Bundy brothers, 5 other Malheur wildlife refuge occupiers not guilty of conspiracy, firearm charges

Seven people involved in the anti-federal government occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge have been found not guilty of conspiring to impede federal workers from doing their jobs, including Ammon and Ryan Bundy.

A jury found all seven remaining occupiers not-guilty of all charges except for one charge that has yet to be disclosed, KBOI reported.

Ryan and Ammon Bundy, leaders of the six-week-long standoff in Oregon, along with several other members were also found not guilty of possessing a firearm in a federal facility.

A live video from the Bundy Ranch’s Facebook showed some supporters claiming that Ammon Bundy’s attorney Marcus Mumford was tased in court by federal marshals. KATU reported that Mumford was in US Marshal custody after being allegedly tackled for yelling that Bundy was free to go following the announcement of the verdict.

The Bundy brothers have yet to be released due to a federal hold over their standoff in Bunkerville, Nevada. Mumford’s insistence that they were to be released in Oregon is what led to the fight between him and federal marshals, according to KATU.

READ MORE: Closing arguments made in Oregon refuge standoff trial

“None of their conduct was directed at employees,” one defendant’s lawyer explained to KATU. He reiterated that there were no employees at the Malheur Reserve during the occupation and no threats were made towards employees.

Defendant Neil Wampler told KATU, “the verdict came back a clean sweep for all of us.”

“This shows the absolute folly that has been committed by the federal government,” he said and called the trial “political prosecution.” 

Wampler added that he had been worried about the results, but said “the government boys were so mismanaged and so incompetent” that the jury was offered no incriminating evidence.

Wampler said his next steps would be to support the Bundy brothers in Nevada, but in the meantime he’d like to “go home, see my son, walk around my town, walk my dog.”