First Waco "Twin Peaks" Wrongful Arrest Lawsuit Filed

We also concur that a host of lawsuits against numerous authority will follow as a result of the unconstitutional detainment and arrest practices of the Waco Police.
Eventually, years from now, as law school students confer for their first and second year classes, the Waco shooting at “Twin Peaks” will be used as a case study showcasing the how law enforcement can, and will, overreact.
(Via Aging Rebel) The first of what will surely be a blizzard of federal civil rights lawsuits was filed this morning against the city of Waco and McLennan County, Texas.
Scimitar Motorcycle Club member Matthew Alan Clendennen (above) is also suing Waco police officer Manuel Chavez, who signed the criminal complaint against Clendennen and up to 177 other arrestees. Chavez’ criminal complaint states that “I hereby state upon my oath that I have reason to believe and do believe that heretofore, and before making and filing of this complaint, that on or about May 17, 2015 in McLennan County, Texas, the said Clendennen, Matthew Alan did then and there, as a member of a criminal street gang, commit or conspire to commit murder, capital murder, or aggravated assault against the laws of the State.”
[…] The lawsuit notes that “the identical criminal complaint used in Plaintiff Matthew Alan Clendennen’s case was used to justify the arrest of more than 100 other individuals and only the names were changed in the various criminal complaints. The complaint alleges absolutely no individualized probable cause to establish that Plaintiff Matthew Alan Clendennen engaged in organized criminal activity
“At the time of Plaintiff Matthew Alan Clendennen’s arrest, the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the United States Constitution required probable cause to arrest a citizen before the citizen’s liberty could be significantly restrained. Chavez, aided by Does 1-10 and/or Does 11-20, presented the criminal complaint to (Justice of the Peace Walter H. “Pete”) Peterson when no reasonably competent police officer in Chavez’ position could have concluded that a warrant should be issued against Plaintiff Matthew Alan Clendennen based on the allegations against him in the ‘fill in the name’ criminal complaint.
[…] He “was on the patio area of Twin Peaks on that day when violence began among other individuals in or around the Twin Peaks parking lot. At the time the violence erupted, Plaintiff Matthew Alan Clendennen took cover by attempting to hide in a hallway inside Twin Peaks.” He “did not engage in any violence at or around Twin Peaks” or “encourage or solicit any criminal activity.”
He “did not possess any weapons while present at Twin Peaks that day except for a closed Benchmade mini pocket knife given to him as a Christmas gift by his parents in December 2011 and which he has carried regularly since then. That knife never left Mr. Clendennen’s pocket while he was at Twin Peaks. Despite the fact that Plaintiff Matthew Alan Clendennen committed no criminal acts he was arrested at Twin Peaks on or about May 17, 2015 without probable cause and his motorcycle was illegally seized.” (read more)
Reminder on the PCA ARREST WARRANT:
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♦ Waco Research Thread 1 – The initial Shooting As Reported
♦ Waco Research Thread 2 – LEO Affidavits Inconsistent With Spokesperson Claims
♦ Waco Research Thread 3 – The Waco Police Narrative Continues To Evolve
♦ Waco Research Thread 4 – CCTV Video Refutes Original 3 Days of Police Claims
♦ Waco Research Thread 5 – Listen to the Waco PD Radio Traffic
♦ Waco Research Thread 6 – 14 Officers Were Shooting – Report: “Thousands of rounds”
♦ Waco Research Thread 7 – Washington Post eye-witness account
♦ Waco Research Thread 8 – The Fill-in-the-blank Probable Cause Affidavit
♦ Waco Research Thread 9 – The Crossfire – Understanding the proximity of fire.
♦ Waco Research Thread 10 – Report: Only Four Officers Opened Fire in Hail of Bullets.
Last Point – THE POLICE ARE REFUSING TO RELEASE THE VIDEOS: We know there are at least two CCTV videos which show the entire shooting scene. One of those from a camera mounted at Don Carlos (entry) which shows both adjoining parking lots.
If the video really showed what the police have claimed, don’t you think the police would release them – just to showcase how horrible these “gang bikers” are?