OREGON STANDOFF:  RYAN PAYNE DENIED RELEASE AS JUDGE INJECTS PERSONAL OPINION, REBUFFS DEFENSE

"Going to Ammon Bundy's house to celebrate and to Bundy ranch to celebrate were violations.  That's the problem here"

US District Judge Anna J. Brown at release hearing for Ryan Payne 2/1/2018

"....This is more proof they're trying to cover up informants, undercover agents that act as provocateurs against these defendants..."

Courtroom observer John Lamb on why Judge Brown rebuffed a defense lawyers attempts to uncover informants used against Ryan Payne

In Portland today,  US District Judge Anna J. Brown refused to release an apologetic Ryan Payne.

Back in December the judge was made aware of a visit to Bundy Ranch by a federal pretrial services officer.

The chief federal public defender in Oregon, Lisa Hay, argued on behalf of Ryan Payne reminding US District Judge Anna J. Brown that Payne is not a flight risk and not a danger to the public.

But as trial observers John Lamb and Kelli Stewart noted in a video posted today, Brown had already made up her mind.

Judge Brown cited Payne's involvement in the Oregon Standoff protest and "inflammatory statements" he made in connection with the protest of the forced return of ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond to federal prison to serve five year terrorism sentences for lighting a backfire.

Brown expressed her disdain for the refusal of Payne, the Bundys and others to recognize and or obey the federal courts.

The judge clearly brought her personal feelings into today's proceedings.

The same personal feelings she had when she met with jurors after they found Oregon Standoff protest leaders not guilty in the first trial.

These same personal opinions that also caused her to rig the second trial in which Ryan Payne was convicted to limit defense witnesses and have a bench trial on misdemeanors and so on.

A judge's bias on full display in a courtroom today.   She is probably frustrated with the failure of the federal case in Nevada.

Federal prosecutors want to give Payne 44 months and he has already served some two years, but the observers think Judge Brown will deal harshly at sentencing February 27th.

Defense attorney Lisa Hay's efforts to bring up the use of federal informants-agents as provocateurs to entice 'inflammatory statements' from Payne were rejected by Judge Brown.

Trial observer John Lamb sees this as proof the federal government is trying to cover up the use of undercover agents and informants in the Oregon Standoff case.

These agents-informants were being used to entrap the defendants in the case.