Witnesses describe riding with the Hells Angels, becoming federal cooperators as racketeering murder trial wraps up

SAN FRANCISCO — In 2010, then-Antioch resident Joseph Hardisty joined the Hells Angels Richmond chapter after traveling to the Bay Area in search of brotherhood and purpose. Looking back, he said the group consumed his life.

Hardisty is perhaps the most important witnesses out of more than a dozen people called to testify by the federal government in April and May, in the trial of three Hells Angels members — Jonathan “Jon Jon” Nelson, Brian Wendt, and Russell “Rusty” Ott — who are all accused of being part of a conspiracy to murder a man named Joel Silva, a sergeant-at-arms of the outlaw biker club who seemingly dropped off the face of the earth in May 2014.

The alleged murder plot came to a head during Lanconia Bike Week 2014, a major event for motorcycle enthusiasts in New Hampshire, where Hardisty said he and a contingency of other Hells Angels members from California, including Silva, travelled for the eight-day celebration. Silva, who went by the nickname “Doughboy,” was a frequent meth user, and Hardisty partied with him during the trip, he testified.

Four years earlier, Hardisty said he took a shot at a rival biker club member on a Southern California freeway during a Hells Angels run. The brazen act of protection prompted members of the group to pull over at the next stop and tell Hardisty he was a full fledged member. In fact, it was Silva who told him he no longer had to cover the Hells Angels emblem on his leather vest anymore, a symbolic gesture of acceptance that solidified their friendship.

During cross-examination, defense attorneys mocked Hardisty’s contention that he became a trusted member of the club in such a short period of time, and got him to admit to being a “heavy meth user” during the time in question. Jai Gohel, an attorney representing Nelson, also recounted Hardisty commenting that he felt bad about testifying.

Source: Law Daily Report (lawdailyreport.net)

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Mets ride Taijuan Walker’s gem in win over Angels to salvage .500 road tripTaijuan Walker was the hardest-working pitcher on the Mets’ marathon West Coast swing that concluded Sunday night.
Source: nypost - 🏆 91. / 67 Read more »

Angels making interim manager Phil Nevin feel right at homeThe Fullerton native, 51, has done little to shake up the team’s processes behind the scenes in his first six days on the job.
Source: ladailynews - 🏆 332. / 59 Read more »

Jared Walsh hits for cycle, Mike Trout hits 2 HRs as Angels rout Mets 11-6Mike Trout hit a pair of homers and Jared Walsh hit for the cycle as the Halos rolled to an 11-6 win over the Mets on Saturday.
Source: CBSNewYork - 🏆 268. / 63 Read more »

Angels hit five home runs against Mets, Jared Walsh hits for cycleMike Trout returns and hits two homers in the victory, the Angels’ second win in their last three games after losing 14 in a row
Source: ladailynews - 🏆 332. / 59 Read more »

Angels’ Davis Daniel gets a birthday surprise: his first call-upThe right-hander joins the Angels’ bullpen after three impressive starts with Triple-A Salt Lake. Jo Adell and Jhonathan Diaz are sent back to Triple-A.
Source: ladailynews - 🏆 332. / 59 Read more »

Mike Scioscia Says He Won't Manage Angels Again, 'I'm Relaxing Now'There's absolutely NO WAY Mike Scioscia returns to manage the Angels following Joe Maddon's firing
Source: TMZ - 🏆 379. / 59 Read more »