Clockwise from the left, Christopher Jacob Carrizal, his father, Christopher Julian Carrizal and Jerry Edward Pierson sit in court Friday. (Photo: Tommy Witherspoon/Waco Trib)
A 19th State District Court judge on Friday granted a defense attorney’s request to delay the first trial for a biker involved in the May 2015 shootout with law enforcement outside of a Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas.
The trial was initially set to begin next month, but according to reports from local media, attorney Landon Northcutt, who is representing three of the bikers, asked for more time. Northcutt noted that the District Attorney’s office recently provided the defense team with a terabyte – more than 1,000 gigabytes – of additional information and evidence concerning the cases.
Strother met with District Attorney Abel Reyna, prosecutors Michael Jarrett and Amanda Dillon and Northcutt for only about 20 minutes before granting the request. Strother told the court he was reluctant to grant the continuance, but also said he understood the necessity to do so.
Strother did not set another trial date for the first defendant but instead said he would first consult with 54th State District Judge Matt Johnson, who is also presiding over half of the cases of the 155 bikers, who are all charged with first-degree felony engaging in organized criminal activity. However, defense attorney Paul Looney, who is representing Cody Ledbetter, asked Strother if he could have the open trial date in April for his client. While Strother denied the request, he did set a September 11 trial date for Ledbetter, and jury selection is set to begin later this month.
Looney hoped for a “speedy trial” and expressed frustration over the delay but also acknowledged that the September trial date was better than what he had when he entered the court earlier that day.
Northcutt, who is representing Christopher Julian Carrizal, Christopher Jacob Carrizal, Jerry Edward Pierson – all members of the Bandidos, said he is not even sure whose trial will be first. He accused the DA’s office of playing “hide the ball,” while Reyna hurried out of the courtroom and declined to comment on the continuance.
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