Aryan Brotherhood Convictions In California
Posted: Sunday, July 30, 2006
by Randy L. Harrington
http://freewebs.com/randyharrington
July 29, 2006
By: Randy L. Harrington
SANTA ANA—A federal jury found four leaders of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang guilty on Friday. Two of those convicted face the death penalty.
Barry “The Baron" Mills, 57 Tyler “The Hulk" Bingham, 58 Edgar Wesley Hevle, 54 and Christopher Overton Gibson, 46 were convicted by a federal jury in Santa Ana after eleven days of deliberation, of ordering attacks on black inmates in the federal prison system, as well as planning killings of other prisoners.
Defense attorneys were critical of the trial and the verdicts because the prosecutions are hinged upon testimony from convicted prisoners who were given plea bargains in exchange for their testimony in the case.
Terry Rearick, an investigator that works for Barry Mills says that Mills was expecting the outcome. Rearick said that the prosecution based their case on “liars." He said that “juries like to convict prisoners... maybe if they hadn't put Aryan in their name, it would be different."
The prosecution says that a dozen inmates were killed on the orders of the leaders. Mills was found guilty of planning 11 of the 12 murders. Mills and Bingham were acquitted of the murder of one of the inmates.
The four men convicted are among 40 Aryan Brotherhood members that prosecutors indicted in 2002. Half have plead guilty, most are awaiting sentencing. Fourteen are awaiting their court dates, which includes those that prosecutor say are identified as California leaders of the group. Prosecutors have filed pleadings with the court that seeks the death penalty against seven of the men.
On August 15 the same jury of four women, and eight me n will begin considering evidence on whether or not Mills and Bingham should die.
Death verdicts in the federal court system are rare. The publicized federal execution was Timothy McVeigh the Oklahoma City bomber. It has been more than 50 years since a federal defendant was sentenced to death in the US Central District of California.
Hale and Gibson also convicted face 20 years to life for their convictions. They were found guilty of racketeering, and conspiracy to commit racketeering, as well as two counts of murder. They are scheduled be sentenced on October 23
The trial that began in March was based on the prosecutions allegations that the gang was responsible for a declaration of a race war against another prison gang called the DC Black by the Aryan Brotherhood in 1997.
The crux of the prosecutions case was a note that was sent to Al Benton, a “Commissioner" with the Aryan Brotherhood that said “War with DC Blacks, TD" The note was received by Benton at the federal prison in Lewisburg, PA in 1997. It was written in urine to prevent detection by correctional officers, and it was accidentally flushed down the toilet. Benton testified that he spent two days making telephone calls to outside sources trying to find out what the note meant. Because he thought it was an order for him to wage war on black inmates he organized the attack. Two black men dies, and four others were injured.
Benton killed a black inmate who was his longtime friend. He plead guilty to assault for the man's death, and agreed to cooperate with prison authorities to halt the bloodshed. He will be sentenced to more than eight years in prison for his assault as part of a plea agreement to testify in the case.
THE ARYAN BROTHERHOOD
The Aryan Brotherhood, or AB is a white gang that originated in San Quentin Prison in California in 1967. The AB was first established to protect its members from what was the majority of Black and Hispanic gang members in prison. They grew out of another prison gang, the Blue Bird Gang that was active from the 1950s to the 1960s. Today the FBI, and other authorities report that the AB is active in homeless shelters in several large cities. Some law enforcement officials have even said that the AB may be affiliated with the Freight Train Riders of America.
Traditionally prospective AB members were required to be of Irish decent. Today membership is still mostly white. AB uses symbols Associated with Nazi Germany, such as the swastika, and German cross. The AB initiates only the most ruthless and intelligent prisoners in a Blood in Blood out system. The group has a dedicated charter for controlling membership, known as kin and progeny.
AB symbols include the Nazi SS Sig Runes, the swastika, the numbers 666, and 88 that signifies the eighth letter of the alphabet “H", twice for “Heil Hitler." The letters AB as well as the shamrock signify the original requirement that members must be of Irish decent.
AB members released from prison are believed to be progeny, or kindred members and must continue to support AB activities inside of prison by sending financial support, as well as arranging the smuggle of drugs and contraband into prison. AB members outside of prison receive order or “hit" orders from inside prison. AB members released from prison have committed murder, including contract killings, as well as drug dealing, armed robberies, and extortion to support their obligation to the AB administration in prison.
Prisons all across the country have active, and professional intelligence organizations that track prison gangs. The Aryan Brotherhood has been “certified" as a “Security Threat Group" by most state prisons.
SOURCES/CONTRIBUTORS: AP REUTERS CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FEDERAL BOP ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
© Copyright 2006 Randy L. Harrington. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Great writing. 2 Thumbs Up. Please write more.
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