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| Bundy brothers accused of ‘dangerous’ invasion as Oregon standoff trial begins | Bundy brothers accused of ‘dangerous’ invasion as Oregon standoff trial begins |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US prosecutors accused brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy of leading a coordinated armed takeover and “dangerous” invasion of government land in their opening arguments in the high-profile Oregon militia standoff case. | US prosecutors accused brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy of leading a coordinated armed takeover and “dangerous” invasion of government land in their opening arguments in the high-profile Oregon militia standoff case. |
| The US attorney’s office told a packed federal courtroom in downtown Portland Tuesday morning that the Bundy brothers and five other defendants engaged in a carefully planned conspiracy to seize public land and block government workers from doing their jobs at the Malheur national wildlife refuge, the site of the major armed demonstration in January. | The US attorney’s office told a packed federal courtroom in downtown Portland Tuesday morning that the Bundy brothers and five other defendants engaged in a carefully planned conspiracy to seize public land and block government workers from doing their jobs at the Malheur national wildlife refuge, the site of the major armed demonstration in January. |
| “What started as a peaceful protest ... evolved into an illegal armed occupation led by Ammon and Ryan Bundy,” prosecutor Geoff Barrow said in his opening arguments. | “What started as a peaceful protest ... evolved into an illegal armed occupation led by Ammon and Ryan Bundy,” prosecutor Geoff Barrow said in his opening arguments. |
| Ammon’s lawyer, Marcus Mumford, argued that the protest leader was a peaceful “activist” fighting for the “survival and rebirth of rural America, especially in western states”. | |
| The Bundy family first received national attention in 2014 when the patriarch Cliven led an armed standoff with government agents at his desert ranch in Nevada. | The Bundy family first received national attention in 2014 when the patriarch Cliven led an armed standoff with government agents at his desert ranch in Nevada. |
| For more than 20 years, Cliven, who is now 70, had refused to pay grazing taxes, arguing that the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) had no authority to regulate public lands by his property. Cliven, who amassed more than $1m in government debts, galvanized conservative activists and militia groups throughout the west who have long opposed land restrictions. | For more than 20 years, Cliven, who is now 70, had refused to pay grazing taxes, arguing that the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) had no authority to regulate public lands by his property. Cliven, who amassed more than $1m in government debts, galvanized conservative activists and militia groups throughout the west who have long opposed land restrictions. |
| US authorities attempted to seize the family’s cattle, but they backed off when hundreds of supporters, some heavily armed, showed up to defend the Bundy ranch in Bunkerville, an hour north of Las Vegas. | US authorities attempted to seize the family’s cattle, but they backed off when hundreds of supporters, some heavily armed, showed up to defend the Bundy ranch in Bunkerville, an hour north of Las Vegas. |
| After avoiding consequences for the standoff, the Bundys picked another fight with the BLM in January 2016 – this time in a remote part of eastern Oregon, 700 miles north of the ranch. | After avoiding consequences for the standoff, the Bundys picked another fight with the BLM in January 2016 – this time in a remote part of eastern Oregon, 700 miles north of the ranch. |
| Ammon and Ryan – along with some who had backed them in 2014 – staged an armed occupation of the Malheur refuge, an obscure bird sanctuary, to protest the imprisonment of two Harney County ranchers who were prosecuted for arson. | Ammon and Ryan – along with some who had backed them in 2014 – staged an armed occupation of the Malheur refuge, an obscure bird sanctuary, to protest the imprisonment of two Harney County ranchers who were prosecuted for arson. |
| Ammon and other occupation leaders said they wouldn’t leave until the ranchers were freed and the refuge land was given to locals to control. | Ammon and other occupation leaders said they wouldn’t leave until the ranchers were freed and the refuge land was given to locals to control. |
| After several weeks, federal officers arrested a group of protesters and killed one of their leaders, LaVoy Finicum, before closing in on the remaining holdouts. The standoff officially ended after 41 days, and Ammon, Ryan and 24 other defendants were charged in a massive conspiracy case. | After several weeks, federal officers arrested a group of protesters and killed one of their leaders, LaVoy Finicum, before closing in on the remaining holdouts. The standoff officially ended after 41 days, and Ammon, Ryan and 24 other defendants were charged in a massive conspiracy case. |
| The defendants are accused of impeding federal officers through the use of force, intimidation or threats – a charge that could result in a six-year sentence. Some are facing additional charges related to firearm possession and theft of public property. | The defendants are accused of impeding federal officers through the use of force, intimidation or threats – a charge that could result in a six-year sentence. Some are facing additional charges related to firearm possession and theft of public property. |
| Eleven defendants have signed plea deals to avoid trial, and prosecutors recently dismissed charges against Pete Santilli, a conservative radio host who live-streamed the occupation and has argued that his actions were protected by the first amendment. | Eleven defendants have signed plea deals to avoid trial, and prosecutors recently dismissed charges against Pete Santilli, a conservative radio host who live-streamed the occupation and has argued that his actions were protected by the first amendment. |
| In his opening remarks, Barrow said the government would present its case in four “chapters” – the build up, the takeover, the arrests and the aftermath. | In his opening remarks, Barrow said the government would present its case in four “chapters” – the build up, the takeover, the arrests and the aftermath. |
| “They cleared the buildings at gunpoint,” Barrow said, describing the 2 January seizure. | “They cleared the buildings at gunpoint,” Barrow said, describing the 2 January seizure. |
| The prosecutor described how Ammon and others had threatened the local sheriff Dave Ward last fall, showing up to his office armed and telling him that if he failed to protect the prosecuted ranchers, father and son Dwight and Steve Hammond, “they would bring thousands to Harney County to do their job for him”. | The prosecutor described how Ammon and others had threatened the local sheriff Dave Ward last fall, showing up to his office armed and telling him that if he failed to protect the prosecuted ranchers, father and son Dwight and Steve Hammond, “they would bring thousands to Harney County to do their job for him”. |
| Barrow said one of the defendants who had signed a plea deal would testify against the Bundys and offer the jury a description of the inner working of the occupation. | Barrow said one of the defendants who had signed a plea deal would testify against the Bundys and offer the jury a description of the inner working of the occupation. |
| Officers found dozens of firearms and 15,000 rounds of ammunition at the end of the takeover, he added. | Officers found dozens of firearms and 15,000 rounds of ammunition at the end of the takeover, he added. |
| Barrow said: “This was much more than a protest.” | Barrow said: “This was much more than a protest.” |
| Mumford laid out the longstanding claim of the Bundys in his opening arguments – that federal ownership of public land is unconstitutional (an argument that legal scholars and courts have rejected). | |
| “Since when is it extreme to ask the federal government to obey the law? ... The federal government should never own that land in the first place.” | |
| US district judge Anna Brown twice interrupted Mumford, saying the case was not about the Bundys’ legal theories and that he should only discuss them in the context of the defendants’ “state of mind”. | |
| “We are not going to have a legal determination of that issue ... Do not declare what the law is from your client’s perspective.” | |
| Mumford said Ammon’s intentions were noble: “He was motivated to change and better this country by restoring liberty rights to the people.” | |
| Several defendants who have chosen to represent themselves are scheduled to speak later on Tuesday. | |
| Cox, a Utah woman, made headlines when she filed a lawsuit against the government in February, saying she “suffered damages from the works of the devil” and wanted $666bn. Fry also was in the spotlight when he refused to surrender in the final hours of the occupation, telling live listeners on YouTube that he was ready to die. | Cox, a Utah woman, made headlines when she filed a lawsuit against the government in February, saying she “suffered damages from the works of the devil” and wanted $666bn. Fry also was in the spotlight when he refused to surrender in the final hours of the occupation, telling live listeners on YouTube that he was ready to die. |
| A separate trial is planned in Nevada next year on charges stemming from the 2014 Bunkerville conflict, and the 19 defendants in that case include Cliven, Ammon, Ryan and two other Bundy men. | A separate trial is planned in Nevada next year on charges stemming from the 2014 Bunkerville conflict, and the 19 defendants in that case include Cliven, Ammon, Ryan and two other Bundy men. |
| The Tuesday hearing was a reunion of sorts for some Oregon defendants, whose cases will be heard in a separate trial, who joyfully hugged each other outside the courtroom and greeted the Bundy wives in attendance. | The Tuesday hearing was a reunion of sorts for some Oregon defendants, whose cases will be heard in a separate trial, who joyfully hugged each other outside the courtroom and greeted the Bundy wives in attendance. |
| Even Sean Anderson and his wife Sandy, two of the final occupiers who are part of a later trial, couldn’t get seats in the courtroom on Tuesday. | Even Sean Anderson and his wife Sandy, two of the final occupiers who are part of a later trial, couldn’t get seats in the courtroom on Tuesday. |
| “Are you on the list?” an officer asked them. | “Are you on the list?” an officer asked them. |
| “Oh, the judge knows me,” Sean replied with a laugh. | “Oh, the judge knows me,” Sean replied with a laugh. |
| The hearing attracted a group of Bundy supporters, some who carried pocket constitutions and wore shirts honoring Finicum, along with curious observers who said they had closely followed the news. | The hearing attracted a group of Bundy supporters, some who carried pocket constitutions and wore shirts honoring Finicum, along with curious observers who said they had closely followed the news. |
| Before opening arguments began on Tuesday, Angie Bundy, Ryan’s wife, told the Guardian that the Bundys were confident heading into the trial though have struggled to prepare while stuck behind bars. | Before opening arguments began on Tuesday, Angie Bundy, Ryan’s wife, told the Guardian that the Bundys were confident heading into the trial though have struggled to prepare while stuck behind bars. |
| “They know that they didn’t do anything wrong. They know they didn’t do any crime.” | “They know that they didn’t do anything wrong. They know they didn’t do any crime.” |
| The stakes are high for the jailed Bundy men, who leave behind a total of 25 young children. | The stakes are high for the jailed Bundy men, who leave behind a total of 25 young children. |
| “My kids are broken without their daddy,” said Angie. “We’re very eager to get them home. This has gone on long enough.” | “My kids are broken without their daddy,” said Angie. “We’re very eager to get them home. This has gone on long enough.” |