Oregon Standoff Trial: Ammon Bundy Takes the Stand

Ammon Bundy, the man considered the leader of the 41-day armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, took the stand in his own defense on Tuesday afternoon. He was one of seven people on trial for charges stemming from the takeover.

Bundy, who brought a bible to the stand and was emotional and choked back tears more than once, talked about growing up on a ranch in Nevada that's been in his family since 1877.

He told the jurors that he was first drawn to Oregon last October when his father, Cliven, told him the story of the Hammonds - father and son ranchers who had been convicted of setting fires on federal land.

Cliven, who with his family, famously led a standoff with Bureau of Land Management agents at Bunkerville, Nevada - a standoff for which they face federal charges in Nevada - said the Hammonds were like them.

"I'm afraid what's happening to them is the same thing that happened to us," Ammon said his dad told him. "I won't fight another battle. We're doing the best we can to keep our family from going to prison."

Earlier Tuesday morning, Judge Anna Brown - with the jury not present - had told Bundy that he could bring up the events at Bunkerville but only to show state of mind; that he was not to try prosecuting the case in her courtroom.

Prosecutors had tried to prevent Bundy from bringing up the events from Nevada, saying that Bunkerville "is the evidentiary equivalent of Pandora's Box."

It was only when someone sent him an article about the Hammonds a couple of weeks later that he said that he got this "overwhelming feeling that it was my duty to get involved and try to protect this family."

He spent much of the night of November 2nd researching the case of the Hammonds. He said that the next morning he posted an open letter on his blog calling for help for the Hammonds.

Bundy said that he traveled to Harney County, Oregon and met with the Hammonds.

Photo Multnomah County Sheriff's Office