Sonny Barger | |
|---|---|
 Barger in 1967 | |
| Born | Ralph Hubert Barger, Jr.[1] October 8, 1938 Modesto, California, U.S. |
| Died | June 29, 2022 (aged 83) Livermore, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Sacramento Valley National Cemetery[2] |
| Other names | "Chief" |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Founding member, Hells Angels Oakland chapter |
| Spouses | Elsie Mae George (died 1967)Sharon Gruhlke
(m. 1973, divorced)Beth Noel Black (div. 2003)Zorana Katzakian (m. 2005) |
| Allegiance | Hells Angels MC (1957–2022) |
| Conviction(s) | Assault with the intent to murder (1965) Possession of narcotics with intent to distribute (1973) Conspiracy to transport and receive explosives in interstate commerce with intent to kill and damage buildings (1988) Aggravated assault (2003) |
| Criminal penalty | 10 years-to-life imprisonment (1973) 4 years imprisonment (1989) 8 days imprisonment (2003) |
| Website | Official website  |
Ralph Hubert "Sonny" Barger Jr. (October 8, 1938 – June 29, 2022) was an American outlaw biker who was a founding member of the Oakland, California chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club in 1957.[3] After forming the Oakland chapter, Barger was instrumental in unifying various disparate Hells Angels chapters and had the club incorporated in 1966.[4] He emerged as the Hells Angels' most prominent member during the counterculture era and was reputed by law enforcement and media to be the club's international president, an allegation he repeatedly denied.[5] The author Hunter S. Thompson called Barger "the Maximum Leader" of the Hells Angels,[6] and Philip Martin of the Phoenix New Times described him as "the archetypical Hells Angel", saying he "didn't found the motorcycle club ... but he constructed the myth".[7] He authored five books, and appeared on television and in film.
Barger served a total of 13 years in prison, following a conviction for heroin trafficking in 1974, and a 1988 conviction for conspiracy to bomb the clubhouse of a rival motorcycle gang, the Outlaws.[8] He was also acquitted of murder in 1972, and of racketeering in 1980.[9] Barger rejected accusations from law enforcement characterizing the Hells Angels as an organized crime syndicate, and maintained that the club should not be held accountable for crimes committed by individual members.[1]
- ^ a b Daniel Victor (June 30, 2022). "Sonny Barger, Face of the Hells Angels, Dies at 83". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022.
- ^ Kim Fu (September 25, 2022). "Hells Angels founder Ralph Hubert "Sonny" Barger, Jr., laid to rest at North Bay cemetery". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022.
- ^ Newton-Matza, Mitchell (March 26, 2014). Disasters and Tragic Events: An Encyclopedia of Catastrophes in American History [2 volumes]. Abc-Clio. ISBN 978-1-61069-166-6.
- ^ Notable Deaths in 2022 CBS News (November 28, 2022) Archived November 28, 2022, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Susan Carpenter (May 17, 2000). "Hell Hasn't Frozen Over Yet". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022.
- ^ Andrew Wolfson (July 6, 2022). "How Hell's Angels 'maximum leader' Sonny Barger got convicted in Louisville and still 'won'". The Courier-Journal. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022.
- ^ Philip Martin (December 2, 1992). "Look Homeward Angel: Cycle Icon Sonny Barger Kick-Starts Life As A Free Man By Violating Parole". Phoenix New Times. Archived from the original on November 13, 2022.
- ^ Christopher Goffard and Steve Marble (June 30, 2022). "Sonny Barger, counterculture force and face of the Hells Angels, dies". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022.
- ^ Chris Bradford (June 30, 2022). "Hells Angels founder Sonny Barger dies after cancer battle". New York Post. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022.