VERDICT: NOT GUILTY! Malheur 7

by Shari Dovale

All 7 defendants in the Malheur Protest Trial were unanimously acquitted of conspiracy and firearms charges.

The jury began their deliberations with an alternate juror stepping in when one of the original jurors was found to be biased from previous employment with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

After about 5 hours of deliberations today, the jury came back with 12 of the 13 charges decided. The final charge is an aiding and abetting charge of theft against Ryan Bundy. The jury did not reach a consensus on this charge.

There was more drama after the verdict was announced. Marcus Mumford, attorney for Ammon Bundy, argued for the release of his client, stating he has not seen any paperwork from Nevada to justify not releasing him after the acquittal.

Mumford got very animated during this legal argument whereas the US Marshals decided it was enough. Judge Brown told the Marshals to back away from the attorney and empty the courtroom. Mumford continued to advocate for his client, and the Marshals moved in.

Witness reports say they saw about 8 US Marshals attack Mumford and wrestle him to the ground. There were shouts heard from him asking for help and yelling in pain. The US Marshals then used a taser on Mr. Mumford after he was on the ground.

Mumford was then taken to the Multnomah county jail and booked on ‘failure to comply’ charges. They are claiming that he prevented them from taking Ammon back to the jail cells.

It is unheard of to treat an attorney this way inside a courtroom! The US Marshals seem to have ignored the judge’s orders to back off from him and went rogue! Speaking with another attorney tonight, I understand that Mumford was doing his job by advocating for his client. If he had not made the argument, he could have actually been accuse of malpractice. But, when the government does not get their way, this is what happens.

Mumford wasn’t the only casualty in today’s verdict. The US Marshals were in rare form, as they had to ‘Rough Up’ David Fry as well. This took place in the courtroom before he was taken to the jail to be processed for release.

But the supporters that have stood by the political prisoners all along were celebrating the Not Guilty verdict.

The Coalition of Western States released the following statement:

The Coalition of Western States went down to the Malheur Refuge in Oregon to determine if any laws had been broken, and to investigate the abuses of farmers and ranchers in that area by the Federal government. We were told that no laws had been broken and today that was vindicated by the jury.

However, we will still continue to investigate the abuse of loggers, farmers, ranchers and miners throughout the West.

The government does not seem to be handling this verdict very well. Governor Kate Brown was not happy when she made this statement: