Not guilty verdicts in murder trial of former Warlocks MC member

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A jury delivered verdicts of not-guilty in the murder trial of former Warlock Motorcycle Club member Paul Smith Tuesday night.

Smith testified in a Seminole County court Tuesday. Smith was on trial for the shooting death of a Warlocks Motorcycle Club member.

Smith told jurors the gun he used in the shooting was borrowed from a friend, and that he does not own a weapons permit. Smith claimed that he does not use guns.

Smith said he claimed he was carrying it only for protection after a fall out with the Florida Warlocks 18 months before the shooting.

Smith told a jury he thought he could have died at the hands of his former brothers when he was beaten out of the Warlocks Motorcycle Club in February of 2011.

"Really thought it was 10 to 15 people. I was just being stomped," Smith said.

After he was out of the club, he said he was threatened several times at biker bars.

Smith said he was hosting a charity event when the shootout went down at the VFW in Winter Springs two years ago.

He described a group of Florida Warlocks riding in to the parking lot where a charity poker run was scheduled.  They were not invited.

"I just wanted them to continue around the building and just leave," said Smith.

He said the shooting victim, Peter Schlette, whipped his bike around in the lot and hopped off as if to charge at him.

Smith said he fired a shot at the man's arm, and that's when Smith said he heard another shot and thought he had been hit.

"Something hit me in the face, and I turned and pulled my gun," he said. "There was just bullets coming from everywhere."

Several witnesses told the court that his former gang wanted to retaliate after Smith started a new gang.

"When he started coming up to come after me, I shot him in the arm. He looked up and said, 'You shot me mother ******!' He was still coming after me. It didn't stop him," Smith said.

During cross examination, the attorney asked Smith, "What about this?  What's the purpose of brass knuckles?

Smith had brass knuckles, several knives, a baton and a meat hook with him the day of the shooting, authorities said.

Smith also had a bullet-proof vest, which is prosecutors said is proof that the man intended to kill the victim and it was not self-defense.

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