CASIE GOTRO
“Why is he even on the witness stand?” – an innocent bystander
Waco – Jurors listening to the testimony of Detective Jeffrey Rogers are visibly underwhelmed, some of them ashen-faced, with his non-starter behavior.
As the Waco police’s only gang intelligence officer, he is a mumbling, bumbling man with a shaved head who cannot remember – anything.
He didn’t review his notes before appearing on the witness stand. He is very, very opposed to giving anyone any information about much of anything.
Just before the lunch break, defense counsel Casie Gotro asked him for a very simple piece of information about the events of May 17, 2015, she responded to a monosyllabic mumble from the detective, then rephrased her question, and said, “If you don’t mind. I’m flying blind, too.”
The jurors sat stone-faced, as if nothing was said. The moment passed.
He described the moments between the time when the Bandidos rode into a sea of Cossacks jumping the rail of the patio at the restaurant, spoiling for a fight, as, “Just like that.” Then he snapped his fingers.
“Push, shove, hit, gunfire – that fast…”
After lunch, the man in the blue shirt, Keith Stefka, is seen on the projected screen standing at the door to Don Carlos.
“Would you say this man right there where he is standing, has a bird’s eye view of the scene?”
Answer from Rogers, “Yes, I do.”
Would you say, did you see that man tap his head three times?”
Answer, “No, I didn’t.”
Does Rogers have an opinion about the difference between a gang and a club?
Yeah, he does.
The Bandidos didn’t bring their old ladies. They pulled in and when they did, they’d been disrespected because the Cossacks took over a parking lot that was reserved for them.
Jake Carrizal had a meeting. Rogers knows because someone called him and said so.
There was a COC meeting scheduled for the Dallas area.
“So he intentionally rides to Waco for another meeting, and when he pulls into the parking lot, it sparks off, and there’s violence.
Did he develop any intelligence that specifically indicated that Jake Carrizal goes around and commits crimes?
Rogers has an answer for that, too. It’s by definition a criminal street gang, the Bandidos. “Three or more persons who have a defining symbol or sign who continually meet to engage in criminal activity.”
From there, he bogs down, saying, “I don’t know what you want. I answered the question.”
From there, the prosecutor jumps in, saying “Membership in the gang is the crime. The case law is very specific,” said Jarrett.
The judge overrules, saying, “I don’t think that’s the proper question.”
Rogers answers, saying that is the answer.
All agree.
Why does Rogers think the Bandidos came to Waco?
“To cause problems.’
Did he know the City of Waco had declared the month of May “Motorcycle Awareness Month.”
“No, I didn’t know that.”
And so it goes.
Maybe there’s a reason the prosecution didn’t call this man as a witness during their case in chief. Could be.
So mote it be.
– The Legendary