Posted on 02/23/2017 3:57:23 AM PST by Nextrush
Over the objection of a prosecutor, a defense lawyer Wednesday asked Oregon's recently retired top FBI agent about his reaction to the jury verdict from the first trial in the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
"You do not believe the participants that went to trial in the fall of 2016 were held accountablem that's correct?" asked Michele Kohler, representing defendant Duane Ehmer.
After some hesitation and direction from the judge to answer the question, retired FBI Special Agent in Charge Greg Bretzing replied, "That's correct."
Kohler pointed out that Bretzing didn't testify during last year's trial of the occupation leaders but is a government witness for this second Oregon standoff trial......
Bretzing was questioned further about the FBI's use of informants or if he gave any approval for them to engage in unlawful activity while at the refuge, he said he didn't have direct knowledge.
Bretzing said he would have been "briefed on the activities of informants," but wasn't familiar with them by name, other than that of informant Mark McConnell.....
In contrast, FBI Special Agent Ronnie Walker, who was called by the government as a witness later in the day, was very clear. He testified that some informants were authorized to engage in "otherwise unlawful activity" during the occupation.
Prosecutors have said there were nine informants sent into the refuge during the occupation.
Walker, the FBI's trial agent for the case, said informants' range of stays at the refuge ran from two hours to 23 days.....
(Excerpt) Read more at oregonlive.com ...
The head honcho of the Oregon FBI operation, the now retired Greg Bretzing was brought into this trial. He did not testify in the first one. They got him to admit his desire to see the defendants in this trial found guilty unlike the ones in the first trial.
Oregon Public Broadcasting is working to get the subpoena for its ex-reporter quashed. The federal prosecutors want John Sepulvado to help their case.
They got authorization from the new AG, Jeff Sessions, for the subpoena.
bmp
If the Feds sent nine (9) informants into the Malheur facility, how many occupants were involved in the take-over?
What is the mix of Federal informants to protestors?
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