Satan's Choice Motorcycle Club, Canada, circa 1967
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Trial for Cossacks MC Prez continues
Tyler, Texas, USA (January 15, 2025) - The second trial for the National President of a Motorcycle Club accused of making orders that led to an East Texas motorcyclist’s death continues.
Kevin Higgins is charged with directing activities in connection with the May 2, 2020 death of Brandon Edwards, a member of the 1%er Cossacks MC, who was allegedly chased and shot by Cossacks MC members in the Chapel Hill area. In December, the previous trial ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury.
Higgins maintains his innocence and entered a plea of not guilty. The state argues his role as the National President links him to a string of criminal activities including aggravated assault and murder.
Colorado Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Douglas Pearson said there was a split in the Cossacks Motorcycle Club after the 2015 Waco massacre. The two groups that emerged were the Cossacks MC and the 1%er Cossacks MC.
Kevin Higgins is charged with directing activities in connection with the May 2, 2020 death of Brandon Edwards, a member of the 1%er Cossacks MC, who was allegedly chased and shot by Cossacks MC members in the Chapel Hill area. In December, the previous trial ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury.
RELATED | Cossacks MC Member Acquitted
Higgins maintains his innocence and entered a plea of not guilty. The state argues his role as the National President links him to a string of criminal activities including aggravated assault and murder.
Colorado Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Douglas Pearson said there was a split in the Cossacks Motorcycle Club after the 2015 Waco massacre. The two groups that emerged were the Cossacks MC and the 1%er Cossacks MC.
Saturday, January 11, 2025
Police Raid Hells Angels MC Clubhouse
Trois-Rivières, Quebec (January 11, 2025) - A Hells Angels MC clubhouse was the target of a major police operation in Hérouxville, Mauricie. Around 90 police officers were mobilized Friday evening for a raid targeting violent crimes and drug trafficking. The searches are related to various events in recent weeks and months, such as shootings on Rang St-Pierre in Hérouxville.
Police found 16 people at the scene, including an armed 67-year-old man who was arrested. He was held in custody pending his scheduled appearance at the Shawinigan courthouse on Saturday. Police searched three vehicles and the entire property, consisting mainly of two buildings. They allegedly seized a rifle, firearm ammunition, methamphetamine tablets, clothing and jewelry with the HAMC branding along with Hells Angels patched jackets.
Those apprehended at the scene are all men aged between 27 and 71. They are “members in good standing” of the Trois-Rivières Hells Angels, as well as “prospects” and members of Hells Angels support clubs. A spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), Éloïse Cossette, stressed that the Mauricie region is not immune from violence and drug trafficking.
“The goal of the investigation is to put an end to the activities of people who engage in acts of violence,” she said. Friday's searches are believed to be linked to several violent episodes during which gunshots and bangs were heard on Rang Saint-Pierre, in Hérouxville, in December 2023, September 2024 and at the beginning of 2025.
The operation involved officers from the Mauricie Regional Joint Task Force (ER), the National Organized Crime Enforcement Team (ENRCO), the Organized Crime Intervention Team (OCIT), intelligence officers, crime scene technicians, firearms specialists, dog handlers and the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) Emergency Response Team (ERT).
Police found 16 people at the scene, including an armed 67-year-old man who was arrested. He was held in custody pending his scheduled appearance at the Shawinigan courthouse on Saturday. Police searched three vehicles and the entire property, consisting mainly of two buildings. They allegedly seized a rifle, firearm ammunition, methamphetamine tablets, clothing and jewelry with the HAMC branding along with Hells Angels patched jackets.
Those apprehended at the scene are all men aged between 27 and 71. They are “members in good standing” of the Trois-Rivières Hells Angels, as well as “prospects” and members of Hells Angels support clubs. A spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), Éloïse Cossette, stressed that the Mauricie region is not immune from violence and drug trafficking.
“The goal of the investigation is to put an end to the activities of people who engage in acts of violence,” she said. Friday's searches are believed to be linked to several violent episodes during which gunshots and bangs were heard on Rang Saint-Pierre, in Hérouxville, in December 2023, September 2024 and at the beginning of 2025.
The operation involved officers from the Mauricie Regional Joint Task Force (ER), the National Organized Crime Enforcement Team (ENRCO), the Organized Crime Intervention Team (OCIT), intelligence officers, crime scene technicians, firearms specialists, dog handlers and the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) Emergency Response Team (ERT).
Thursday, January 9, 2025
Couple of lawsuits settled in Pagan's and cops brawl
Pittsburgh, PA, USA (January 9, 2025) - The City of Pittsburgh will pay over $170,000 to settle two of four lawsuits from a brawl at Kopy’s bar six years ago between members of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club and several drunk, undercover police officers.
The lawsuits include allegations of malicious prosecution and assault and battery, as well as civil rights claims based on the city’s alcohol policy that allowed undercover officers to drink on the job.
The incident began around 12:30 a.m. on October 12, 2018. Earlier that night, four undercover Pittsburgh police officers investigating drug activity entered the Kopy's bar, identified themselves as construction workers and began drinking. Four members of the Pagan's MC, arrived about 11:30 p.m. Within an hour, a brawl had erupted, and the four Pagan's MC members were arrested.
The four Pagan's MC members were charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy and riot. The undercover officers, David Honick, Brian Burgunder, Brian Martin and David Lincoln, were supposedly investigating a drug complaint at Kopy's bar the night of the brawl.
According to city’s lawyer's, the officers knew the Pagan's MC members to carry weapons, and they believed that their undercover status had been compromised by the four bikers. According to an affidavit by Stephen Kopy, the now-deceased owner of the bar, the officers told him that night they had issues with the Pagan's MC.
“I was then asked by one of the undercover officers whether I was ‘siding’ with the bikers,” Kopy wrote in the affidavit. “I told them that I was not ‘siding’ with the bikers. I just did not agree with the undercover officers that the bikers were trying to cause trouble.” As the Pagan's MC members got up to leave, he continued, the officers stopped them and spoke with them.
But his lawsuit said that the officers, who were visibly intoxicated, impeded his exit from the bar, with David Honick repeatedly showing him his loaded handgun in the front band of his pants, not revealing that he or any of the others was a police officer. About a month later, the criminal charges were dropped by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s. The officers were ultimately suspended for five days without pay and reassigned.
Screenshot of video taken from Kopy's bar on October 12, 2018
The lawsuits include allegations of malicious prosecution and assault and battery, as well as civil rights claims based on the city’s alcohol policy that allowed undercover officers to drink on the job.
The incident began around 12:30 a.m. on October 12, 2018. Earlier that night, four undercover Pittsburgh police officers investigating drug activity entered the Kopy's bar, identified themselves as construction workers and began drinking. Four members of the Pagan's MC, arrived about 11:30 p.m. Within an hour, a brawl had erupted, and the four Pagan's MC members were arrested.
Related | Pagans MC Lawsuit Against Drunk Cops Goes to Trial
The four Pagan's MC members were charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy and riot. The undercover officers, David Honick, Brian Burgunder, Brian Martin and David Lincoln, were supposedly investigating a drug complaint at Kopy's bar the night of the brawl.
According to city’s lawyer's, the officers knew the Pagan's MC members to carry weapons, and they believed that their undercover status had been compromised by the four bikers. According to an affidavit by Stephen Kopy, the now-deceased owner of the bar, the officers told him that night they had issues with the Pagan's MC.
“I was then asked by one of the undercover officers whether I was ‘siding’ with the bikers,” Kopy wrote in the affidavit. “I told them that I was not ‘siding’ with the bikers. I just did not agree with the undercover officers that the bikers were trying to cause trouble.” As the Pagan's MC members got up to leave, he continued, the officers stopped them and spoke with them.
Related | Bar Owner Sues City And Cops
But his lawsuit said that the officers, who were visibly intoxicated, impeded his exit from the bar, with David Honick repeatedly showing him his loaded handgun in the front band of his pants, not revealing that he or any of the others was a police officer. About a month later, the criminal charges were dropped by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s. The officers were ultimately suspended for five days without pay and reassigned.