In today's SF Chronicle:


ALAMEDA COUNTY
Altamont 'cold case' is being closed
Theory of second stabber debunked by Sheriff's Dept.
Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, May 26, 2005


More than three decades after the killing brought a dark cloud over the 1960s free-love era, Alameda County sheriff's investigators have shot down a theory that a second Hells Angel took part in the fatal stabbing of a Berkeley man that ended the Rolling Stones' infamous concert at the Altamont Speedway.

Meredith Hunter, 18, described by friends as a flashy dresser with a big Afro, was swarmed by members of the Hells Angels motorcycle club on Dec. 6, 1969, as the Stones performed "Under My Thumb" after arriving late to the windswept pastures off Interstate 580.

Alan Passaro, a then-21-year-old Hells Angel hired as a security guard for the free event, was arrested and tried in the slaying, but a jury found him not guilty of first-degree murder in January 1971. The panel concluded that Passaro acted in self-defense because Hunter was carrying a gun in the front row.

The front-row melee was caught on tape as part of the movie "Gimme Shelter," named after the ill-fated concert that was billed as "Woodstock of the West" and drew about 300,000 fans.

After carefully reviewing footage from the disastrous event in the past year, sheriff's investigators debunked a theory that a second Hells Angel stabbed Hunter several times after Passaro did so twice.

Passaro, who whooped "Yeeoww!" when his not-guilty verdict was read in the Alameda County courtroom, drowned in 1985. Sgt. Scott Dudek said he spoke with Passaro's attorney and both agreed that "there never was a second stabber, " the sergeant said.

"I'm not reopening the case unless credible new information comes forward that we can actually verify and leads us to a different pathway," Dudek said Wednesday.

Dudek said he is closing case number 69-SO2262, decades after an event in which one man high on LSD drowned in a nearby canal and two others were crushed by a runaway car. Some 30 people were injured.

"What I remember hearing was that Altamont Pass had this huge crowd of people and law enforcement had a lot of problems out there, culminating in this homicide," sheriff's Lt. Dale Amaral said Wednesday; at the time, Amaral was a Newark police officer.

When Dudek took over the crimes against persons unit in 2003, he began reviewing "cold cases" -- unsolved crimes -- and realized that despite Passaro's aquittal, the case was never closed because of the "second stabber" theory.

Hunter's relatives said Wednesday that they had always held out hope that someone would be convicted in the case.

"I'm hoping to see justice," said Hunter's sister, Dixie Ward, 63, of Oakland. "I'm hoping that people will be held accountable. The problem is the wounds that have been reopened are still devastating to the family."

Hunter's mother, Altha Anderson, 80, of Berkeley, said, "It's just something that just goes on in your mind. You just never forget it."

An autopsy showed that Hunter was high on methamphetamine when he died, and there had been talk that the Hells Angels -- hired as stage guards in exchange for $500 in beer -- thought he was a threat to the band because he had a gun.

Interesting article, thanks T&A!

My number one request from the Stones' "vaults" would be a remastered CD of the Altamont show, and of course a DVD with more footage. I remember a post by Jumping Kent a while back where he actually contacted the Gimme Shelter film rights' owners, and asked about releasing more Altamont. They said they had no plans to do so. I don't suppose the closing of this case would affect that any way, would it? Or, is this another Klein vs. Stones issue?

Karl

'Don’t forget, if you’re on your bike, wear white'

in the commentary on the Criterion DVD of Gimme Shelter, Maysles said the Stones owned half the rights to it, and that they (the Stones) had financed a lot of it.
DR

Anyway, I interviewed (last fall, in October) the guy who was most involved in financing the movie in the present Stones; the Travelling Accountant and Road manager Ron Schneider (he is himself seen in episodes while arranging (which Schneider also was involved in, and - as he says now - sharply opposed to the free concert-thing) what was to become Altamont and also while escaping this War Zone by chopper.
I use to exchange mail with this geezer; and if anyone has a question to him, I could pass it on. I could see what your request, KSIE, would lead to... Of course, Schneider is is the Klein camp, as ol´ Allen is his nephew.
Well, then, KSIE; Would you like me to ask about this above?

Well, as I said in my post, I think J.Kent Flash tried the same, but what the heck, why not? If the whole Altamont show is available, in either audio or film version, there would obviously be a big market for it. The audio boot has always been highly praised by Stones fans.

Of course the same could be said about many treasures in the Stones' vault, as is often commented upon here on this board.

Karl

'Don’t forget, if you’re on your bike, wear white'

I wonder how many times the jurors, the attorneys, the judges and the like have watched Gimme Shelter movie for legal reason.

Imagine you are a juror, forced to stare again and again Under my thumb

"Well, Mr judge, I don't know much about first-degree murder, but I can tell you: this vibrato is really good. And that Jagger's ass is awesome".

Hi good night Baboon Bro, send me and email...

During the weekend I pass the thing over to Schneider, and hear what he thinks (he´s no part of the business today yet close to the sh*t, so to speak): I´l return to you KSIE.

The Joker: lol

American justice?

I'm amazed just how open-ended this case seemed to be presented. Example, when VH1 did a documentary on 100 tragedies in rock history, or something like that, Altamont was on there and they attempted to present the case as if no one really knows whether Hunter had a gun or not. The narrator says something to the extent of "to this day no one really knows what went down" (my paraphrase). I'm thinking to myself, has anyone at VH1 actually sat down and watched Gimme Shelter? The scene is caught on tape and on top of that Mick sits down and watches the tragedy in detail as they stop frames... Whats the big mystery? Dont we know the same now as we did then? The guy pulled out a gun, Hells Angels killed him. Closed case. Does it really matter whether shots were fired or not? Someone pulls a gun at a Stones show, I'd expect security to be taking drastic measures on behalf of the band and the attendees.

Drake

Drake there´s morte than the movies - loads of thick descriptopns from nearby-standers. The reality is rolling even when they´re not shooting film... The angels - at least some of them - kept beating people with pool sticks. You can read it in Bill´s books & several others. Schneider talk of it (you can write him himself thru his site meandtherollingstones.com).
The angels were paranoids from drugs & were harassing Hunter, who in his turn got offensive. You cant possibly say he pulled a gun from a clear blue sky.