Court apologizes to Hells Angels

SAN DIEGO, April 29 (UPI) -- A San Diego court has apologized for ejecting two prospective jurors who refused to remove their Hells Angels motorcycle club vests.

Hells Angels members Timothy "Fuzzy" Timms and Mick Rush said sheriff's deputies escorted them from the San Diego Superior Court's Hall of Justice after they reported for jury duty and refused orders from the deputies to remove their leather vests, which bear the club's "death's head" insignia, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Tuesday.

A court spokeswoman said the Superior Court and the Sheriff's Department apologized to the two men, saying the ejection was the result of deputies and court officials "misunderstanding" an April 24 order by Superior Judge Jeffrey Fraser.

"He (the judge) does have a case before him involving Hells Angels members and his order applies only to that case and to his courtroom, not to the entire courthouse," court spokeswoman Karen Dalton said.

"She apologized and said they were embarrassed, and she sounded very sincere," Timms said of jury services manager Terri Brewton. "I told her I did not have any complaint about jury officials, but rather I was embarrassed to be surrounded by six deputies and told I had to leave because of my attire."