No Bail for Bundy

A federal judge ordered Ammon Bundy and other leaders of the armed militia in Oregon to remain behind bars without bail at a hearing in Portland.

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n a packed courtroom hundreds of miles away from the wildlife refuge that rightwing protesters first seized on 2 January, prosecutors argued that the militia protesters were “flight risks” given their well-documented criminal activities and anti-government statements over the past month.

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In a request that the judge deny the occupiers’ bail, prosecutors cited Ammon Bundy’s disdain for the federal criminal justice system in an August 2015 Facebook post in which he wrote: “There is no justice in a federal court. The feds have used the courts to take rights not protect them.”

  

Fine. Argue that they are criminals, but since they have a right to free speech, you shouldn't be allowed to use anti-government statements against them.

The suspects are all accused of impeding federal officers from discharging official duties through the use of force, intimidation or threats – facing a maximum sentence of six years in prison.

Is that all? If they're eligible for parole, shortening that time, I hardly think allowing them out on bail would be much of a risk. Except for LaVoy Finicum, who said he would never be taken to jail, and he's dead.

“It is not that we don’t respect the government,” Ammon Bundy said during the hearing. “In fact, it is just the opposite. I’m a federalist … My only desire is to protect freedom.” He also argued that the protest wasn’t violent: “There was never an armed standoff.”

Respect for the government should not be a requirement.  But, actually, there was an armed standoff from the beginning, and it's ongoing.

In the case of Shawna Cox, a 59-year-old occupier from Utah and the only woman who has been charged, Beckerman agreed to release her on bail – once the occupation ends.

I need more information. Is that solely because she's female? If so, that's an abuse of power.

At the refuge, one of the remaining occupiers, 27-year-old David Fry, posted another video update on Friday demanding that they be “pardoned” before they surrender.

Good luck with that.

This is the guy who was ranting in a post-arrest video, telling people to come and fight. "This is a free for all Armageddon! ... If they stop you from getting here, KILL THEM!"

Not helping the cause.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.