Second Oregon Standoff Trial Updates

                                          The Misdemeanor Verdicts

                Eleven Charges Spread Over Four Defendants With Nine "Guilty" Verdicts

                                             Wednesday March 22nd AM

U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown came down with mostly guilty verdicts for the four defendants who were already convicted by a jury of felony charges in the Oregon Standoff protest last year.

Jason Patrick found guilty of  three charges: trespass, tampering with government vehicles and equipment, destruction of government property.

Duane Ehmer found  guilty of trespass, tampering with government vehicles and equipment, not guilty of removal of government and private property.

Darryl Thorn found guilty of trespass and one count of tamperng with vehicles and equipment, not guilty of another count of tampering with vehicles and equipment.

Jake Ryan found guilty of trespass and tampering with vehicles and equipment.

Defense lawyer Andrew Kohlmetz described the misdemeanor charges as 'throw away charges' in cast the others didn't stick."

                     Judge To Announce Misdemeanor Verdicts On Tuesday

                                                Saturday March 18th AM

U.S. District Judge Anna Brown will announce the misdemeanor verdicts in the second Oregon Standoff trial on Tuesday.

A 3:30 pm hearing is set in court for Brown to announce the verdicts after she asked the defendants if they wanted to hear the verdicts in person instead of her issuing them in writing.

This word comes from tweets by "Oregon Live" reporter Maxine Bernstein.

Brown will also discuss ''release conditions" for Jason Patrick, one of the four convicted in the second trial.

                      Federal Judge Drops Charges Against Marcus Mumford

                                                 Thursday March 16th AM

Its now official.  A federal judge has dropped the charges against Ammon Bundy's lawyer, Marcus Mumford.

U.S. District Judge John Coughenour from the western district of Washington state, who was brought in to handle the case in Portland, issued a three sentence order yesterday.

The charges are 'dismissed without prejudice' meaning the federal government could bring them back later.

Mumford was tackled, tased, arrested and charged last October 27th at the end of the first Oregon Standoff trial.   The assault on Mumford came moments after Bundy and six other defendants were acquitted of all charges.

Mumford wanted the paperwork from the federal government to confirm their detainer on Ammon Bundy for Nevada charges over the Bunkerville Standoff in 2014.  Instead of producing the paperwork, they attacked Mumford.

EDITORIAL NOTE:  I POSTED THIS STORY ON FREE REPUBLIC TODAY.  I WAS ALLOWED BACK ON FR AFTER 'SPIRIDON' POSTED ANOTHER STORY TUESDAY NOTING I WAS SUSPENDED FROM POSTING ON FR LAST SATURDAY WHEN I POSTED THE SECOND STANDOFF TRIAL VERDICTS AT 'FRONT PAGE NEWS' AND WAS ACCUSED OF ABUSING THE SIDEBAR WHERE NEWS IS LISTED AS FRONT PAGE.

THERE WERE CRITICAL COMMENTS FROM 'humblegunner' WHEN THE FIRST NEWS OF THE VERDICTS WAS PUBLISHED LAST FRIDAY EVENING.   ANOTHER POSTER "Jack Black" APPEARED TO BE COMMUNICATING WITH HIM AND MYSELF.

THERE'S FOLKS OUT THERE THAT DON'T LIKE THIS STORY BEING MENTIONED OR TALKED ABOUT.    GAVIN SEIM AND THE ACTIVISTS WHO HAVE SHOWN UP AT THE TRIALS IN OREGON AND NEVADA HAVE BEEN ATTACKED.   EVEN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA REPORTER FROM 'OREGONLIVE' , MAXINE BERNSTEIN, HAD HER TWITTER ACCOUNT HACKED ON MONDAY.

ARE THEY GOVERNMENT OPERATORS, POLITICAL OPERATORS, ROGUES FROM THE GOVERNMENT-LAW ENFORCEMENT RANKS.  WHO KNOWS.  BUT KEEP TALKING ABOUT THESE CASES IN OREGON AND ESPECIALLY NEVADA AS THE FIRST TRIAL CONTINUES WITH TWO MORE TRIALS SCHEDULED LATER IN THE YEAR.

Federal Prosecutors Want Charges Dropped For Ammon Bundy's Lawyer In                                                               First Trial

                                                  Monday March 13th PM

At the end of the first Oregon Standoff trial last fall Marcus Mumford, who was Ammon Bundy's lawyer, was tackled, tased and arrested by federal marshals as he argued before U.S. District Judge Anna Brown about Bundy's status after his acquittal.

Federal charges were filed against Mumford with trial set for next month.

Now federal prosecutors from Washington state called into the case have asked a Washington state federal judge to drop the charges against Mumford.   They are asking for the charges to be dropped 'without prejudice'.  That means they could be refiled in the future.

Michael Levine, Mumford's defense lawyer, told "Oregon Live" he didn't know what prompted the federal government's decision.  He's waiting for the judge to finalize matters saying "It's not over until it's over."

       Blogger Gary Hunt and Defendant Duane Ehmer Post New Messages     

                                                 Monday March 13th AM

There have been new posts from both blogger Gary Hunt and Duane Ehmer regarding the blog posts on FBI informants at the Oregon Standoff protest.

Last night Ehmer corrected a statement he made in a February 5th Facebook post regarding Hunt "'working with our lawyers" in the second trial.

Ehmer said in his online post last night which is republished in full in Hunt's latest post at "Outpost of Freedom" blog this morning, said:  "Gary hunt writing did help expose informants but he had no direct contact with anyone from the defense team.  I have never found direct contact with anyone from the defense team".....I was wrong on Feb. 5 and am sorry for the grief I have caused him".

Hunt himself says the Oregon federal court has zero jurisdiction over what he has posted on his blog and so he felt no obligation to show up for a hearing there last Friday.

Hunt said his showing up there would have made him subject to arrest.

Some quotes from his post this morning:

"This tribulation began when the U.S. Department of Justice 'Demand' that I Cease and Desist publishing a series of articles exposing informants, both inside and outside the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge during the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge during the occupation by those seeking a 'Redress of Grievances' (First Amendment).  The Letter also wanted me to return information that I had obtained without any illegal act on my part.  And, in a somewhat ridiculous (impossible) Demand, that remove the articles from my website 'and any other website'.

However, I have no more control over 'any other website' than the Justice Department has over me."....

I can understand that the US Shysters, seeing this is adversarial, want to 'find dirt', to justify the exclusion of fact that don't suit their objective.  Heck, we have seen that through the last two Malheur trials--every effort to exclude that which might dispute, or interfere with, their desire for a conviction, or in my case, to be incarcerate for 'contempt of court'.

The FBI, however, is not a private tool of the US Shysters.  It is supposed to be part of a functional government, whose purpose is to serve its creator, the People.  When those powers become so misdirected, as they have in this instance, we can easily see that the government has decided to serve itself, not the People--that, in fact, we have become subject to a police state, every bit the same as the old  U.S.S.R., East Germany, and Hitler's Third Reich."

We'll see what the federal government does next to suppress Mr Hunt's online activities.....

.......

                      More Details On The Split Verdicts For All Defendants

                    Arrest Warrant Sought For Blogger Who Outed Informants

                           

                                                   Saturday March 11th AM

While the jury found two of the defendants, Jason Patrick and Darryl Thorn guilty of a "conspiracy" charge, the other two defendants, Jake Ryan and  Duane Ehmer were acquitted.

But Ryan and Ehmer were found guilty of depredation of government property for using an excavator at the refuge.

Thorn found guilty of possessing a firearm on federal property, Patrick and Ryan acquitted of the same charge.

U.S. District Judge Anna Brown will be coming down with her written verdicts on misdemeanor charges against the four defendants probably next week.

All guilty verdicts could end up being appealed to the one and only Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the next higher court.

So watch out for further developments.

Also the US Attorney for Oregon, Billy Williams, who supervised the prosecution-persecution of the Oregon Standoff protesters was not one of the 93 US Attorneys asked to resign yesterday by the new Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

In a video posted yesterday activist Gavin Seim, supporter of the Oregon Standoff protest said "this malicious prosecution against these final four was brought by the Donald Trump Administration, not the Obama Administration".

Meanwhile, Judge Anna Brown has taken under advisement a request from federal prosecutors for an arrest warrant for blogger Gary Hunt.

Hunt posted a number of stories about FBI informants at the Oregon Standoff protest drawing the ire of federal prosecutors who claim he was interfering with their case.

Hunt did not appear yesterday at a show cause hearing for an injunction against his blog posts regarding informants.

In recent posts at his "Outpost of Freedom" blog, Hunt said that Brown's court in Oregon does not have jurisdiction over his blog posts from his northern California home.

Split Verdicts Come Down Friday,  Blogger Hunt Does Not Appear At Hearing

                                                   Friday March 10th PM

Jason Patrick and Darryl Thorn found guilty,  Jake Ryan and Duane Ehmer  not guilty.

Meanwhile,  blogger Gary Hunt was not in court in Portland this afternoon when a hearing was held on the federal government's attempts to shut down his blog posts exposing FBI informants in the Oregon Standoff case.

                                         Deliberations Continue Friday

                                                       Friday March 10th AM

The jury considering the felony part of the charges against four men in the second Oregon Standoff trial  is resuming its deliberations at  8:30 am Portland time.

This will be the third day of deliberations.

One of the defense attorneys, Jesse Merrithew, tweeted yesterday: "I'm betting on a hung jury at this point".

Developments related to the trial should be posted on the Twitter feed of "OregonLive-Portland Oregonian" reporter Maxine Bernstein.

                                                Put That In Writing

                                              Thursday March 9th AM

The story from the second Oregon Standoff trial Wednesday was the story of getting details into writing.

The jury deliberating the felony charges wanted a transcript of the trial for their use.   

U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown "demanded" as activist John Lamb phrased it in a video that the federal prosecutors come up with written evidence to prove the misdemeanor charges against the four defendants.

She conducted her 'bench trial' of the four men yesterday.

And Judge Brown says she will issue a written decision on the charges next week.

                              Two Tracks and "Fear" At The Trial

                                                 Wednesday March 8th AM

The second Oregon Standoff trial will take two tracks today with the jury deliberating the felony  charges against the four defendants while U.S. District Court Judge Anna J. Brown conducts a bench trial on misdemeanor charges against the four defendants.   She will decide the innocence or guilt of the four in what is seen as a rigged process to 'get' the defendants.

It will be interesting to see if any guilty verdicts are appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and what that famous-infamous court will have to say.

A employee at the wildlife refuge testified as a rebuttal witness for the prosecution yesterday speaking of 'fear' because of the protest.

Perhaps the real fear in the courtroom is with the defense lawyers, who are said to be conducting a timid case by supporters of the defendants.   They aren't Marcus Mumford, who led a spirited defense in the first trial representing Ammon Bundy.

But Mumford's tackling, tazing and arrest by federal marshals in the courtroom right after the acquittal may have had an intimidating effect on the defense lawyers in the second case.

                                                Tuesday March 7th AM

                 A slew of witnesses testified Monday as the defense began to wrap up its case.

                  B.J. Soper of the Pacific Patriots Network testified about his recollections of the December 29th meeting cited by prosecution witness Blaine Cooper as the beginning of a conspiracy to protest at the Malheur National Wildlife refuge.    Soper and the Pacific Patriots Network regularly denounced the protest even as they claimed to be trying to help.

                  But in the testimony, Soper said the notion of a 'takeover' of the refuge was presented without any plans being discussed among those at the 10-15 minute meeting.

                 

                   Blaine Cooper's father,  Stanley Hicks Sr., disputed testimony his son had given on behalf of the prosecution.    Hicks said his son is "prone to lie when it serves his purpose".

                   Jeff Banta, acquitted in the first trial. testified about the military training given by FBI informant Fabio Minoggio.  Banta said on the stand that Minoggio "was basically kind of seeing how we reacted under pressure".

                    The defense expected to rest its case today with prosecution rebuttal witnesses, then the final arguments.

                     What will happen after that is that the jury decides the felony charges while U.S. District Court Judge Anna Brown has reserved to herself the verdicts on misdemeanor charges that have been tacked onto these four defendants.

                      Brown met with the jurors in the first trial afterwards in an apparent attempt to find out for herself and pass onto the federal prosecutors the reasoning as to why the jurors didn't convict the seven defendants on the felony charges.

                      She and the prosecutors appear to be rigging this trial so they get the defendants on  some charges.

                       

                    (More to Come)