BUNKERVILLE STANDOFF UPDATE:  Trial date set for Cliven, Ammon, Ryan Bundy, Payne, Santilli, Parker, Drexler

After lawyers on both sides and the judge traded back and forth at a "status hearing" today, it was decided that the leading Tier 1 defendants (Cliven Bundy, Ammon Bundy, Ryan Bundy, Ryan Payne and Pete Santilli) in the Bunkerville Standoff will be tried alongside the two defendants not convicted after their first two trials (Eric Parker, Scott Drexler).

Trial date is set for October 10th.

Parker and Drexler agreed to be tried with the other defendants in the interests of them getting a trial quicker.    Those five along with the Tier 3 group have now been held without bail or trial for more than 18 months.

Ammon Bundy was not present in court today.   He was thrown back into solitary at Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump last week.   Ammon Bundy is protesting the constant body cavity searches conducted on him, involving requirements that he touch his genitals.   

Ammon's lawyer for the Bunkerville trial will be G. Morgan Philpot, who was associate counsel with Marcus Mumford at the first Oregon Standoff trial representing Ammon  Bundy.    

Mumford, by the way, is now fighting disbarment from the federal courts in Oregon after the federal government gave up on criminally charging him for demanding paperwork on his client at the end of the trial last fall.    Mumford was tackled, tased and arrested in the courtroom in front of the jury, judge and visitors last October 27th right after the not guilty verdicts were announced.