Jury selection begins in Portland\u00a0today\u00a0for the trial\u00a0of Ammon Bundy, Ryan Bundy and six others. \u00a0They are charged with conspiring to prevent federal employees from doing their jobs\u00a0through intimidation, threats or force in the seizure of\u00a0Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in January. \u00a0\u00a0The Bundys and three\u00a0others also are charged with possessing a firearm at a federal facility. \u00a0Ryan Bundy and two others are acting as their own lawyers.<\/p>\n
U.S. District Judge Anna Brown has set aside three days for jury selection, and opening statements are tentatively scheduled to start Sept. 13. \u00a0The trial may\u00a0extend from 60 to 90 days.<\/p>\n
The refuge seizure ended when the Bundys and other leaders were driving to a community meeting and\u00a0police arrested them. \u00a0Robert Finicum, a spokesman for the occupiers, fled, crashed his truck into a snowbank to avoid a police roadblock\u00a0and was\u00a0shot and killed by Oregon State Police.\u00a0\u00a0Police say he was reaching for a weapon when he exited the vehicle and officers opened fire. \u00a0The seizure of the refuge had gone on for over 40 days.<\/p>\n
The Bundys\u00a0and five others from the Oregon case have also been charged in Nevada\u00a0for a 2014 armed standoff with federal agents near their father Cliven\u2019s ranch. \u00a0The three Bundys are scheduled for a February trial in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
Cliven Bundy drew extensive\u00a0attention after his sympathizers pointed weapons at agents rounding up his cattle on public land. \u00a0The U.S. government says he racked up more than $1.1 million in unpaid fees and penalties over twenty years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"