Oregon Standoff Latest: Sheriff Says: "I Hoped" Ammon Bundy Would Be Arrested

Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward was back on the stand in federal court in Portland on Monday, telling jurors that he had hoped Ammon Bundy would be arrested.

Ammon Bundy, the leader of the 41-day armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, could take the stand in his own defense as early as Monday. Bundy is one of seven people on trial in federal court in Portland.

Meanwhile, Judge Anna Brown, who is overseeing the trial, dropped possession of a firearm charge against one of the defendants, Shawna Cox, ruling that the prosecution had not made its case.

Ward, who had previously been called by the prosecution, was back on the stand - this time having been called by Bundy's lawyer, Marcus Mumford.

Ward was asked if he knew that Bundy would be arrested at a traffic stop on January 26th.

"I hoped he was going to be," the sheriff replied.

Bundy is expected to take the stand in his own defense later this week. He would be the second defendant to take the stand.

Last week, Jeff Banta, who was one of the last occupiers to surrender, described the final hours of the occupation.

Last week, Bundy's lawyer, Marcus Mumford, had said he planned to play a tape of a two-hour conversation among Bundy, Ward, and Ryan Payne.

Judge Anna Brown told him to pick excerpts.

Photo Multnomah County Sheriff's Office