Cycle Gang Victimized, Leader Says Hells Angels’ President Cites Murder Trial Acquittal

The president of the Spokane chapter of the Hells Angels says his members are victims of harassment and retaliation because of a murder trial acquittal.

Richard “Smilin’ Rick” Fabel made the comment Friday after being released from jail on a charge of intimidating a prosecutor who handled the recent murder case against Hells Angel Timothy Myers.

Fabel and Myers were among six Hells Angels and their friends arrested Tuesday by a task force of 80 state and local police.

All are now out of jail on bonds ranging from $5,000 to $35,000.

The arrests culminated a two-month investigation into what authorities say were threats and intimidation of Deputy Prosecutor David Hearrean, his wife and witnesses in the Myers murder trial.

Myers was acquitted last month by a jury that determined he acted in selfdefense when he fatally shot a rival motorcycle gang member.

“I feel that this is showing poor-loser status to the extreme,” Fabel said. “This is obvious retaliation because the prosecutor’s office lost the murder case.”

Fabel renewed his offer to have his club members take lie detector tests to show they didn’t intimidate the prosecutor or witnesses.

“It will prove our innocence and save the taxpayers a whole lot of money,” Fabel said.

The Hells Angels president said he “feels for Hearrean’s wife and their child, but we have no connection to any of this intimidation stuff whatsoever.”

“Mouldy Marvin” Gilbert, the local club’s vice president, said police “always are accusing us Hells Angels of intimidation.”

“There’s no record anywhere of us intimidating anybody,” said Gilbert.

Fabel said he and Gilbert are single parents, raising daughters. “There’s no way we’d mess with kids or family,” he said.

The arrests were praised Tuesday by Hearrean’s boss, Prosecutor Jim Sweetser. He said he appreciated the investigation of “potential intimidation which threatens the effective administration of justice.”

A judge reduced the bonds on Wednesday afternoon, but Fabel said he couldn’t get out of jail until 2 a.m. Friday “because somehow my court file got lost.”

Gilbert said when he and club member Donald “Duke” Rapp went to jail to post the bonds, they waited for a time on the plaza outside the jail.

There, Gilbert said, they were approached by 15 police officers who told the Hells Angels to leave.

“I’m not intimidated by nothing,” Gilbert said, “but they’re still playing these little games.”

, DataTimes