LAS VEGAS — A Nevada rancher and states’ rights figure refused a federal judge’s offer to be free on house arrest during his trial with two sons on charges in an armed standoff with government agents that stopped a cattle round-up in 2014.
The 71-year-old rancher, Cliven Bundy, declined Wednesday to be freed while others are still in jail awaiting trial in the case.
U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro said Ammon Bundy and co-defendant Ryan Payne can be freed Thursday to home detention.
The judge also said another Bundy son, Ryan Bundy, can now split time between home and a halfway house while serving as his own attorney in the case.
The decision involving the four defendants came amid questions about whether federal prosecutors in Las Vegas have turned over complete evidence records to defense teams.
Libertas Institute Director of Development and St. George News contributing columnist Bryan Hyde, who has been in Las Vegas observing the trial, said there were some motions made in the hearing Wednesday morning that caught the judge’s attention.
“Apparently there was some privileged information contained within some of those motions … so she closed the courtroom to everyone except the direct participants,” Hyde said. “Something that came up during that hearing, that pertains to the government’s handling of evidence, in particular, their providing evidence to the defense, was enough that the judge reversed herself on a ruling that she had made 10 days or two weeks ago regarding pre-trial release for Ammon Bundy and Cliven Bundy.”
Hyde said the two had been considered by the judge and the prosecution too dangerous or too uncooperative to risk their being released.
“In other words, (the judge thought) they were a danger to the community,” Hyde said.
Hyde said he was not aware of the exact evidence that came up in the hearing, but it was apparently sufficient to cause the judge to reverse herself.
Hyde pointed out that the defendants would still be under supervision and have a curfew, so would not be “free men.”
“I don’t know what the terms will be,” Hyde said. “I don’t know if there is house arrest or under a curfew, like Ryan Bundy was granted just yesterday, but this is a very unexpected turnaround considering the hard line that Judge Navarro took just a couple weeks ago.”
Prosecutors are alleging that the Bundys led a self-styled militia to prevent federal agents from enforcing court orders that would have removed Bundy’s cattle from public lands.
Associated Press writer KEN RITTER contributed to this story.
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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.
About time let them out of jail
Yes, let them out of jail and send them to prison. They’re nothing more than common thieves and abusers of our public lands.
Now, we are getting legal reporting from Bryan Hyde! An intellectual lightweight who writes an insipid column is now giving his take on the legal process. Bryan’s understanding of the law would not fill a thimble.
It doesn’t take an understanding of the law to have common sense, but sometimes having coming sense makes it harder to understand the courts interpretation of the law. Unlike you, Brian is able to express his opinion without insulting other people. That attribute is one that is long in the making/learning. Good job Brian!
Bryan Hyde constantly stoops to insulting and name calling in his articles.
Where in the above article is he insulting and calling someone names?
Never said he did. Just pointed out the irony of previous commentor given Hyde’s propensity to demean those with differing views.
House arrest? That would be a joke. If they tried to get him once they let him out he would round up all his militia co-horts and have another stand-off. That whole bunch needs to be sent to prison and their assets confiscated to pay off what they have owed to the Federal government for years. All the taxpayers’ money that has been wasted on those good for nothings has to stop.
Unfortunately, what should have been an easy case has been continously botched by the government prosecutors.
If Donald Trump can get 3 black shoplifters off he should get these honest people out and let them get back to there lives as this was all caused by greedy Harry reid!
Can’t they all just get along….in prison.