The 3,000 Hidden Pages- Why the Bundy Ranch Case Collapsed.

On December 20th, 2017, in Federal District Court, Chief U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro declared a mistrial in the Bundy Payne trial phase amid mounting disclosure issues, specifically because there were six Brady Rule violations, cases where prosecutors withhold evidence that could be favorable to the defense. In fact, 3,000 pages of evidence were not turned over to defense attorneys as required by law. After further review on January 8th, 2018, and after the government still failed to comply with the court order, Judge Navarro dismissed all charges with prejudice against the Bundys and Payne, although Payne had previously pled guilty in the previous Oregon case, finding severe Brady violations. Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Meyer and two assistant U.S. attorneys who joined him on the prosecution team declined comment. The judge's argument was that the government's failure to disclose evidence represented an egregious and willful miscarriage of justice, stating, the government conduct in this case was indeed outrageous. However, Navarro was quick to point out that the mistrial had to do with Brady violations by the prosecution, not the defendant's guilt or innocence. She also ruled that the Bundys and Payne could not have a fair trial without full access to the evidence. The news was met with cheers and applause from supporters as Bundy walked out of the U.S. District Courthouse with his wife Carol, a free man for the first time since he was arrested in February 2016 at the Portland International Airport in Oregon, and after his sons were arrested there. What happened was that prosecutors failed to share evidence about the presence of a surveillance camera overlooking the Bundy family ranch, Bureau of Land Management snipers placed just outside the ranch, and threat assessments done by federal officials that suggested the Bundys were not dangerous or capable of violence, despite their public statements and statements made in court. This flew in the face of sworn testimony given by the same officers who filed the official reports. In fact, contrary to the actual investigation files, federal prosecutors told the Las Vegas jury that the four defendants were at the heart of a part of a massive armed assault conspiracy targeting federal agents who were merely following a court order. Countering that, defense attorney Brett Whipple argued that Cliven Bundy and his supporters were merely involved in a spontaneous reaction to what they considered unconstitutional overreach by agents of the federal government, all armed and targeting them. The federal government had denied that claim despite the family's insistence that they were surrounded by federal guns. They had photographic evidence and witnesses to prove it. Navarro said an agent from the Bureau of Land Management had written of the Bundy family, they'll probably get in your face, but it won't lead to a shootout. This was not disclosed either. However, two others were indicted and convicted, including Gregory Berlson, who said he was hell-bent on killing federal agents at Bunkerville and was sentenced to 68 years in prison. The Bundys and Ryan Payne had all faced charges of conspiring to prevent federal officials from doing their jobs. In this case, that meant Bureau of Land Management officers who were trying to round up Bundy-owned cattle illegally grazing on public land. Payne had pleaded guilty in July 2016 to a felony conspiracy charge before trial in the armed takeover of the Malheur, Oregon wildlife refuge. No one was found guilty of conspiracy in the Nevada case. Patrick Donnelly, a Nevada state director for the Center for Biological Diversity said, my organization has been following the Bundys and their criminal activity for 10 years. We are absolutely outraged at the incompetence of the prosecutors and the Department of Justice in handling this case. There is clear evidence that laws were violated by the Bundys and the militia that they roused. Clive and Bundy responded saying, when since did the federal government have a supposed to have an army that comes against we the people? When did that ever happen in America? It happened on Bundy ranch, they stuck their guns down our throats. And that is definitely not what our founding fathers intended to happen in America. The whole world is looking at us. Why is America acting like this? Why are we allowing the federal government and these bureaucracies to have armies? That's a big question the world wants to know.