Bunkerville Trial: Judge Tosses Case Against Cliven Bundy, Sons

LAS VEGAS, NV – A federal judge Monday tossed the charges against rancher Cliven Bundy, two of his sons, and a third man in connection with an armed standoff at Bunkerville, Nevada four years ago. It was a remarkable defeat for the federal government, which has failed to convict the Bundys in two states in connection with two separate standoffs.

"The government's conduct in this case was indeed outrageous," federal Judge Gloria Navarro said in her ruling.

"There has been flagrant misconduct, substantial prejudice and no lesser remedy is sufficient."

The judge ruled that prosecutors had made a "deliberate attempt to mislead" both the defense and the court about evidence concerning snipers, surveillance, and threat assessments that they had conducted.

"The court is troubled by the prosecution's failure" to turn over evidence.

Navarro's ruling followed her decision in December to declare a mistrial in the case after determining that prosecutors had withheld evidence that should have been shared with the defense before the trial had started.

At the time, she said she would hear arguments about whether to allow prosecutors to bring the charges again.

Monday's ruling was the answer to that question.

Both cases centered on the ability of the federal government to regulate land use. The Bundys argued that the federal government had overstepped its authority in both cases.

The Bunkerville standoff grew out of efforts by the Bureau of Land Management to remove Bundy from federal lands where he was letting his cattle graze without paying the mandatory fees.

After decades of trying to get Bundy to move or pay, they obtained a court order allowing them to seize the cattle.

Bundy and his sons put out a call for assistance and hundreds of supporters - many from self-styled militia groups - showed up.

No charges were brought in the Bunkerville case until after several of the defendants were arrested in Oregon after an armed standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Ammon and Ryan Bundy – Cliven's two sons who were also charged in Nevada – had led the takeover the refuge.

A months-long trial in Portland ended with all the defendants being acquitted on all charges by a jury.

Photos of Ammon and Cliven Bundy courtesy Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.