Lincoln County Massacre Film

A Film by Elaine McMillion
(USA, 2011, 59 minutes)
www.lincolncountymassacre.com



At a time when every motorcyclist was stereotyped as a “Hell’s Angel,” The Brothers of the Wheel club members received a brutal beating by the West Virginia State Police in Lincoln County, West Virginia. The night resulted in the arrest of 15, the hospitalization of four and a federal lawsuit where a jury ruled on behalf of the bikers. Through interviews with club members, eyewitnesses and attorneys, Lincoln County Massacre tells the story of the events leading up to April 20, 1980 and the three years that followed. 


The Massacre


On April 19, 1980, the Brothers of the Wheel and The Bootleggers motorcycle clubs met at the White House Tavern, in Lincoln County, W.Va.  They traveled from all over West Virginia, bringing their wives and children, and planned to camp inside the bar that night. But after a larger-than-expected crowd rolled in the town of West Hamlin, the bikers made the decision to camp outside.
        To keep warm during the cold April night, men cut down trees for firewood in the woods behind the bar. But the immense darkness blinded their vision causing them to chop down a sapling which fell on a power line. The valley became dark. The loss of power, in addition to the overwhelming amount of “strangers” in the area, caused the neighbors to panic.
        Two officers from the Lincoln County detachment of the West Virginia State Police, drove by the bar and noticed an absence of light from within. Troopers B.R. Lester and R.W. Coon pulled over and advised patrons to move to the parking lot and out of the bar, until the power was restored. Both police and bikers say the exchange was civil.
       Soon after a local biker wrecked his motorcycle in a neighbor’s freshly seeded yard. A second biker came upon the accident and began to threaten the neighbor, causing locals to panic and call the police. Neither bikers were affiliated with The Brothers of the Wheel or The Bootleggers. 
       After midnight on April 20,  most of the bikers had cleared the area. The remaining 10 bikes sat outside of the tavern. Some time between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. state police officers, county sheriffs and officers arrived at the White House Tavern.
       What happened from the time the officers arrived and the bikers were taken to jail seems to be a whirl of confusion.
       According to the bikers, police arrived on the scene with their headlights off and "snuck" up on them in their sleeping bags and tents. More than 25 police officers jumped out of their cars immediately started beating them with riot clubs, bikers say. 
       Eyewitnesses and bikers claim that police forced male bikers to lie face-down in broken glass, as they beat them with their “billy sticks.” Women and children were advised to stand against the front of the tavern and watch. The beating continued until there was a pool of blood in the sinkholes of the ground, according to eyewitness Naomi Smith.
       Newspaper reports state that officers destroyed the motorcycles, bashing headlights, slashing tires and breaking windows out of cars. Police stated they did not intentionally damage the motorcycles. 
       15 bikers, including one woman, were taken to Cabell County’s jail.  After being booked, three people were transported to St. Mary’s Hospital in Huntington.
       Following the night, bikers filed a federal lawsuit against the state of West Virginia. In 1983, they were awarded a total of $24,000 for damages and hospital bills but were awarded no punitive damages.