Lawyers give closing arguments in 1st Bunkerville standoff trial

Las Vegas Review Journal ^ | 4/12/2017 | Jenny Wilson

[Nextrush]

A federal prosecutor on Wednesday characterized six Bunkerville protestors as militiamen who heeded rancher Cliven Bundy's call to arms, while defense attorneys used closing arguments to portray the men as peaceful demonstrators who asserted their constitutional rights.

After six hours of impassioned arguments in a full-to-capacity Las Vegas courtroom, the first of three conspiracy trials resulting from the 2014 standoff in Bunkerville still had not been sent to the jury. Several more lawyers are scheduled to give their closing arguments when court resumes Thursday.

.....Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Dickinson telling jurors that the night before the April 2014 standoff, federal investigators intelligence information showed a buildup of militia "like they had never seen before."

The six defendants on trial are part of that militia, Dickinson said. Those six gunmen he charged, provided the firepower in a conspiracy to intimidate federal authorities into abandoning their roundup of Bundy's cows.......

"This was a protest, not a conspiracy," defense attorney Rich Tanasi, who represents Idaho resident Steven Stewart, said in his closing argument to jurors.

"How did he help Cliven get his cattle back?" Tanasi said of his client. "Protesting. They're protesting folks."

Stewart didn't travel to Bunkerville to commit crimes or assault federal officers, but to "exercise his First Amendment right to protest," Tanasi said. "And he did so with his Second Amendment right.".....

[Nextrush]

The "Kangaroo Court of Southern Nevada" was in full session yesterday with Judge Gloria Navarro telling the jurors that "guns" are "dangerous" and should not be used to resist the government.

That word from courtroom witness Kelli Stewart. A man with her stood up in the courtroom and shouted "treason" and walked out.

I support non-violence but have to admit it took people with guns resisting the government to give this nation its independence as I understand it.

[eartick]

I support non-violence but have to admit it took people with guns resisting the government to give this nation its independence as I understand it

As do I when there are children within 5 feet of battle field. After that, well. Our government is and has been intolerant of the People when they do not agree with "it" and express that feeling. Take the soldiers that camped out near the capital after WW1 (IIRC). That did not go well for them and they were VETERANS.

Blood and watering the tree comes to mind and should be exercised. Way too many weeds in the garden of America.

[UCANSEE2]

Why didn’t the ‘government’ treat the North Dakota Pipeline protesters the same way ? They were camped out on FEDERAL LAND and TRASHED IT, then SET FIRE TO IT.