Cheaters where he was drinking additional alcoholic beverages. Mr. Lane left these night clubs and drove to his place of business, Choppers Inc. in Melbourne, FL on his chopper with a passenger, Erin Levens Derrick. Billy Lane changed vehicles and proceeded to travel to his residence with Ms. Derrick The FHP affidavit continues on to say that Defendant, Billy Lane chose to pass in a no passing zone and on a double yellow line. He continued to pass at a high rate of speed. Witnesses stated the the defendant was traveling in excess of 60 MPH while overtaking them. The witnesses stated they could not believe the Defendant was passing on a double yellow no passing zone. All the witnesses stated that the motor scooter’s headlight was on and in operation and that it was in clear view of the oncoming traffic. Billy Lane continued to overtake the witnesses regardless of the motor scooter traveling northbound on State Road A1A. The Yamaha motor scooter that was driven by (park ranger) Gerry Morelock was on the right side of the northbound lane two feet five inches from the painted white line. Billy veered east in an attempt to avoid a head-on crash with the motor scooter. Defendant, Billy Lane, struck Gerald Morelock head-on with the right front of the Dodge Pickup. Gerry’s motor scooter was forced west upon impact and he was killed instantly by the impact of the Dodge Pickup. The Dodge truck that was being operated by Billy Lane drove onto private property and started to overturn, striking three palm trees knocking them over. The truck continued to overturn traveling two hundred and four feet striking a power pole with its undercarriage knocking it over and came to rest on top of the power pole on the northbound side of State Road A1A. On Friday, September 22, 2006 the results of the BAC were returned from the crime lab to the investigating Officer. The result was 0.192% which is more than twice the legal limit of impairment for Billy Lane. The results revealed Billy Lane to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage at the time of his traffic crash. The defendant caused this traffic crash by driving the 2006 Dodge pickup in a willful and wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property and is guilty of reckless driving ( 316.192 ) The defendant chose to pass on a double yellow center line and was guilty of improper passing ( 316.0875.2 ). The defendant, Billy Lane, caused the death of a human being by the reckless operation of his vehicle, vehicular homicide ( 782.071.a ). The defendant was driving the 2006 Dodge Pickup while intoxicated to the Blood Alcohol Level of 0.192 percent and caused the death of a human being, Gerald Vernon Morelock, which is D.U.I. Manslaughter ( 316.193.3. (c)3 ). William D. Lane had a revoked driver license in the State of North Carolina for refusing to submit to a breath test on June 25, 2006. The State of North Carolina suspended the defendant’s Florida driver license for refusal to submit to a chemical test. The suspension is through July 13, 2007. The defendant is aware of this suspension due to North Carolina taking his Florida driver license at the time of his arrest in that sate. North Carolina enforces the death penalty or life in prison for DUI first-degree murder. But Lane was found Not Guilty of DUI in NC, thanks to his refusal to confess and refusal to testify against himself by volunteering for an "alcohol test" and "sobriety test". REALITY CHECK - So Billy Lane is a copkiller... Here’s some relevant points that no lawyer (except DUI specialists), cop, MADD nutter (aka cops) nor Media Mobster will ever admit. (1) BAC/BAT scores are never valid for crash victims, due to internal injuries mixing intestinal alcohol with blood alcohol, and a rising score as alcohol is digested after the crash. So the test score at the time of the crash might be 20% of the test score, even without internal injury. Dead victims can only get an accurate test when blood is drawn directly from the heart, which is never done. (2) “Alcohol” machines never test for alcohol, and are never guaranteed by the manufacturers to test for alcohol. (3) Driver licenses are voluntary civil contracts extorted at gunpoint by police state death squads, thus are invalid, thus no court has jurisdiction for traffic citations, including “driving on a revoked or suspended licensed”. Driver licenses can only be required for commercial drivers “for hire”, such as truck drivers and taxi drivers. Every person has a Constitutionally guaranteed God-given Natural right to travel by any mode of transportation, including driving cars or riding deadly horses. Scooter riders don’t need driver licenses in 50 states. FAA does not require pilot licenses for ultralight pilots in 2007. (4) Insane DUI laws result in crash victims prosecuted for first degree murder, which carries the death penalty or life in prison in NC. (5) The so-called “legal limit” for so-called “blood alcohol” is 0.00% (ZERO POINT ZERO ZERO PERCENT). This is true in all 50 states, as published in govt driver license handbooks. THERE IS NO PASSING SCORE FOR BLOOD ALCOHOL. 2 airline pilots in Florida were sentenced to 5 years in prison for the "DUI crime" of drinking coffee in the airport. Likewise so-called “field sobriety tests” also have no passing score, and stone cold sober cops can never pass such a test in a court room in front of a jury. You can drink 24 beers in 24 hours and have a 0.00% BAC/BAT for all 24 hours, according to all driver license test books. (6) So-called alcohol “rehab detox” loony bins actually increase the rate of alcoholism, addiction, overdose, suicide and murder, due to rampant medical malpractice, and are mere police state death camps used to loot insurance funds. (7) Medical doctors are the leading cause of death in USA, murdering over 2.5-million US citizens every year, with immunity from arrest. How many crash victims survived the crash, to be murdered in death camps, with the deaths statistics then blamed on “drunk drivers”? (8) Illegal alien felons murdered over 20,000 US citizens in USA since 9/11/2001, often DUI homicide by illegal alien, yet police sell them fake ID “driver licenses”, and refuse to arrest and deport them during traffic stops. (9) Every prisoner in jail costs taxpayers $50,000 a year, destroys the “offenders” family and business, destroys the business economy, and prevents the “offender” from paying restitution to the victim. So keep these thoughts in mind when demanding that police state death squads take all your Constitutional rights at gunpoint. NEWS FLASH: ILLEGAL ALIENS MURDERED 40,000 US CITIZENS IN USA INCLUDING DUI MURDERS BUT TN & NC GOVT STILL SELL THEM FAKE DRIVER LICENSES - While the military "quagmire" in Iraq was said to tip the scales of power in the U.S. midterm elections, most Americans have no idea more of their fellow citizens – men, women and children – were murdered this year by illegal aliens than the combined death toll of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan since those military campaigns began. Twelve Americans are murdered every day by illegal aliens, according to statistics released by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa. If those numbers are correct, it translates to 4,380 Americans murdered annually by illegal aliens. That's 21,900 since Sept. 11, 2001. While King reports 12 Americans are murdered daily by illegal aliens, he says 13 are killed by drunk illegal alien drivers – for another annual death toll of 4,745. That's 23,725 since Sept. 11, 2001. King also reports eight American children are victims of sexual abuse by illegal aliens every day – a total of 2,920 annually. Based on a one-year in-depth study, Deborah Schurman-Kauflin of the Violent Crimes Institute of Atlanta estimates there are about 240,000 illegal immigrant sex offenders in the United States who have had an average of four victims each. As the number of illegal aliens in the U.S. increases, so does the number of American victims. 267,000 illegal aliens were incarcerated in all U.S. jails and prisons. The 55,322 illegal aliens studied represented a total of 459,614 arrests – some eight arrests per illegal alien; Their arrests represented a total of about 700,000 criminal offenses – some 13 offenses per illegal alien; 36 percent had been arrested at least five times before. NEWS FLASH: SUPERCROSS BIKER GANG ON TRIAL FOR ASSASSINATIONS OF RACER MICKEY THOMPSON AND WIFE - Guilty verdict in Thompson murder case. A Pasadena jury convicted Michael Goodwin of murdering his former racing-promoter partner and Thompson's wife, Trudy, in 1988, thus writing the climactic chapter in one of Los Angeles County's most enduring murder mysteries. Collene Campbell, a former mayor of San Juan Capistrano, fought tirelessly on behalf of her brother, who was killed a few years after her son — whose body was thrown from an airplane in an unrelated case. In the Thompson case, after almost two decades of police investigation and 10 shows about the crime on national television, jurors said no one believed that Goodwin — inventor of Supercross, motorcycle races staged in NFL stadiums — was innocent. They said they never considered that they would not reach a unanimous verdict, and the fact that Goodwin did not testify did not matter. Goodwin, who has been in custody five years, is to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His lawyer, deputy Public Defender Elena Saris, said she planned to appeal and would ask for a new trial. The Thompsons were gunned down in the driveway of their home in the eastern Los Angeles County community of Bradbury on March 16, 1988, by two hooded gunmen who escaped on bicycles. The killers were never identified or charged, and there was no crime scene evidence connecting Goodwin to the slayings. But prosecutor Alan Jackson argued that the state of Thompson's home, with thousands of dollars and expensive jewelry untouched, showed the motive to be vengeance and that Goodwin, left bankrupt by a dispute with Thompson, was the only person with a hatred strong enough to plan the carnage. Thompson, the first American to reach 400 mph in a piston-driven vehicle, was one of off-road racing's earliest promoters. He and Goodwin joined briefly to promote motor sports in Southern California but had a falling out; Thompson won a $514,000 judgment against Goodwin that was pending at the time the couple were killed. It has not been paid. Goodwin declared personal and business bankruptcies as a result of the judgment. Prosecutors said Thompson was shot repeatedly but was kept alive and forced to watch the murder of his wife before he too was shot in the head. As the murder inquiry continued through several sets of investigators, a federal court in another case convicted Goodwin of bank fraud in 1995, but he was released from prison two years later. Eventually, 15 people testified that they had heard Goodwin threaten Thompson's life or those of Thompson's associates. Five years ago, prosecutors in Orange County — where much of the Thompson-Goodwin business rivalry played out — charged Goodwin with murder. But the Campbells were devastated when an appeals court threw out those charges three years ago, ruling that there was no evidence Goodwin had planned the crime there. Along with the necklace, Collene Campbell wore a golden brooch depicting an angel holding a racing flag, and bracelets in remembrance of her son Scott. In 1982, he died in what police said was a drug-related killing. NEWS FLASH: POLICE STATE DEATH SQUAD SUMMARILY EXECUTES US MARINE CORP BIKER AT TOYS FOR TOTS RALLY - He survived Iraq, only to suffer Death By Government in the "Land of the Free": Sgt. Derek J. Hale, USMC, ret. ~ RIP. Unknown to Derek, he had been under police surveillance as part of a ginned-up investigation into the Pagan Motorcycle Club, which he had joined several months before; the Pagans sponsored the "Toys for Tots Run" that had brought Derek to Delaware. As with any biker club, the Pagans probably included some disreputable people in their ranks. Derek was emphatically not one of them. In addition to his honorable military service (albeit in a consummately dishonorable war), Derek's personal background was antiseptically clean. He had a concealed carry permit in Virginia, which would not have been issued to him if he'd been convicted of a felony, a narcotics or domestic violence charge, or had any record of substance abuse or mental illness. The police vehicles screeched to a halt in front of the house shortly after 4:00 p.m. They ordered Lopez and her children away from Derek who, predictably, had risen to his feet by this time and then ordered him to remove his hands from his the pockets of his sweatshirt. Less than a second later according to several eyewitnesses at the scene Derek was hit with a taser blast that knocked him sideways and sent him into convulsions. His right hand involuntarily shot out of its pocket, clenching spasmodically. The officers continued to order Derek to put up his hands; he was physically unable to comply. So they tased him again. This time he was driven to his side and vomited into a nearby flower bed. At this point, one of the heroes in blue (or, in this case, black) swaggered over to Mixon and snarled, "I'll f*****g show you overkill!" Having heroically shut up an unarmed civilian, the officer turned his attention back to Derek who was being tased yet again. Having established that Derek an innocent man who had survived two tours of duty in Iraq was defenseless, one of Wilmington's Finest closed in for the kill. Lt. William Brown of the Wilmington Police Department, who was close enough to seize and handcuff the helpless victim, instead shot him in the chest at point-blank range, tearing apart his vitals with three .40-caliber rounds. He did this after Derek had said, repeatedly and explicitly, that he was trying to cooperate. He did this despite the fact that witnesses on the scene had confirmed that Derek was trying to cooperate. He did this in front of a traumatized mother and two horrified children. He wasn't given a chance to comply: He was hit with the first Taser strike less than a second after he was commanded to remove his hands from his pockets, and then two more in rapid succession. The killing took roughly three minutes. Less than two weeks earlier, Derek and Elaine had celebrated their first anniversary. "Delaware State Police spokesperson Sgt. Melissa Zebley conceded last week that no arrest warrant for Hale was ever issued," reported the News Journal on March 22. Derek J. Hale survived two tours of duty in Iraq, a country teeming with Pentagon-trained death squads, only to be murdered by their home-grown equivalent.  |
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it expects what never was and never will be." President Thomas Jefferson  As seen on TV!
Writers do not necessarily agree with the editorial rants of other writers
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