Judge declares mistrial in Bundy Ranch standoff case

A federal judge on Monday declared a mistrial in the conspiracy case against six men accused of staging an armed assault against federal authorities who tried to seize rancher Cliven Bundy’s cattle from public lands in Bunkerville.

The mistrial was declared hours after the jury convicted two men of multiple counts, but announced that they were “hopelessly deadlocked” on the remaining charges and defendants. U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro, in a last-ditch effort to encourage them to reach a unanimous decision, sent them back to deliberations.

But by midday, the jurors said they still were at an impasse, and a mistrial was declared. Navarro set a new trial date of June 26, which was initially supposed to be the start date for the second Bunkerville standoff trial against Bundy and some of his sons.

The six men in the first trial were accused of providing the firepower in a mass conspiracy to block authorities from seizing rancher Cliven Bundy’s cattle from public land. Among other counts, the jury was deadlocked on the conspiracy charge, which represented the core issue of the trial.

Gregory Burleson, an active member of Arizona militia groups who used to be a paid FBI informant, and Todd Engel, an Idaho resident, both were convicted of obstruction of justice and interstate travel in aid of extortion. Burleson also was found guilty of assault on a federal officer, threatening a federal law enforcement officer, interference with interstate commerce by extortion, and multiple firearms charges.

Bundy’s decadeslong battle against the Bureau of Land Management over grazing fees reached a flashpoint three years ago when authorities started rounding up his cattle. Hundreds of protesters, numbers of them armed, descended on the cattle impoundment site to protest what they viewed as federal overreach.

The first six men on trial faced charges of conspiracy, threats, extortion and related counts. Prosecutors say they used force to bully federal agents into abandoning roughly 400 cows that were in the lawful possession of the U.S. government.

Defense attorneys argued that their clients were peaceful protesters exercising their First and Second Amendment rights against a militant law enforcement presence.

The jury has been deliberating since April 13. The trial opened Feb. 6.

Bundy and 10 other people are incarcerated pending trial on similar charges. Prosecutors divided the defendants into three groups for trial. The first group, charged as “gunmen,” have been described by the government as the least culpable of the alleged co-conspirators.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Contact Jenny Wilson at jenwilson@reviewjournal.com or 702-384-8710. Follow @jennydwilson on Twitter.