Explaining the Malheur Protest Trial
By Shari Dovale
I have been sitting in the courtroom throughout the majority of this trial. Beginning from the jury selection, it has been obvious that the government’s agenda will be upheld, at the cost of the truth.
For those that still don’t understand, let me explain.
Ammon Bundy and the other defendants are on trial for ‘Conspiring to Impede Federal Officers’. This means that the government is accusing them of not allowing the employees of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge to go to work.
Keep in mind that employees have already testified they continued to work.
The government is allowed to bring in any evidence they deem appropriate to prove this charge. Evidence includes the actual weapons owned by LaVoy Finicum, Facebook ‘Memes’, and coaching of witnesses while they are on the stand.
The defendants, however, are not allowed to explain why they were there (the Hammond case), what legal doctrine they based the protest on (Adverse Possession) or how the FBI lied about the murder of LaVoy.
It has been decreed by Judge Anna Brown that, though the government first introduced the killing of LaVoy, the defense will be held in contempt and charged $1,000 per instance if they even try to discuss the FBI cover-up of the killing. Brown has called it ‘irrelevant.’
Remember, the government first brought it up, and is allowed to discuss what they want.
Discussing the US Constitution is off limits as well. Judge Brown has made it very clear that only she can explain the law to the jury, and to have them consider the words of the Constitution is contrary to that ruling. If the jury were to read the Constitution, they might learn of more rights than she would like them to know, such as ‘jury nullification.’
Brown made specific demands of the jury that they must swear to follow her ideas of the law and not consider this basic right. She stated that nullification is “just not right” but she fell short of calling it illegal.
The Hammond family were in a similar position during their trial. Their jury was given very narrow instructions as to determine if Dwight and Steven actually started the fire in their case. The Hammond’s never denied starting that fire. But they were not allowed to present their defense of what happened.
The original judge in their trial understood that the charges were a great overreach. He went outside the sentencing guidelines and gave them shorter time at their sentencing. The two men served the time. However, the Federal government was still unable to get their hands on the ranch and went back for further punishment. The Hammonds were forced back to prison under double-jeopardy to serve additional time.
This is relevant because the Hammond case is what brought the Bundys to Oregon. Yet, Judge Brown will not allow these details into the trial.
The FBI cover-up of the murder of LaVoy is relevant as well. The protesters have stated their fear and distrust of the FBI. These events substantiate their fears. The final four holdouts were affected even more by these events. They had already seen one of their own murdered, so their belief that they too could be killed is extremely relevant. Yet, Judge Brown states that it has no bearing on the case at hand.
Do not forget that the government did not follow their own laws during this trial. They had specific guidelines on their Facebook warrant, yet they screwed that up and went way outside of the scope of the warrant. Though the judge agreed the government messed it up, she still allowed it to be used as evidence. How’s that for bias?
The defendants are not allowed to put on a defense, period. This means that there is no defense to the government agenda. The government can say that ‘Liking’ someone’s Facebook meme can label you a terrorist. The government can say that the US Constitution is irrelevant. The government can say lying and hiding evidence of a murder is okay … if it is done by them. How do the citizen’s of this country defend against an out-of-control government like this?
The country is under a Rule of Law that is contrary to the US Constitution, and what this country is based on. We are under imperial rule, governed by the elite ruling class, not by the people, as it was designed.
God help us.
