Bloody Feud Tears Apart the Gang | Outlaw Chronicles: Hells Angels (S1, E6) | Full Episode

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<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>
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Channel: HISTORY
Views: 1,267,352
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Keywords: history, history channel, history shows, history channel shows, outlaw chronicles: hells angels, history outlaw chronicles: hells angels, outlaw chronicles: hells angels show, outlaw chronicles: hells angels full episodes, outlaw chronicles: hells angels clips, full episodes, Outlaws, Hells Angels, outlaw chronicles, outlaw chronicles hells angels, outlaw chronicles full episodes, watch outlaw chronicles, motorcycle gang, motorcycle club, Outlaw Chronicles season 1 episode 6, bike
Id: 9F0vWyswFSs
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Length: 42min 36sec (2556 seconds)
Published: Fri Apr 22 2022
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