SAN FRANCISCO -- Jury selection has begun in the second trial of Hells Angels and their friends on charges of conspiring to control drug traffic in the San Francisco Bay Area with tactics including murder.
The trial of 11 members or associates of the notorious motorcycle club, expected to last up to five months, opened Monday in a high-security courtroom.
A pool of 600 prospective jurors was called, and jury selection could last a week or more.
Attorneys for the 11 men had sought a last-minute order from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissing the drug conspiracy charges on grounds of double jeopardy and alleged vindictive prosecution.
A group of 18 defendants, including some of those in the current case, were tried in an eight-month trial that ended earlier this year with a hung jury.
An appeals court, however, rejected the defense attorney's motion Friday and ordered the new trial to proceed.
One of the persons indicted, Kenneth Maxwell, is a fugitive. Except for Albert 'Big Al' Perryman, who is on bail, the other nine are in custody in lieu of bail.
Unlike the first trial, the charges in the current case do not name the Hells Angels club as the tool of the conspiracy. Instead, the grand jury indictment charges the conspiracy to manufacture and distribute narcotics was furthered by members of the club acting on their own.
The indictment returned in August also charged the conspiracy was promoted by murder and attempted murder as well as intimidation of prospective witnesses.
The trial before U.S. District Court Judge William H. Orrick is expected to last from three to five months. There will be a holiday recess from Dec. 19 to Jan. 5.
Other defendants in the case are James 'Jim Jim' Brandes, Ronald H. Elledge, Bobby 'Durt' England, Blair W. Guthrie, Kenneth 'KO' Owen, Alan D. Passaro, William D. Perkey, Garry B. Popkin, Manuel F. Rubio and Sergey C. Walton.
In addition to the conspiracy charge, a second count of the indictment charges Brandes with furthering the conspiracy by the murder of Raymond 'Stork' Keefauver, the attempted murder of San Jose Police Sgt. John Kracht and the attempted murder of Solano County Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement Inspector William Zerby.
Owen is also charged with the attempted killing of Zerby.
