LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada rancher and anti-authority figure Cliven Bundy lost a renewed bid Thursday for release from jail ahead of trial on federal conspiracy and assault charges stemming from an armed standoff against government agents two years ago.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Carl Hoffman pointed to the violence alleged in an indictment accusing Bundy of inciting the impasse to stop a roundup of cattle from public land near his ranch in April 2014, and to a history of Bundy ignoring federal court orders.
“You say you’ll continue to do ‘whatever it takes,'” Hoffman said in a Las Vegas courtroom where some Bundy backers wore brown T-shirts emblazoned with the three-word slogan.
“I do not believe, Mr. Bundy, that you will comply with my court orders any more than you have complied with previous court orders,” the judge said.
Bundy and four of his adult sons are among 19 people now facing federal charges that could put them in prison for the standoff for the rest of their lives.
The scene pitted a self-styled militia perched on an Interstate 15 overpass, pointing military-style AR-15 and AK-47 weapons at federal Bureau of Land Management agents and contract cowboys herding cattle toward a corral. Dozens were in the possible crossfire, but no shots were fired and no one was injured. The cattle were freed.
Bundy’s defense lawyer, Joel Hansen, said his client simply won’t acknowledge that federal law applies. That consistent denial led Bundy last week to decline to enter a plea to charges including conspiracy, assault on a federal officer, threatening a federal officer, obstruction and firearms offenses. Hoffman entered a not-guilty plea at that time on Bundy’s behalf.
Hansen characterizes the 69-year-old Bundy as a political prisoner being held illegally for challenging authority.Bundy insists he has property rights dating back more than a century, to when his Mormon ancestors settled along the Virgin River, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
Prosecutor Steven Myhre fought to prevent Thursday’s hearing from taking place. He argued that Bundy already had an Oregon court appearance to decide whether he would stay jailed following his Feb. 10 arrest at Portland International Airport. He wasn’t entitled to another, Myhre said.
But Hoffman allowed it, calling 33 letters that Hansen submitted from Bundy supporters new evidence that had come to light in recent weeks.
Hansen said the letters showed Bundy was honest, religious and “a man of integrity, who keeps his word.”
“He’s not going to hurt anybody,” the defense attorney said.
Bundy can appeal his detention order to the U.S. district judge who’ll handle the trial. A May 2 court date is likely to be pushed back after co-defendants are brought to Nevada from Utah, Idaho, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon and New Hampshire. Five defendants who were arrested in Arizona made initial court appearances in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Several people who face charges with Bundy in the Nevada standoff also have been charged in the occupation of an Oregon nature preserve that aimed to oppose federal land restrictions. A judge on Wednesday prohibited U.S. marshals from transferring Cliven Bundy’s sons Ammon and Ryan Bundy and others to Nevada for court hearings.
About a dozen Bundy family members and supporters peacefully demonstrated outside the courthouse before Thursday’s hearing. They were watched by almost as many uniformed Las Vegas police and U.S. marshals.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Poor Cloven. Who would’ve thought his bail denial would have anything to do with that light-hearted but heavily armed stand-off at his ranch? After all, he’s “a man of integrity, who keeps his word.”
I don’t think he likes being in jail and yet he will probably be there for dozens of years to come if he lives that long. He should have stayed on his ranch and paid his bills.
I hope we never see any of those guys back on the streets again.
Delusional to the max, this two-bit doesn’t yet understand he’s now behind bars for the rest of his life. Get used to it, Cliven. Same for his laughable big boys -what - 4 or 5 of them? The entire cabal of low life idiots will be behind bars, if not for life, for long enough time that maybe they’ll get it someday, or not. That is certainly a considerate way to treat your wife and family - desert them due to your blatant, flagrant, conscious ignorance and arrogance. They fought the law and the law won. Great song for Cliven, a real good Mormon family guy.
This baffles the hell out of me:
How are “letters from supporters” considered “new evidence”? Is this considered normal?
If I wrote a letter to the California Board of Parole Hearings a letter stating Charles Manson is “a man of integrity, who keeps his word,” would that be considered “new evidence” that he’s become a fine, upstanding citizen worthy of release? Would this help Charlie cross “go surfing” off his bucket list?
If so, I must remember to CC my letter to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles on behalf of Warren Jeffs stating the same; yes, I will include that he is also “a man of God.”
What kind of absurd bullshit is this? Any attorneys want to help me out on this one? NCSteve where are you?
The inevitable results of constantly saying you will defy court orders, and backing that up by doing so, is eventually a federal judge will arrive at the only logical conclusion regarding any future court orders, including bail or release agreements or promises to reappear to face charges.