Astarita Trial – BOMBSHELL Opening Statements
by Shari Dovale
W. Joseph Astarita, a member of the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team (HRT), is on trial in Portland charged with lying and obstruction of justice in connection to the events culminating in the shooting of Robert “LaVoy” Finicum on January 26, 2016.
The jury of 9 men and 3 women were seated on Tuesday with opening statements this morning, Wednesday, July 25th.
The prosecution put forth strong arguments against Astarita, with the defense following up by grasping at straws in their strategy to show some reasonable doubt for their client.
To begin with, according to the prosecutor, there were eight (8) shots fired with only two (2) shell casings being recovered. The prosecution suggests that Astarita collected the missing six (6) casings.
Included in the defense opening statements were that their client could not have fired at the vehicle because he is one of the finest shooters in the world and, therefore, would not have missed his target. They contend that this should prove his innocence. They did not address the fact that he may very well have hit his mark exactly, if he were attempting to provoke the Oregon State Patrol (OSP) into shooting at the truck.
The defense has also attempted to cast doubts on the trajectory analysis for varying reasons, including that the snow may have melted enough to change the position of the truck, thereby invalidating all of the analysis.
Additionally, the defense team talked about the Federal agents picking up the shell casings. Claiming that these men are trained to pick up all of their equipment, they said that the agents could actually have been picking up LIVE ROUNDS from the ground, as they were concerned about militia members possibly coming to the scene. This is apparently a new protocol, as I have never heard of the regulations being to clean up the crime scene before the investigation has concluded, or even begun.
Another bombshell statement was made that an agent from the first stop called ahead to the agents at the second stop after Finicum sped away in the truck. The first agent made remarks that Finicum refused to stop and therefore they would have to “shoot him”. These statements go to their justification defense. The law is clear that they are only justified in firing their weapons for self defense or defense of others, so this explanation is another desperate attempt by the defense.
We are waiting to see how the trial attorneys deal with the issue of the FBI ordering the OSP not to turn body cameras on.
Finicum’s vehicle will be brought to the courthouse for the jury to examine, as well. It is unclear if the public will be able to view the truck.
After the opening statements this morning, the prosecution began calling witnesses. Former Special Agent In Charge Greg Bretzing took the stand and his testimony will resume after lunch.
The court has said this trial may last 3-4 weeks.
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I hope the analysis that showed it was impossible to stop short of the ambush site will be presented. That demonstrates premeditation.
When are you sheep going to get it? Your Master, the federal government, will Never allow you pions to take up arms against them. This, and the Bundy ranch standoff should have ended with you sheep leaving in body bags. Only your master and their hired guns will ever be allowed to have the upper hand. Even if your master has to kill 10 million Lavoys!
Praying for God’s light to continue to shine on darkness of lies here by the perps and justice come forth with all Glory to God for truth. Especially the return of inaleinable rights that the (lucifer led) USA State of Emergency has frozen, thereafter seemingly becoming a dictatorship,allowing martial, admirality law to flourish.
If you are the designated driver, wait in the car for the shooter to come out and drive him away.. You are just as guilty as the shooter.. ALL agents present at the Lavoy Finnicum assassination are guilty of murder
The fake government shows it true colors every time there is this type of double standard. The real law power is based upon a principle communicated well in Mathew 7:12: The Golden Rule.
People are waking up, but many so called patriots still give the fake government unwarranted credit.
When the real government was in force the people themselves defended their power to accuse and try anyone in government for any offense. That was facilitated through the common law, and a common law grand jury, which was the law of the land.
Today it is routine for the fake government to treat their victims as guilty perpetrators of any number of trumped up charges (throwing the book) so as to extort a confession, as if the Inquisition was a model of good behavior.
Today it is routine for the fake government to add any number of victims to their list of victims in any case where the fake government seeks to profit from their extortion racket that they call (and many people still believe to be) law; the so called just-us system. If someone was killed, then everyone gathered up in the dragnet of this extortion racket (falsely called law) is guilty of murder, and treated as such.
When the fake government perpetrates murder, the only charge allowed to the already determined to be innocent government agent, is some version of misconduct, and only one scape-goat is thrown under that bus, which typically results in paid vacation, promotion, and other rewards for so called misconduct.
He was being shot at as they LEFT THE FIRST STOP!!! From BEHIND!!
SHAMEFUL LYING CHICKEN SHIT LEOS! To ALL those involved in the MURDER of LaVoy, you will ROT IN HELL! Spineless slaves of the Fed Govt. I hope when you look in a mirror you feel sick to see that face looking back at you. You should.
NEVER take up arms against your Master! This was that warning being clarified to those Patriots.
These FBI and OSP didn’t just wake up on the morning of Jan 26 and say “Hey ! lets go set up a roadblock on 395 !” Yet to be seen is any legal basis for the stop – no arrest warrants, no court order, no nothing to give the stop a legal sanction. Lacking any legal cause, SOMEBODY had to have ordered those guys out there and that somebody gave the order on their own responsibility. Who was it ? no doubt the same person called for no cameras. I hope the prosecutors follow this line of questioning and put the squeeze on the witnesses.
The only reason needed for a stop is “reasonable suspicion” and they certainly had that.
But having said that it was obvious to me from watching the video several times that Finicum was was basically assassinated, and that there was never any intent to even try and take him alive! There were at least three snipers in the trees on that side of the road, at least two of which were firing from an elevated position! The spots of light from their laser sights could be clearly seen dancing around Finicum’s head as he lay dead or dying in the snow!
This was NOT an ordinary stop, even an ordinary felony stop.
It was an ambush plain and simple!