# Cafe Society MPSIMS: Gimme-Shelter Era Lone-Knifeman Theory @ Altamont Holds-Up

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cafe-society-mpsims-gimme-shelter-era-lone-knifeman-theory-altamont-holds-up/305796>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 27, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cafe-society-mpsims-gimme-shelter-era-lone-knifeman-theory-altamont-holds-up/305796 "2005-05-27T18:57:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cafe-society-mpsims-gimme-shelter-era-lone-knifeman-theory-altamont-holds-up/305796/1 "2005-05-27T18:57:39Z")

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From the [CBC](http://www.cbc.ca/story/arts/national/2005/05/26/Arts/altmontclosed050526.html)

> [@](#):
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> More than 35 years after the Rolling Stones performed at California’s Altamont Speedway, U.S. investigators have closed the case of the 18-year-old slain during the free concert…During the free Stones concert, a fan was stabbed by a member of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang – which had been hired as security for the event, which drew an estimated 300,000 people…Police eventually arrested and charged Hells Angels member Alan Passaro with the Dec. 6, 1969, killing of concert-goer Meredith Hunter. However, a jury later acquitted him after concluding that he acted in self-defence because Hunter was carrying a gun…Although it is still not clear why Hunter drew the gun in the first place, “at this point we have no intention of looking any further into this case unless substantial new information develops”…

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**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cafe-society-mpsims-gimme-shelter-era-lone-knifeman-theory-altamont-holds-up/305796/2 "2005-05-27T20:29:27Z")

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Wow, fascinating… thanks.  
Perhaps we should clarify that Mr. Hunter was clearly aiming his gun at the Stones on the stage, and not at the Angel who stabbed him. Is it technically “self-defense” if you prevent, by violent means, a supposedly imminent crime against a third party?