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Mother of biker killed at Twin Peaks shootout testifies on day 17 of first trial

Posted at 9:16 AM, Nov 06, 2017
and last updated 2018-07-24 21:31:13-04

The mother of one of the nine deceased bikers after the Twin Peaks shootout got emotional when she took the stand on Monday, day 17 of the first Twin Peaks trial.

Christopher Jacob Carrizal, who is now the president of the Bandidos was indicted on charges of engaging in organized criminal activity and directing activities of a criminal street gang.

Yvonne Reeves, who is the mother of Richard Jordan, a member of the Cossacks, said the past two years have been very hard for her.

She said she doesn’t remember much about what happened the day of the shooting.

Reeves testified she planned to meet her husband Owen Reeves, a former member of the Cossacks, at Twin Peaks after she finished having lunch with some of her friends at Logan’s Roadhouse, which was located at the same shopping mall.

However, while she was there, she said someone heard shots.

"My husband called me, he called me in the parking lot and told me a Bandido shot my son and that's all he said. I didn't hear anything else and I couldn't find my son anywhere,” Reeves said.

Reeves said she suffered a mild stroke, which required medical attention. Her husband who she said was injured after being hit with a helmet while he was having convulsions was transported to the hospital after the shooting. He was later arrested but she said he wasn’t her main concern that day.

“I wasn’t worried about him. I just wanted to find my son,” Reeves said.

Reeves who has been married to Owen since 2009 but has known him all her life said the Cossacks wanted peace, not a fight when they went to the Twin Peaks restaurant on May 17, 2015.

She added he knew how much her two children meant to her.

"He has known them since they were born. He would never put them in danger,” Reeves said.

The mother of two said Jordan, her first born, did not have a gun with him the day of the shooting.

Before her testimony, the defense called Waco Police Detective Jeff Rodgers to the stand to testify about an interview he conducted with Carrizal’s co-defendant Mark White.

According to Defense Attorney Casie Gotro, that interview with the member of Cossacks was recently given to her. In it, she said White claims the Cossacks didn’t have any conflicts of the Bandidos because of the Texas bottom rocker.

Gotro added that statement contradicts the State’s theory that the shootout happened because Cossacks started wearing that patch without the Bandidos permission.

She later asked the judge to dismiss the charges of her client citing prosecutorial misconducting. The defense attorney claims prosecutors who were present during at least one recorded interview hid that information from her.

"This District Attorney's Office, including Mr. Jarrett and Ms. Dillon and Mr. Reyna are sitting in a room where witnesses two years ago, two and a half years ago are making exculpatory statements and they say they don't have possession of the recording. They had actual knowledge of the contents of the recording," Gotro said. 

She also asked for a continuance of the trial but the judge only gave 45 minutes of recess. 

Prosecutor Michael Jarrett said him and DA Abel Reyna left White’s interview soon after it started because they realized he was lying.

Jarrett said the State’s theory was not based on White’s testimony and they did not intend him to call him as a witness.  

"The State's theory on this case is not based on testimony from a gang member. The state's theory of this case, is testimony by your client on his text messages to other gang members. On his actions that are videotaped in Waco, TX, on May 17, 2015,” Jarrett said.

He added it also has to do with Carrizal becoming president of the Dallas Chapter of the Bandidos after the shootout, not the statement of a Cossack, referring to White.

When Rogers was asked whether he respected White, he replied no. He also added that he believed he should also go to prison for his actions on May 17, 2015. White faces charges for engaging in organized criminal activity.

Rogers also added that the conflict at the restaurant started once Carrizal arrived to that location. He said the Bandidos felt disrespected when they saw the Cossacks took over the patio. In addition, he said the Cossacks didn’t like when the Bandidos double parked their motorcycles, blocking theirs.

Gotro argued that double parking is an act of courtesy in the motorcycle community and that type of parking can be seen in aerial footage of the restaurant.

The defense will continue calling witnesses on Tuesday morning. 

The state rested its case last Tuesday after calling in the brother of the defendant. 

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