<i> [motorcycle engines rumbling]</i> <i> male narrator: The Hells
Angels motorcycle club</i> <i> is one of the most
notorious organizations</i> <i> in the world.</i> ♪ <i> They've been accused
of many things--</i> <i> gun running, drug trafficking,</i> <i> and prostitution.</i> ♪ <i> But while the club admits
members may not be true angels,</i> <i> they claim they are not
a criminal organization.</i> ♪ <i> One of the main reasons
they cite for this</i> <i> is a lack
of leadership structure.</i> <i> The group says
its charters are independent,</i> <i> with no organizational
direction.</i> <i> But many believe
this to be a front,</i> <i> and point to long-time member
Sonny Barger</i> <i>as the group's de facto leader.</i> ♪ <i> One thing
that is not disputable is</i> <i> that George Christie,</i> <i> 30-year president of the Hells
Angels Ventura chapter,</i> <i> is not a Barger fan.</i> ♪ <i> - I'm coming forward now</i> because I want to set
the record straight. <i> I'm not bound
by any rules anymore.</i> <i> I am not bound
by any loyalties anymore.</i> But I am bound by the truth. ♪ <i> I guess I would describe
Sonny Barger's personality</i> as, "If you don't get
out of my way, I'm gonna go over the top
of you." ♪ <i> He was very domineering
in what he wanted.</i> <i> He wasn't afraid to go for it.</i> And he wasn't afraid to break
the rules in the process, either, no matter
whose rules they were. [twangy rock music] <i> narrator: In 1977,</i> <i>George Christie is a new member
of the Hells Angels</i> <i> Los Angeles charter.</i> <i> But he is quickly rising
to a position of power.</i> ♪ <i> He's about to meet,
for the first time,</i> <i> one of the club's legendary
members, Sonny Barger.</i> ♪ - One of the first times I ever
dealt with Sonny was on a run. ♪ <i> We're up at Lake Shasta,
up in the mountains.</i> ♪ The cops, as usual,
had heavy surveillance on us. ♪ And what happened was, <i> somebody ditched the cops
and rode into the camp.</i> <i> The police thought
that they were gonna pursue</i> him into the camp. No way was Sonny gonna
allow that. [rock music] <i> We wound up in a standoff.</i> The cops were lined up across. Sonny looked at me and said, "Come on." All Sonny would have had to
done was just raise his hand, and we just would've went
balls-out into the cops. Here you've got
all these cops out there. They weren't in control. We were in control. <i> Sonny Barger was telling
'em,</i> <i> "This is the way
it was gonna be."</i> <i> I was in awe, you know?</i> He was what I wanted, you know, my life to be all about. ♪ <i>narrator: At just 19 years old,</i> <i> Sonny helps create
the Oakland Hells Angels.</i> <i> What no one knows at the time</i> <i> is how he's about to transform
the ragtag group</i> <i> into a disciplined army always
ready for its next battle.</i> - Sonny brought
to the Hells Angels something that they never had had before, and that was organization. <i> Sonny has this ability,</i> <i> this charisma.</i> <i> And people want to follow him.</i> People wanted to make
him happy. <i> There was a lot of guys
in the club that, you know,</i> they didn't have
that family unit. And I'll tell you, <i> Sonny was a strong father
figure for these guys.</i> ♪ <i> narrator: In 1965, Sonny
leads his chapter to Berkeley,</i> <i> California, to disrupt
an anti-Vietnam demonstration.</i> - Sonny and the Hells Angels
showed up, and the protesters
initially thought, "Here comes the Hells Angels; we've got some support." And it didn't take 'em long to find out that, no,
they weren't there for support. <i> Sonny led the charge
against these protesters.</i> <i> - Ironically,
the Berkeley police</i> <i> had to protect the marchers</i> <i> from an attack
by a small gang of hooligans.</i> - He hated those guys,
he told me. <i> - Get out of here!</i> ♪ <i> narrator:
Despite being outlaws,</i> <i> the Hells Angels
are fiercely patriotic,</i> <i> and their support
of the war in Vietnam</i> <i> made for good headlines.</i> <i> Sonny knew exactly
how to capitalize on the press.</i> - Here's a letter
that we sent to-- a telegram
to President Johnson. And we'll have--<i>
- Can you read that for us?</i> <i> - Read it.
- Read it.</i> - "Dear Mr. President, "on behalf of myself
and my associates, "I volunteer a group
of loyal Americans "for behind-the-line duty
in Vietnam. "Sincerely, Ralph Barger, Hells Angels, Oakland." <i> - As far as the public's
concerned, they're thinking,</i> <i> "Sonny Barger's talking,</i> <i>and the President's listening."</i> He knew how to manipulate
the media. <i> - Sonny Barger, in effect,</i> had become
not only the most public face of the Hells Angels, but in many ways
their international patriot. ♪ <i> narrator: To the American
public, Sonny Barger</i> <i> is the Hells Angels.</i> [motorcycle engines rumbling] ♪ <i> So when Hollywood comes
calling, they come to Sonny.</i> [yelps] - Sonny was in a few movies. He was in "Hell's Angels '69," and he was in "Hells Angels
on Wheels" with Jack Nicholson. <i> He had become the face
of the Hells Angels.</i> <i> narrator: But not everyone
in the club is happy</i> <i> with Sonny's growing fame.</i> <i> Some members complain
the sacred Hells Angels name</i> <i>and logo are being disrespected
when worn by Hollywood actors.</i> - Sonny's astute enough to know
that there were people in the club that were starting to take exception that
he was getting so much attention <i> and so much notoriety.</i> <i> To placate everybody,</i> <i> he comes up with this idea:</i> <i>nobody will ever wear the Hells
Angel name or logo again</i> unless they
are officially a member. ♪ <i> - What are
some of the qualifications</i> <i> for joining the Hells Angels?</i> - Uh, basically, the first one
is to ride a motorcycle. - He had become
a very big figure, not only in the pop culture, but within the ranks
of law enforcement. ♪ - In the last few years,
the Hells Angels have become interested in a lot more
than just motorcycles. ♪ <i> narrator: The drug business
is booming in the 1970s,</i> <i> and some Hells Angels members
controlling a major part</i> <i> in the sale
and distribution of meth</i> <i> throughout the U.S.</i> <i> Sonny Barger is arrested on
charges of weapons possession.</i> <i> The next six years,</i> <i> he is in and out of prison
for various indictments.</i> <i> - Some Hells Angels
have become big-time criminals</i> <i> and very rich.</i> <i> narrator: While Sonny
is in prison, George Christie</i> <i>is becoming a powerful voice in
the Hells Angels' L.A. charter.</i> [motorcycle engines rumbling] <i> At this time,</i> <i> the Hells Angels are a major
focus of law enforcement,</i> <i> due to ongoing wars
with rival motorcycle clubs</i> <i> like the Mongols.</i> <i> - After the conflict
started with the Mongols,</i> <i> we had a lot of heat.</i> <i> The cops were stopping
us constantly on our bikes.</i> There had been an explosion
in downtown Los Angeles, <i> and someone was gonna answer
for it.</i> I certainly wasn't gonna
back down to anybody, but I would be willing to take
the path of least resistance to accomplish something. <i> That vision</i> <i>that I was expressing to people</i> put me in the position
of becoming a leader. <i> narrator: After years
a full-patch member,</i> <i> George Christie becomes
president of the L.A. chapter,</i> <i> and six months later,
moves the club to Ventura</i> <i> to escape
law enforcement's attention.</i> <i> As president, he strives
to stop the use of explosives</i> <i> and avoid violence
with rival motorcycle clubs.</i> - I always thought our common
enemy was law enforcement. But, you know, Sonny would take
a dislike to a particular club. <i> In my opinion, you just
could not change his mind.</i> I was willing to try to make
a play to resolve differences. <i> You know, Sonny
didn't really give a damn.</i> <i> He would dig in and,</i> no matter
what you said or what you did, he didn't want to hear it. And that's the difference
between me and Sonny. <i> - George was the smarter,
politically more savvy player.</i> But he was always number two
to Sonny Barger. <i> They're both brilliant,
shrewd tacticians,</i> but also rivals for power. ♪ - There's a member
in Los Angeles that gave me a warning
when I first got in the club. ♪ <i> He said, "You know,
don't get too popular, George.</i> "That's gonna be a problem
for you, because Sonny
doesn't like competition." ♪ <i> - In my perspective,</i> <i> Sonny--you know,</i> <i> he had inherited
a small band of misfits</i> and turned 'em into a worldwide
organized crime syndicate. I don't think Sonny's
interested in letting anybody have a part of that. <i> It's his.
He owned it.</i> <i> He built it.</i> <i> narrator: In 1977,
Sonny is released from prison,</i> <i> and he's ready to reclaim
his former glory.</i> ♪ <i> - Now that Sonny
is out of prison,</i> <i>are there gonna be more changes
in the Hells Angels?</i> - That's hard to say. I couldn't answer that-- <i> - Do you have any thoughts
in mind?</i> - Not right at the minute. <i> - In my opinion,</i> <i> there were doubts
in Sonny's mind</i> <i> if he still retained and held
the power that he once had.</i> - From the short time
that I've been out, when I see people
on the streets, they, you know, don't seem shocked to see me
anymore. A lot of them, you know, <i> they find out who I am,</i> <i> they're happy to see I'm out.</i> <i> Some of them are not quite
so happy.</i> ♪ - And now, he wants to assure
himself and other people <i> that he's in charge.</i> What's the best way to do that? Have a run. [motorcycle engine rumbling] <i> We make a plan,</i> and we pick Frisco,
Colorado, as our destination. ♪ <i> The way I remember it,</i> <i> the time comes to leave,</i> Sonny gets wind that the
Outlaws were going to Sturgis. ♪ You know, we'd been at war
with the Outlaws for almost a decade now. ♪ Sonny decides that
we need to go to Sturgis and meet the Outlaws head-on. ♪ <i> narrator:
But there was one problem;</i> <i>most of the Angels were already
on their way to Frisco.</i> - Now, how in the hell are you
gonna get the word to everybody that the destination's
been changed? There's no cell phones. There's no answering machines. It's a different era
that we're living in back then. ♪ <i> Half of the club
made it to Sturgis.</i> <i> The other half didn't.</i> And I'm part of the people
that don't make it. And this creates a problem
between me and Sonny. <i> In my opinion,</i> <i> Sonny was so upset that people
didn't show up in Sturgis,</i> he divided the line right
down the center of the club. ♪ And now I found myself
with Sonny on one side and me on the other. ♪ <i> narrator: Hells Angel member
Sonny Barger</i> <i> has just returned to the club</i> <i> after his release from prison.</i> ♪ <i> Determined
to reestablish his position</i> <i> as the face of the club,</i> <i> he orders a massive run
to Colorado.</i> <i> But at the last minute,
he changes the destination</i> <i> to Sturgis, South Dakota.</i> <i> Half the club
never gets word of the change,</i> <i> including George Christie.</i> <i> Sonny is furious at those who
didn't follow him to Sturgis,</i> <i> and Christie
wants to make peace.</i> ♪ <i> - You know, I've been in
the club about five years now.</i> I have my own charter
in Ventura that I helped establish. I was a leader. <i> I've got guys coming to me</i> wanting to get this problem
resolved. <i> So I decide the best way
to do this is to go to Sonny</i> <i> on his own turf,
up in Oakland.</i> ♪ <i> narrator: Christie rides
out to Sonny's home in Oakland</i> <i> to meet with the most
powerful Hells Angel</i> <i> and also the most
unpredictable.</i> - I get on the spot, and he--he looked at me--said, "It must be pretty important
for you to come all the way up here." <i>I said, "Well, I think the club</i> all heading in the same
direction is pretty important." I said, "You know, everyone looks to you for leadership, and you, in essence,
are dividing the club." I said, "it's not
the smart thing to do." <i> narrator:
Barger is unpredictable,</i> <i> but he isn't shy or subtle.</i> <i> - The way I remember it,</i> we start talking
about leadership styles, and he said some things that were very telling
to me that day. He said, "You know, George, I burn every bridge
I ever cross." I thought to myself, "Where's the brotherhood?" I said,
"Look, I'm a team player. Let's put the team
back together." <i> narrator: As the meeting ends,</i> <i> it appears that progress
has been made.</i> <i> - At the end
of the meeting,</i> <i> I think Sonny understood
what I was trying to do.</i> I think he appreciated it. And ultimately,
he resolved the problem by just saying,
"Hey, you know what, "it was bad communications
and misunderstandings. <i> Let's move forward."
And that's what we did.</i> Sonny waved his hand, and it--it all ended. ♪ <i> Sonny is a heavy smoker.</i> <i> I think he
was a non-filtered smoker</i> <i> when he was in prison.</i> <i> He comes home,</i> and he gets the news
that he's got throat cancer. - [coughs] <i> - I got to tell you, I was one
of the ones that was worried,</i> because I didn't know
what the hell was gonna happen. <i> narrator: Sonny
undergoes radiation treatment</i> <i> and a laryngectomy.</i> <i> - Sonny, how you feeling?
- Very good, thanks.</i> <i> - That's good.</i> <i> - He had a vibrator
he could hold up to his neck</i> and, you know--sounded
something like Darth Vader. <i>- What about motorcycle riding?</i> <i> I know you're eager
to get back on a bike?</i> - Yeah, I have a DMV
appointment in an hour. <i> - Oh, no!</i> [laughter] <i>narrator: With Sonny undergoing
treatment for his cancer,</i> <i> George's role grows,
earning him respect</i> <i> and recognition
as a levelheaded leader.</i> <i>But George's increased exposure</i> <i> also means unwanted attention
from the FBI.</i> - To a lot of people, I was the
new face of the Hells Angels-- especially to law enforcement. <i> And the feds
continued to target both Sonny,</i> <i> and me as well.</i> <i> They knew that, if they
brought down Sonny and myself,</i> it would make a major statement
not only to the outlaw world, but to society at large. <i> narrator: In 1986,</i> <i> the feds launch
a full-scale investigation</i> <i> to gather intelligence
on both Sonny Barger</i> <i> and George Christie.</i> <i> It would become one
of the largest operations</i> <i> ever launched
against the Hells Angels.</i> ♪ <i> - Operation CACUS</i> was an FBI investigation
that stemmed from an informant <i> that the Alaska FBI
had developed.</i> <i> His name was Tony Tait.</i> <i> - Tony Tait was
not a law-enforcement officer.</i> He had friends
in law enforcement, and he took a dare. Somebody said, "I bet you can't
infiltrate the Hells Angels." And Tony said,
"I bet you I can." And that's how that whole thing
started, over a bet. <i> narrator: Tony Tait quickly
rises to the rank of sergeant</i> <i> at arms within the club,</i> <i> all while serving as informant
for the ATF and the FBI.</i> - Anthony Tait, as an informant,
was a dream come true. <i> Here you have an individual
who is already part of--</i> <i> not only of the club,</i> <i> but in the hierarchy
of the officer level.</i> And that's extremely
difficult, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
given to law enforcement. <i> - In each case, what I said
was exactly the truth.</i> That's why the club
calls me Tony Truth. I've murdered them
with the truth. ♪ <i> narrator: The Hells Angel
motorcycle club</i> <i> is under assault.</i> <i> Their most prominent leader,
Sonny Barger,</i> <i> is battling throat cancer.</i> <i> George Christie, president
of the Ventura charter,</i> <i> has stepped up
in Sonny's absence</i> <i> as a powerful voice
within the club.</i> <i> But the FBI is more determined</i> <i> than ever
to take the Angels down,</i> <i> starting with George Christie</i> <i> and Sonny Barger.</i> <i> - We were a target
of law enforcement,</i> and you had to watch every step
of the way. It was like a--
it was like a minefield. <i> narrator: Unknown
to either man,</i> <i> the feds now have an informant
deep inside the club:</i> <i> Anthony Tait, who,</i> <i> by 1986, rises to the position
of West Coast sergeant at arms.</i> ♪ <i> - Anthony Tait,
seen here in disguise,</i> <i> was a national officer
in the Hells Angels,</i> <i> and for nearly three years,</i> <i> the FBI's principal informant
inside the club.</i> ♪ <i> narrator: On August 12, 1986,</i> <i> a Hells Angel named John Webb
has a run-in with two members</i> <i> of a rival motorcycle club,</i> <i> the Outlaws.</i> - John Webb runs into
these two Outlaws that he knows. And there's a dispute
over some money. They wind up
getting in a gunfight. ♪ John gets shot and murdered. ♪ <i> narrator: A meeting
of the Hells Angels leadership</i> <i> is called
to discuss the killing.</i> - I'm the chairman. <i> The secretary's
sitting to my left,</i> and the West Coast sergeant
at arms is sitting to my right. And now that's Tony Tait. ♪ <i> narrator: Tait arrives to the
meeting with a cast on his arm.</i> <i> - Tony Tait
walks into this meeting.</i> He says he's been
in a bike wreck. <i> He's got this cast on.</i> It's bright white, looks
like they just put it on him, <i> no road rash whatsoever.</i> ♪ <i> I go, "You're a lucky guy,
Tony."</i> And he gets kind of nervous. He goes,
"Why would you say that?" I said,
"You got in a bike wreck, and you don't have
any road rash?" <i> He's shifting in his seat,</i> <i> and he's making excuses why he
doesn't have any road rashing.</i> Come to find out
there's a bug in the cast. ♪ <i> narrator: Court documents
would later reveal</i> <i> Tait was concealing
a recording device.</i> <i> As the meeting gets underway,</i> <i> Tait does everything
he can to encourage</i> <i> a murder plot to avenge
the death of John Webb.</i> ♪ <i> If Tait can record Christie
and the other leaders planning</i> <i> to commit murder, the FBI
will have evidence for arrests.</i> - Tony wanted to move forward
with a war. And he's
in this officers' meeting, and he's talking about, he wants to blow these guys up. <i> I'm very suspect of this.</i> <i> First of all,</i> <i> you don't bring stuff up
like this in meetings.</i> <i> Then, you know what,</i> <i> we're already at war
with the Outlaws.</i> <i> What the hell
does he need permission</i> <i> to go to war with the Outlaws?</i> ♪ <i> narrator: Christie makes sure
the group sticks</i> <i> to the Hells Angels rules
stating illegal acts</i> <i> are never discussed
at meetings.</i> <i> Tait fails to record
any useful evidence.</i> - Because I confronted Tony
about the cast, they decide to try
something new. <i> Now they put the bug
in a beeper</i> <i> and send him to Sonny's house.</i> ♪ And what they're doing is,
in the course of the afternoon, they're paging Tony. <i> Tony looks at the number,</i> <i> and then says to Sonny,</i> "Can I borrow your phone,
Sonny?" And Sonny says,
"Sure, why not?" <i> Tony's now using
Sonny's phone to call the feds,</i> <i>and the feds are directing Tony
and telling him</i> <i> what he needs to get Sonny
to say to get the indictment.</i> ♪ <i> narrator: Tony Tait wants
Sonny Barger to order him</i> <i> to bomb the Outlaws
who killed John Webb.</i> - He's doing everything
imaginable to get us, as a club,
to go to war with the Outlaws. He wants to blow them up
in their Kentucky clubhouse. <i> Tony said, "There's gonna
be collateral damage."</i> And Sonny said, "I know, but it's worth it." <i> And the feds
now have it on tape.</i> <i>narrator: Sonny Barger has just
incriminated himself</i> <i> in a murder plot.</i> <i> But the FBI wants more.</i> <i> They want George Christie.</i> <i> So before arresting Barger
and blowing Tait's cover,</i> <i> they send Tait after Christie
one more time.</i> <i> - About a week later,
he shows up in Ventura.</i> And he goes,
"I got a real problem, George. I--I need some help." I said, "What kind of problem?" He goes, "I need a good drug
connection." He goes, "I got myself in a jam "with a Oakland heavyweight, "and I'm $30,000 down, man. "And I need to score
some pure crank so I can get out of debt." And, you know,
I said, "You know, Tony." I said, "I want to tell
you something, man." I said, "I'm not
in the drug business." And I said, "I don't plan "on starting any involvement
in the drug business to get you out of a jam." <i> narrator: Tait's persistence</i> <i> has Christie more suspicious
than ever.</i> <i> - I'm in the clubhouse
talking to Animal.</i> Now, Animal and I
go back a long ways. I went to high school with him. <i> Now we're Hells Angel brothers
together.</i> <i> And I said, "Look,</i> I know everybody's embracing
this guy, Tony Tait." I said, "I got a bad feeling
about him." <i> I said, "He's talking
about doing dope deals,</i> <i> "and he's in a jam,</i> <i> and he needs help."</i> But I said, "Man,
I'm not feeling this guy." <i> narrator: Tait is,
once again,</i> <i> unsuccessful getting
Christie to conspire</i> <i> to break the law on tape,</i> <i> and the FBI believes Christie
is now suspicious of him.</i> - The feds pull Tony Tait
off the street. <i> In my opinion,
the clubhouse was bugged,</i> <i> and the FBI had reached
a decision that Tony Tait</i> <i> had been compromised
by my conversation with Animal.</i> <i> narrator: Giving up
on Christie, the FBI acts</i> <i> on the evidence Tait
has already obtained.</i> <i> On November 10, 1987,
they make their move.</i> ♪ <i> - Go, go!</i> - The FBI says tonight
it has rounded up top members of the Hells Angels
motorcycle club in California, <i> Alaska, Kentucky,</i> <i> and the Carolinas.</i> <i> In San Francisco,
Ralph "Sonny" Barger</i> <i> was one of the leaders
of the Angels arrested.</i> <i> Officials say
some of those charges</i> <i> deal with an alleged attempt
by the Hells Angels to kill</i> <i> members of a rival motorcycle
gang, the Outlaws.</i> ♪ <i> narrator: In 1987,</i> <i> an undercover operation</i> <i> by the FBI results
in the arrest of Hells Angels</i> <i> leader Sonny Barger for a plot
to blow up the clubhouse</i> <i> of their rivals, the Outlaws.</i> <i> Ventura President George
Christie escapes Tait's trap,</i> <i> but many in the club
aren't so lucky.</i> - Anthony Tait was critical
to the investigation, because he was the vehicle
through which law enforcement was able to get
inside the inner workings of the Hells Angels. <i> - After Sonny got arrested,
I made a commitment to myself.</i> And that commitment was, "I'm never gonna "have a conversation
with anybody that I wouldn't want
my attorney to play in court." Tony Tait shows up in Ventura. He asks me to set him up
in the drug business. Not being in the drug--
drug business, I informed him, "No, I cannot help you.
Sorry." - What do you think he
was trying to do--entrap you? - Absolutely. I saw that these guys
played dirty. And if I was gonna stay
on the street and beat 'em, I had to be one step
ahead of 'em. And that's what kept me
out of jail. <i> narrator:
Operation CACUS results</i> <i> in 32 Hells Angels
being sentenced to prison,</i> <i> including Sonny Barger.</i> <i> Sonny is sentenced
to four years</i> <i> and nine months in prison.</i> ♪ <i> George Christie is now viewed
by many as the spokesman</i> <i> of the Hells Angels.</i> ♪ <i> And Sonny Barger's rein,</i> <i> many believe, has ended.</i> - Sonny gets busted, and there are people
in the club talking about, "Maybe he's losing it
a little bit." <i> Getting caught up</i> <i> in this scheme
to blow up the Outlaws</i> was just kind
of the last straw. ♪ <i> - What convicted Sonny Barger
were his own words.</i> It wasn't
just what Anthony Tait said Sonny Barger was saying. There were recordings. <i> - You do become damaged goods.</i> <i> You are no longer invincible.</i> <i> You are no longer
this mythic individual</i> <i> that is smarter
than the other side.</i> No, you're vulnerable, and now you're compromised. <i> To some members, that was
the final blow against Sonny</i> <i> as a leader in the club.</i> <i> But Sonny was never gonna stop
fighting.</i> And he didn't. ♪ <i> narrator: It's the fall
of 1992.</i> <i> After spending almost five
years behind bars,</i> <i> Sonny Barger comes home.</i> - Welcome home. - Missed you. - Hi, Sharon.<i>
- How you doing?</i> <i> - What're you gonna do next?</i>
- Uh, try to stay out of jail. ♪ You got to remember--I thought
I was doing the right thing. The FBI come to me and said, "We got to kill these guys." And that--after a while, I said, "Okay, I'll help you." And they arrested me.<i>
- Okay.</i> <i> - What are you gonna do,
you know?</i> - Yeah.<i>
- You look awful happy today.</i> - I'm very happy. ♪ <i> narrator: But Sonny returns
to Oakland to find the club</i> <i> has moved on without him.</i> <i> In Sonny's absence,</i> <i> George Christie's
influence has grown,</i> <i> and he's taking the club
in a new direction.</i> - You know, I wanted the club
to be at peace with their rivals. I wanted to keep a low profile, keep law-enforcement interest
down to a minimum, and make things as profitable
as possible for us. Sonny, on the other hand,
does things his way. We had two completely different
leadership styles. <i> You know, we reached a point</i> in time when there was
a fork in the road. <i> And he went one way,</i> <i> and I went the other.</i> <i> narrator: With the changing
landscape in California,</i> <i> Sonny Barger
decides to start over</i> <i> and build a new chapter
in Arizona.</i> ♪ <i> - Sonny Barger gets
out of prison in Arizona,</i> <i> likes the dry air,</i> but realizes maybe Arizona
is a riper place <i> for him to try
to expand the Hells Angels.</i> ♪ <i> He had a problem, though.</i> In the sixth largest state
of the union, <i> there was not a single member
of the Hells Angels.</i> Who does he choose to build up
the Hells Angels in Arizona? A gang called the Dirty Dozen. ♪ <i> - I had met the Dirty Dozen
back in the '70s.</i> <i> And the whole state
was wide-open,</i> <i> and the Dirty Dozen
ran that state.</i> <i> They controlled the state.</i> <i> - When Sonny wanted to bring
the Hells Angels into Arizona,</i> they were the one and only
choice of the club to absorb, because they were rough boys. ♪ <i> The courtship started.</i> <i> The prospecting phase started.</i> And depending
on how you look at it, the best of the best-- <i> or the worst of the worst--</i> Dirty Dozen
became Hells Angels. <i> narrator: Sonny Barger
makes the Dirty Dozen</i> <i> into full-patch
Hells Angels members</i> <i> and forms a new chapter
in Cave Creek, Arizona,</i> <i> with himself as president.</i> ♪ <i> Some believe Barger
intends to use this new chapter</i> <i> to reemerge as the face
of the club.</i> ♪ <i> - There's a lot of problems
between me and Sonny.</i> There's a lot of dynamics. There's a lot of problems
just going on, period. ♪ Ventura gets in a fight
with some Arizona guys, and they do something
that they shouldn't have done. ♪ They pull the patch
of an Arizona member. <i> They beat this guy up.</i> <i> They took his patch.</i> This is one of Sonny's guys. So this creates a problem. And there's a meeting
coming up. The meeting's gonna take place in Cave Creek, Arizona. <i> That's Sonny Barger's charter.</i> ♪ I've got about five of my guys
heading out that way, and I'm not feeling good
about it. <i> And I get one of my feelings
that I get,</i> <i> that something bad
is about to happen.</i> ♪ I said,
"Don't get caught in the desert in the middle of the night." ♪ They don't listen. ♪ ♪ <i> narrator: After serving
a five-year prison sentence,</i> <i> Sonny Barger's role</i> <i> as leader and spokesman
of the club lessens.</i> <i> A rivalry
between Sonny and Ventura,</i> <i> California, President George
Christie emerges.</i> <i> By the 2000s,</i> <i>Barger has set up a new chapter
in Cave Creek, Arizona.</i> <i>But squabbles between his group
and Christie's Ventura chapter</i> <i> are causing even more tension
between the two leaders.</i> ♪ <i> crowd: Four, three, two, one!</i> <i> - By 2002,</i> <i> there's a lot of problems
between me and Sonny.</i> Some of my guys
from Ventura wind up getting in a fight
with Sonny's guys New Year's Day morning. I wasn't there, but I was told
that the Ventura guys wind up taking one of the patches off
of a Arizona member. <i> They beat this guy up.</i> <i> They took his patch.</i> ♪ That's something
you just don't do. This is one of Sonny's guys,
so this creates some problem. <i> narrator: The Hells Angels are
at war with rival motorcycle</i> <i>club the Mongols, who have been
targeting and killing Angels.</i> <i> A meeting to discuss
the Mongol war is to be held</i> <i> at Barger's Cave Creek,
Arizona chapter.</i> ♪ - I had every intention to go
to the meeting in Cave Creek, but I was on felony probation. ♪ <i> I go to my probation officer,</i> <i> and I request a travel pass.</i> I'm told in no uncertain terms that I'm not gonna be allowed to go anywheres
out of California. <i> I've got about five of my guys
headed out that way,</i> <i> and I'm not feeling good
about it.</i> You know,
I tell my guys--I said, "Look, "there's a lot of stuff
going on between Sonny and I. When the meeting adjourns,
come immediately back." <i> I said,
"Don't get caught in the desert</i> <i> in the middle of the night."</i> They don't listen. ♪ <i> narrator: On the night
of June 8, 2002,</i> <i>Ventura Hells Angel Josh Harber</i> <i> and his crew are partying
at the Coyote Wild bar</i> <i> in Cave Creek, Arizona.</i> <i> - From what I was told,</i> one of the members
is playing video games. He sees Josh Harber is now
engaged in a conversation with somebody standing out
in front of the bar. What happens is,
this individual pulls a gun out of his waistband. ♪ Several hours later,
Josh Harber dies. ♪ <i> narrator: Some speculate
that the murder of Josh Harber</i> <i> is done out of revenge
for the beating of one</i> <i> of Barger's Cave Creek Angels
by the Ventura club.</i> - There was all types
of rumors. There was all types
of speculation going on. It was a--it was a mess. ♪ <i> Was that a message from Sonny?</i> ♪ I'd rather not say. ♪ <i> narrator: A member
of the Ventura chapter is dead,</i> <i> but things
are about to get even worse.</i> <i> Daniel Leroy Seybert,
better known as "Hoover,"</i> <i>was Sonny Barger's closest ally
in Arizona.</i> ♪ <i> On top of belonging
to the Cave Creek charter,</i> <i>Hoover and Barger owned and ran
Sonny Barger Cave Creek Cycles</i> <i> in Northern Phoenix.</i> <i>On the night of March 21, 2003,</i> <i> Hoover and a group of guys
from Cave Creek finish partying</i> <i> at their local hangout,</i> <i> Brigett's Last Laugh.</i> ♪ <i> As they get on their bikes,</i> <i> one man notices that Hoover's
slumped over his handlebars.</i> <i> The men think
he's passed out drunk.</i> <i> They go to wake him up</i> <i> and make a grisly discovery--</i> <i> a bullet hole
in Hoover's forehead.</i> <i> Hoover's been shot dead
by a sniper.</i> ♪ <i> - Things are really
in a turmoil now.</i> <i> There's a lot
of rumors flying around.</i> I go back in to my probation
officer again. He goes, "Well, I'm gonna
tell you, law enforcement "says Sonny killed Josh, and you killed Hoover." And I said, "I don't know
what you're talking about." I said, "I've not been
out of state. "You're the first
I've talked to about this. So I don't want
to talk about it." ♪ <i> narrator: Christie is becoming</i> <i> more and more concerned
about the growing animosity</i> <i> between him and Sonny Barger.</i> <i> But he must be cautious</i> <i> to avoid causing an all-out
civil war within the club.</i> ♪ <i> Then a few months
after the Hoover murder,</i> <i> Barger does something
that forces Christie to act.</i> ♪ - It's now 2003, and I get a phone call. I'm asked, "Have you seen
the "Phoenix Magazine"?" ♪ And I say, "I--I don't know
what you're talking about." And they say, "Hang on.
We're gonna fax it to you." ♪ <i> It said, "Sonny and Noel"--</i> <i> Sonny's wife--</i> <i> "Get in a confrontation
on the freeway."</i> ♪ Sonny's riding his bike, and he's got some girl that
he's picked up from the bar on the back. And Noel is chasing him
down the highway, and she's trying
to run him over and run him off the road,
according to this article. Sonny and her wind up back
at their home together... ♪ And they get into it. ♪ Sonny, according
to this report, beats her up. ♪ And she says she can't move,
and she needs an ambulance. So Sonny calls 911, and this is where the problem
comes up for the club members. <i> narrator: According
to the Hells Angels code,</i> <i> members are forbidden
to contact law enforcement</i> <i> or dial 911 for any reason.</i> <i> The punishment is expulsion
from the club.</i> <i> - The average person
at home is thinking,</i> <i> "Well, big deal--
he called 911."</i> <i>Well, if you're a Hells Angels,</i> <i> it is a big deal.</i> <i> narrator:
Based on the information</i> <i> disclosed in
the "Phoenix Magazine" article,</i> <i> the club
wants answers from Sonny.</i> <i> - The club wanted an answer,</i> <i> but the people in the club
were afraid to confront him.</i> And I was asked
to lead the charge, and I did. ♪ <i> narrator: At the next West
Coast officers meeting,</i> <i> George Christie
addresses Barger's 911 call.</i> ♪ - I confronted him. He said, "Ah,
that article's bull[bleep]." <i> He said I was lying--</i> <i>that that's not what transpired
on that phone call.</i> <i> That's when I dropped
the bombshell on him.</i> <i> I said, "I have the 911 tape
to prove it,"</i> and he was just livid. - You don't give information to the police that can be used
against somebody. What he should've done is, he
should've called the ambulance. He should've said to the 911
operator, "There's a problem. "My wife says she's in pain. She can't move." And that
should've been the end of it. <i> - The way I remember it,
he told me, "You know,</i> <i> we may fight over this."</i> And the only thing I could think to do was, I took off my glasses and handed them
to a Ventura member. <i> We kind of stood there
for a moment,</i> <i> and then one of the guys said,</i> <i> "Why don't we go
in the back room?"</i> So we retired to the back room and for the next two hours,
we argued. <i> I go, "This is a mistake.</i> <i> "What you did was wrong,</i> <i> "and you need to admit
it was wrong.</i> "And you need to tell
the general membership "of the Hells Angels
that, 'You know what, "'it was a bad decision
that day. <i> "'I'm sorry I did it,</i> <i> and let's move on.'"</i> He goes, "I don't answer
to anybody." ♪ I think that said it all. ♪ <i>You know, I didn't take delight
in doing this,</i> <i> and I was really mad
that the angry mob</i> that initiated this whole thing
was nowhere to be found. <i> Everyone backed down.</i> In the end, they backed Sonny. ♪ <i> I was hoping that was gonna
be the end of our conflict,</i> <i> but it wasn't.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> narrator: Sonny Barger,
the man most closely identified</i> <i> with the Hells Angels--</i> <i> and at one time,
its undisputed leader--</i> <i> is living in Cave Creek,
Arizona.</i> <i> narrator: But some
of his actions--</i> <i> including calling the police
during a dispute</i> <i> with his wife--
violate Hells Angels rules,</i> <i> and cause a rift between
himself and George Christie.</i> ♪ <i> Now, to make matters worse,
he's about to commit an act</i> <i> that Christie considers
an unforgivable betrayal.</i> ♪ - Sonny wrote his life story, <i> "My Life and Times
with the Hells Angels,"</i> <i> by Sonny Barger.</i> <i>And it was a very popular book.</i> He was approached
by some different directors to buy the option on this book. <i> And he did, at one point,</i> <i> make a decision
to sell the rights</i> to Tony Scott, the movie director. Now, I have no problem with him
selling the rights to the book. It's his story. But, in addition, <i> the Hells Angel name</i> <i> and logo was also
to be attached to the movie,</i> and the Hells Angels
would receive no compensation for that. ♪ <i> I've got members complaining
to me that,</i> "Sonny
is breaking his own rule. What the hell is going on?" And I thought to myself,
"Aw, here we go again." ♪ <i> This is one of the things</i> <i> that people don't understand.</i> There are people, you know, in prison
for the rest of their lives, <i> and there's people that died
for that name and that logo.</i> <i> It means everything to 'em.</i> <i> Why the hell would we want
an actor wearing something</i> that we worked hard for and are willing
to give our lives up for? ♪ <i> In my opinion, Sonny
lost sight along the way--</i> <i> and feeling that the--
the club belonged to him.</i> <i> narrator: Without the approval
of the club, Sonny Barger</i> <i> licenses the rights
to the Hells Angels name</i> <i> and logo to Tony Scott,</i> <i> director
of big-budget Hollywood movies</i> <i> like "True Romance"
and "Enemy of the State."</i> - Sonny had a contract, and he was paid
a substantial amount of money. <i> And the club got nothing.</i> I felt that Sonny thought
he was the Hells Angels. <i> narrator: Feeling
that the Hells Angels code</i> <i> is being violated,</i> <i> George once again addresses
the matter with Sonny.</i> - I'd been petitioned
by member after member after member in the club. They wanted Sonny confronted. ♪ <i> I took the problem
back to the club,</i> <i> and nobody was willing
to confront Sonny to his face.</i> I stood alone. <i> That made it look like--
not only to Sonny,</i> <i> but to a lot of the people
in the club--</i> <i> that I had my own agenda,</i> which is just the opposite of what I believed
about brotherhood and the club. ♪ <i> Sonny didn't have
to address the issue,</i> and I think it goes
to show not only his tenacity to not give in, but, you know, the power he wields. <i> narrator: For Christie,
it is a sign that the club</i> <i> he has devoted
his entire adult life</i> <i> to--almost 35 years--</i> <i> is no longer the band
of outlaw brothers</i> <i> who hold their code of fierce
loyalty above all else.</i> <i> - All these conflicts</i> with Sonny were starting
to reflect on me as a leader. <i> And I knew it.</i> My whole agenda was trying
to uphold the code of the club. <i> In my opinion, Sonny felt
that he was above the rules,</i> <i> and he was gonna
do what he wanted.</i> If you're a leader
and you have a vision, and nobody
but you can see that vision, maybe you're not a leader
anymore. So, you know, I made a decision--
which, to me, was the hardest thing
I'd done in my life. I exited the club. ♪ [motorcycle engine rumbling] The easy thing would've been
for me to stay in the club, to keep my mouth shut, just enjoy the sun setting
on my career as a Hells Angel. <i> But I couldn't do that
because that's not me.</i> <i> narrator: On April 22, 2011,</i> <i> George Christie
resigns as president</i> <i> of the Ventura chapter
of the Hells Angels</i> <i> and leaves the club.</i> <i>It's been 35 years since he put
the sacred Hells Angels patch</i> <i> on for the first time.</i> - I don't know if I changed, if the club changed, or if the world changed. But I quit the club. ♪ <i> narrator: Abandoning the only
life he has ever known,</i> <i> Christie is entering
uncharted territory.</i> <i> He knows it will be difficult,</i> <i> but he's about to find out
that old enemies</i> <i> never let go easily.</i> <i> - Here I was now,
getting used to my new life,</i> and I get a phone call. And it's the new president
of the Ventura charter. And he tells me,
"You know what, "we've changed your status. You're now out bad,
with no contact." <i> That would mean I was not</i> <i> to come around anybody
or try to talk to anybody,</i> <i> because they weren't allowed
to talk to me either.</i> And I know where
that all came from. <i>That came from Sonny, you know?</i> <i> And anybody that says
it didn't is a damn liar.</i> ♪ <i>That's what I feel in my heart.</i> <i> And that's
what I'll always feel.</i> <i>narrator: Christie is forbidden</i> <i> to speak
to any of the brothers he rode,</i> <i> fought, partied with,</i> <i> and risked his life
for time and time again.</i> <i> - It's been a long journey.</i> <i> And you know what,</i> <i> I don't have any regrets.</i> <i> I'm not sorry
for any decisions I've made,</i> <i>and I wouldn't change anything.</i> I'm gonna enjoy my last days
on Earth as a solo outlaw. ♪ <i> The man makes the patch.</i> <i> The patch don't make
the man.</i>
