Ammon Bundy and six other defendants who were among a group of armed occupiers that held down a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon earlier this year have all been acquitted of charges stemming from the intense 41-day standoff.
The anti-government protesters, often described by the left-wing media as a ‘militia,’ took over the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon to protest federal overreach on their lands. They had been facing firearms charges, conspiracy to impede federal employees from doing their jobs through intimidation, and other charges.
The jury, instead of siding with the feds, accepted the argument of the defendants that they were simply protesting government overreach and posed no threat to the public.
What the feds did to the defendants lawyer after the acquittals will simply shock you, however.
First, the results of the case (Via CNN):
Seven people who were among the armed occupiers of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon earlier this year were acquitted Thursday of charges related to the 41-day standoff.
Ammon Bundy; his brother, Ryan Bundy; and three other people were found not guilty of firearms charges and conspiracy to impede federal workers. Two others who were acquitted were charged only with conspiracy. The federal jury couldn’t reach a verdict on a theft charge against Ryan Bundy.
It wasn’t even a tough deliberation either, as the feds lost their argument swiftly after the jury deliberated for a mere five hours in the high-profile case.
What happened next is simply jaw-dropping.
Marcus Mumford, the lawyer for Ammon Bundy, argued that his client should be set free, leading a group of frustrated U.S. Marshals to tackle him, using a taser to subdue him.
Via Oregon Live:
The coda to the stunning verdict, undoubtedly a significant blow to federal prosecutors, was when Ammon Bundy’s lawyer Marcus Mumford argued that his client, dressed in a gray suit and white dress shirt, should be allowed to walk out of the court, a free man.
U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown told him that there was a U.S. Marshal’s hold on him from a pending federal indictment in Nevada.
“If there’s a detainer, show me,” Mumford stood, arguing before the judge.
Suddenly, a group of about six U.S. Marshals surrounded Mumford at his defense table. The judge directed them to move back but moments later, the marshals grabbed on to him.
“What are you doing?” Mumford yelled, as he struggled and was taken down to the floor.
As deputy marshals yelled, “Stop resisting,” the judge demanded, “Everybody out of the courtroom now!”
KGW reported that “several marshals tackled Mumford, stunned him with a Taser and took him into custody.”
“I just turned to [the marshals] and said show me what papers you have. Then, the next thing I know they surrounded me, took ahold of me, and they were talking about I was resisting arrest,” Mumford said. “They twisted my legs, put me to the ground, then tased me.”
“How can they do that?” one of the defendants asked. “This is not justice.”
Eleven others had already pleaded guilty from cases involving the standoff, while one participant, LaVoy Finicum, was killed by authorities.
Comment: Do you think the Bundy’s and other protesters were rightfully acquitted? What do you think of the actions taken by US Marshals after the verdict? Share your thoughts below.
