Sixteen people face federal charges for what authorities say is a motorcycle gang rivalry turned deadly.
WRAL News was the only news organization in federal court Tuesday as one of those suspects, William Frankley Beasley, asked a judge to set him free before trial.
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Prosecutors showed security camera video of what they say is Beasley and other members of the Fayetteville Hells Angels Motorcycle Club attacking members of the rival Pagan’s Motorcycle Club.
In the video seen by WRAL News, Beasley is wearing a shirt that says "Rats Get Bats." Prosecutors say that means rivals or snitches deserve to be attacked.
The video also shows Beasley swing his arm down violently on a member of the Pagans. Prosecutors say he was armed with a hammer.
The defense argued Beasley only had a piece of leather in his hand and the charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon were a stretch. The defense also pointed to Beasley’s clean criminal record, his 27 years of service in the Army and his declining health, including a history of 15 heart attacks.
While noting the health issues, Federal Magistrate Judge Robert Numbers disagreed about Beasley’s potential threat, noting the parking lot at the time of the fight was filled with families. One bystander was caught in the middle when the window of their vehicle was smashed by a hammer when they tried to leave the area.
Numbers also questioned whether Beasley’s wife would properly oversee him if released based on recorded phone conversations from jail between Beasley and his wife. The 64-year-old will now remain in custody until his trial.
Four other defendants in the case – Vidaul Reed, Fred Prosperi, J.R. Darr and David Woodard – were supposed to appear before the judge Tuesday, but their hearings were continued in court.
Reed’s name is familiar to WRAL News. He was also charged in the New Year’s Day 2023 shooting of Jonas Padilla in Wake County. Reed was one of five men charged with murder in what prosecutors say was a targeted attack on Padilla, who they say is a Pagans member. All four of those co-defendants are now charged federally in the recently unsealed indictment.
Many of the charges also involve racketeering, which is a fancy way to say organized crime. The indictment spells out the inner workings of the Hells Angels, including how members are promoted.
"Members and associates of the HAMC commonly commit physical assaults, including murder, threats to injure , and intimidation to compel victims and eyewitnesses to remain silent or recant original accounts made to law enforcement," the document also says. "The HAMC members and associates threaten and intimidate witnesses to criminal conduct."
Michael Easley Jr., the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, plans to hold a news conference at 2 p.m. Wednesday to discuss the case. You can watch it live on jshu.net.