Leader of Texas biker gang the Bandidos is found guilty of ordering the ambush and murder of rival Ghost Riders member at a dive bar
The Bandidos allegedly ambushed Brady, killing him in front of his wife in 2014
The alleged leader of a motorcycle gang has been found guilty of murder and engaging in organized crime, among other charges. On Friday, a Fort Worth, Texas jury found Howard Baker, 62, the supposed leader of the Bandidos motorcycle club, guilty of murder in the December 2014 death of Geoffrey Brady, 41, a member of rival bike club, Ghost Riders. Baker was found guilty of murder, aggravated assault, engaging in organized crime and directing a street gang.
The jury found him not guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Baker was on trial for Brady's killing, which took place on December 12, 2014 at Fort Worth's Gator's Jam Inn.
According to prosecutors, Baker told members of the Bandidos to ambush Brady at the bar, reports the Star-Telegram (link is external). Prosecutors detailed how Baker, accompanied by 30 of his fellow Bandidos went to the Gator's Jam Inn, fired guns and then dragged Brady outside before killing him in front of his wife, reports the Houston Chronicle (link is external).
Two others were injured during the fight.
'It was his plan,' assistant Tarrant County District Attorney Allenna Bangs said, referring to Baker, during closing arguments on Friday, according to NBC DFW (link is external). 'He called it.'
Bangs added that the Bandidos were 'in for a fight' and noted that 'when you take guns and knives to a fight, people die.' Prosecutors claimed that Baker had ordered the ambush because of a dispute over the bikers' territory.
Baker did not testify and his defense team did not call any witnesses during the trial.
Instead, the defense argued that the prosecution's case lacked evidence — that the only thing the prosecution proved was that Baker was a member of the Bandidos.
'It's not a crime to be a member of the Bandidos,' defense attorney Tim Choy said, while saying that Baker is a family man who worked at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum.
Choy also said that the evidence presented by the prosecution was inconsistent — including the fact that witnesses from the Gator's Jam Inn had conflicting accounts of what happened and that none of the guns collected from the Bandidos matched the bullets fired at Brady. The prosecution stated that the witnesses they had called were paying attention to different things that occurred during the incident and that the defense would be suspicious if they all had the exact same testimony.
The defense also argued that no evidence had been provided that Baker instigated the raid, but prosecutors claimed they proved that Baker was the president of the Bandidos chapter and as such, he ultimately held the power to issue the order. The prosecution also invoked Texas' Law of Parties, which states that a person can be held criminally responsible for another's actions in certain circumstances.
Baker was taken to jail after the verdict was read. He had been out on bail before the trial. Baker is scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday. He faces up to life in prison.
USA - BN.
The jury found him not guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Baker was on trial for Brady's killing, which took place on December 12, 2014 at Fort Worth's Gator's Jam Inn.
According to prosecutors, Baker told members of the Bandidos to ambush Brady at the bar, reports the Star-Telegram (link is external). Prosecutors detailed how Baker, accompanied by 30 of his fellow Bandidos went to the Gator's Jam Inn, fired guns and then dragged Brady outside before killing him in front of his wife, reports the Houston Chronicle (link is external).
Two others were injured during the fight.
'It was his plan,' assistant Tarrant County District Attorney Allenna Bangs said, referring to Baker, during closing arguments on Friday, according to NBC DFW (link is external). 'He called it.'
Bangs added that the Bandidos were 'in for a fight' and noted that 'when you take guns and knives to a fight, people die.' Prosecutors claimed that Baker had ordered the ambush because of a dispute over the bikers' territory.
Baker did not testify and his defense team did not call any witnesses during the trial.
Instead, the defense argued that the prosecution's case lacked evidence — that the only thing the prosecution proved was that Baker was a member of the Bandidos.
'It's not a crime to be a member of the Bandidos,' defense attorney Tim Choy said, while saying that Baker is a family man who worked at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum.
Choy also said that the evidence presented by the prosecution was inconsistent — including the fact that witnesses from the Gator's Jam Inn had conflicting accounts of what happened and that none of the guns collected from the Bandidos matched the bullets fired at Brady. The prosecution stated that the witnesses they had called were paying attention to different things that occurred during the incident and that the defense would be suspicious if they all had the exact same testimony.
The defense also argued that no evidence had been provided that Baker instigated the raid, but prosecutors claimed they proved that Baker was the president of the Bandidos chapter and as such, he ultimately held the power to issue the order. The prosecution also invoked Texas' Law of Parties, which states that a person can be held criminally responsible for another's actions in certain circumstances.
Baker was taken to jail after the verdict was read. He had been out on bail before the trial. Baker is scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday. He faces up to life in prison.
USA - BN.
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