Bunkerville Trial: Two Defendants Convicted, Mistrial For Other Four As Jury Deadlocks

After almost two weeks of deliberations, the jury in the federal trial of six men connected to the Bundy Ranch standoff at Bunkerville reached a partial verdict early Monday morning. Two defendants were convicted. A mistrial was declared for the other four after the jury declared that they were hopelessly deadlocked.

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The jury convicted Gregory Burleson on eight counts, Todd Engel on two, and was deadlocked on the rest. The judge originally sent them back to deliberate. The jury from more than three dozen witnesses over the course of the two month trial.

The jury failed to reach a verdict on the conspiracy charge for any of the defendants. It was also unable to agree on whether any of the defendants impeded or injured a federal officer.

Burleson was convicted of assaulting a federal officer. The jury did not reach a verdict in relation to any of the other defendants on that charge. He was also the only one convicted of threatening a federal officer.

The jury convicted Burleson and Engel of obstruction and interstate travel in aid of extortion but were deadlocked on the other defendants.

After the jury told the judge that they were hopelessly deadlocked, the judge instructed them to keep trying. When they came back again and said they were still deadlocked, the judge declared a mistrial for the other four.

Federal Judge Gloria Navarro said that Erick Parker, Scott Drexler, Steven Stewart, and Richard Lovelien will be retried starting June 16.

The six men - from Arizona, Idaho, and Nevada - were the first of 17 defendants to go on trial in connection with the standoff with federal Bureau of Land Management officers at the Nevada property of Cliven Bundy in 2014. Two of Bundy's sons - Ammon and Ryan - built on their success at Bunkerville when they seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refugee in Oregon.

The Bundys and five others were all found not guilty in the trial that resulted from the standoff.

While the Bunkerville standoff happened two yeas before the Oregon standoff, no arrests were made in the earlier case until after the Oregon charges had been brought.

The 17 defendants are being tried in three stages. The second stage - which involves Cliven Bundy, his sons, and other leaders of the standoff - is expected to go to trial in June.

The Bunkerville standoff grew out of BLM efforts to remove Bundy from federal lands where he was letting his cattle graze without paying for the fee. After decades of trying to either 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.

The six men tried first face federal charges including extortion assault, conspiracy, and obstruction. If convicted, they could face life in prison.

Photos via Multnomah County Sheriff's Office