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Jury Refuses To Convict In Bundy Ranch Standoff
AP via Las Vegas Sun ^ | 08/22/17 | Ken Ritter

Posted on 08/23/2017 8:37:07 AM PDT by Enlightened1

A federal jury in Las Vegas refused Tuesday to convict four defendants who were retried on accusations that they threatened and assaulted federal agents by wielding assault weapons in a 2014 confrontation to stop a cattle roundup near the Nevada ranch of states' rights figure Cliven Bundy.

In a stunning setback to federal prosecutors planning to try the Bundy family patriarch and two adult sons later this year, the jury acquitted Ricky Lovelien and Steven Stewart of all 10 charges, and delivered not-guilty findings on most charges against Scott Drexler and Eric Parker.

More than 30 defendants' supporters in the courtroom broke into applause after Chief U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro ordered Lovelien and Stewart freed immediately and set Wednesday morning hearings to decide if Parker and Drexler should remain jailed pending a government decision whether to seek a third trial.

"Random people off the streets, these jurors, they told the government again that we're not going to put up with tyranny," said a John Lamb, a Montana resident who attended almost all the five weeks of trial, which began with jury selection July 10.

"They've been tried twice and found not guilty," Bundy family matriarch Carol Bundy said outside court. "We the people are not guilty."

A first trial earlier this year lasted two months and ended in April with a different jury finding two defendants — Gregory Burleson of Phoenix and Todd Engel of Idaho — guilty of some charges but failing to reach verdicts against Drexler, Parker, Lovelien and Stewart.

Prosecutors characterized the six as the least culpable of 19 co-defendants arrested in early 2016 and charged in the case, including Bundy family members. With the release of Lovelien and Stewart, 17 are still in federal custody.

(Excerpt) Read more at lasvegassun.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Nevada
KEYWORDS: bundy; convict; jury; refuses; ruling; searchworks
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Image

The stand-off between the Bureau of Land Management and supporters of rancher Cliven Bundy near Bunkerville is shown April 12, 2014. The BLM eventually called off its roundup of Bundy cattle citing safety concerns.

1 posted on 08/23/2017 8:37:07 AM PDT by Enlightened1
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To: Enlightened1

BTTT


2 posted on 08/23/2017 8:37:17 AM PDT by Enlightened1
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To: Enlightened1

That is gonna leave a mark. The people spoke.


3 posted on 08/23/2017 8:40:04 AM PDT by madison10 (Pray for President Trump and Israel.)
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To: Enlightened1

Refused to convict?!? WTF?! It is called acquittal, not guilty, innocent. But in liberal land it is failure to rubber stamp the pre-determined result.


4 posted on 08/23/2017 8:40:34 AM PDT by FlipWilson
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To: Enlightened1
"Random people off the streets, these jurors, they told the government again that we're not going to put up with tyranny,"

Worth repeating...

"Random people off the streets, these jurors, they told the government again that we're not going to put up with tyranny,"

5 posted on 08/23/2017 8:41:45 AM PDT by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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To: Enlightened1

Big smile!!!


6 posted on 08/23/2017 8:43:42 AM PDT by A Navy Vet (I'm not Islamophobic - I'm Islamonauseous. Plus LGBTQxyz nauseous.)
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To: FlipWilson
"Refused to convict?!? WTF?! It is called acquittal, not guilty, innocent."

Because the jury could not come to agreement on some of the charges and were hung. Thus, not all verdicts were not guilty but no verdicts were guilty. I think that's why they phrased it that way.

7 posted on 08/23/2017 8:44:12 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: Enlightened1

They didn’t “refuse”. They didn’t believe the government, with good reason.


8 posted on 08/23/2017 8:44:13 AM PDT by Paladin2 (No spelchk nor wrong word auto substition on mobile dev. Please be intelligent and deal with it....)
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To: Enlightened1

In this case the government stepped in it, and is still tracking it around to this day.

These heavy handed tactics for no apparent “real bonified” reason, need to stop.

The public has spoken.

Knock it off! FBI, this means you! Got it?

Nope, they didn’t...


9 posted on 08/23/2017 8:44:28 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (Exempting Trump and his team, our media and government have adopted the Zoolander management style.)
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To: Enlightened1

the third time’s the charm


10 posted on 08/23/2017 8:44:41 AM PDT by teeman8r (Armageddon won't be pretty, but it's not like it's the end of the world.)
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To: Enlightened1

I think the government made a tactical mistake here. By pursuing these defendants and thereby taking the chance a jury would find many defendants innocent (and others at least not guilty) they have publicized what amounts to jury nullification to the jury pool they will need to use for cases that had higher chances of returning a guilty verdict.
If you are going to impose your will on uncooperative individuals you need to be smarter about it.


11 posted on 08/23/2017 8:45:30 AM PDT by conejo99
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To: Enlightened1

America has become such a crazy place that when The Establishment arbitrarily decides to steal all your land and animals the citizenry has a few questions about it.

My word, I’m so surprised.

It is almost getting to the point where you cannot with complete impunity burn down a huge Church known to contain almost 100 worshippers including 20 kids, just because they’re brand of Christianity slightly differs from the one Da Gummint had or pretended to have 60 years ago.


12 posted on 08/23/2017 8:49:17 AM PDT by gaijin
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To: gaijin

Their


13 posted on 08/23/2017 8:49:43 AM PDT by gaijin
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To: Enlightened1; goodnesswins; PROCON; Twotone; VeryFRank; Clinging Bitterly; Rio; aimhigh; ...

If you would like more information about what's happening in Oregon, please FReepmail me.

Please send me your name by FReepmail if you want to be on this list.

14 posted on 08/23/2017 8:52:07 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: conejo99; ExTexasRedhead

If Sessions has a shred of decency, which is an open question given his recent “interference” with these trials via his big mouth, he will call off the dogs and free everyone involved. Ditto for the two Oregon ranchers who are still in jail for setting controlled burns to protect their property and livestock. Perhaps Sessions needs a
“come to Jesus” meeting with Trump on this subject because he seems to be unable to function as a normal human being.


15 posted on 08/23/2017 8:52:53 AM PDT by vette6387
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To: FlipWilson

“...but in liberal land it is failure to rubber stamp the
pre-determined result...”

Maybe the liberal scu&bags are beginning to realize that their enforced subversion is being recognized for what it is.

IMHO


16 posted on 08/23/2017 8:52:53 AM PDT by ripley (ually to)
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To: Enlightened1

Bttt.

5.56mm


17 posted on 08/23/2017 8:55:48 AM PDT by M Kehoe
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To: circlecity
However, since they're innocent until proven guilty, that means they remain innocent. The substantive difference is the government may try -- yet again -- to try them on the hung counts.
18 posted on 08/23/2017 8:55:53 AM PDT by FredZarguna (And what Rough Beast, its hour come 'round at last, slouches toward Fifth Avenue to be born?)
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To: FlipWilson

The Jury can legally do this is my understanding.


19 posted on 08/23/2017 8:56:00 AM PDT by Enlightened1
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To: gaijin

The pendulum is swinging the other way.


20 posted on 08/23/2017 8:56:26 AM PDT by Enlightened1
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