Oregon Standoff Trial Latest: Bundy's Driver When He Was Arrested Was Informant

The man driving Ammon Bundy the day he was arrested at a traffic stop that left one of his colleagues dead was an informant who was cooperating with authorities.

Bundy and six and others are on trial in federal court in Portland on charges stemming from the 41-day armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The testimony Wednesday came mostly from state troopers and FBI agents and focused on the day Bundy and others were arrested.

The arrests — on Jan. 26 — came during a traffic stop resulting from a probable cause warrant.

LaVoy Fincium, an associate of Bundy's who had been acting as a spokesman for the group, was shot and killed when he fled the truck he was in and seemed to be reaching for a gun. A gun was recovered.

Oregon State Trooper Jeremiah Beckert testified that "Mr. McConnell" was driving and armed with a semi-automatic handgun.

Mr. McConnell is Mark McConnell.

Beckert said that when he arrived on scene, he saw a man he later learned was Finicum on the ground.

"As I got out of the truck, I saw a man in a cowboy hat lying on his back," he testified.

Beckert testified that he was told Finicum had been shot by law enforcement.

On cross-examination, Ammon Bundy's lawyer, Marcus Mumford, who had been told not to ask about the circumstances of Finicum's death, did just that.

"In fact, he was shot three times in the back," Mumford asked.

Judge Anna Brown directed jurors to disregard the question.

The judge had informed lawyers before not to broach discussion "of this very serious controversy. It is to come another day."

Ryan Bundy — Ammon's brother and a co-defendant who is representing himself — had objected to the judge's ruling, saying the court was "trying to control the narrative by barring discussion of FBI deception."

Brown made it clear this was not open to debate.

"You are forbidden to raise," she said. "If you don't follow the court's rulings, you will be removed from the courtroom."