On Friday Judge Ralph Strother set trial dates for three of six bikers who appeared in his court.
Bandidos bikers Ray Allen and Jeffery Battey recently they had their charges changed from engaging in organized criminal activity to murder. According to their attorneys it was the district attorney's idea to put these two cases together, because they are so similar. They are friends who arrived at Twin Peaks together. In May prosecutor Amanda Dillion said Battey and some other Bandido members were seen standing over a dead Cossack. Judge Strother set their trial date for January 15,2019. Attorney Seth Sutton represents Battey, and says he's perfectly fine with a joint trial.
We're going to look at the possibility of doing that, and we've had conversations about whether or not ultimately that’s going to happen,” said Sutton. “I think right now Battey and Allen are set on January 15, and so we're just excited to have our day.”
Tom Mendez is charged with the offense of riot and his trial date was set for August 27th.
Jerry Pierson is also charged with riot but he did not have his trial set on Friday. He's facing a deadly conduct charge in Dallas, and the judge told his attorney to get that case cleared up first.
Glen Allen Walker is the third biker charged with murder. His next status hearing is in January.
His lawyer Clint Broden said he will call outgoing McLennan county district attorney Abel Reyna as a witness. Broden and the state agreed to wait until Reyna leaves office before going further with walkers case.