OPB's This Land is Our Land

We have a verdict in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge trial. But what comes next and what does it mean?

OPB's Anna Griffin and Ryan Haas answer your questions about the trial, the verdict, what went wrong for the prosecution and what happens next.

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at http://www.opb.org/thisland

Share your thoughts on the trial with us at thisland@opb.org.

Ammon and Ryan Bundy have been found not guilty of conspiracy. Their five co-defendants Jeff Banta, Shawna Cox, David Fry, Kenneth Medenbach and Neil Wampler have all been found not guilty as well.

The jury returned its verdict after some six weeks and less than six hours of deliberation with a newly placed jury member.

OPB's Anna Griffin talks to staff members Amelia Templeton, Dave Blanchard and Ryan Haas, who were all at the federal courthouse in Portland for the conclusion of the trial.

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at http://www.opb.org/thisland

Share your thoughts on the trial with us at thisland@opb.org.

After juror No. 4 questioned the impartiality of juror No. 11 in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge trial, the prosecution, defense and judge all agreed to dismiss juror No. 11 because of his past employment with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

OPB reporter Conrad Wilson joins OPB's Kate Davidson to explore who will be replacing juror No. 11, and how the jury deliberations will continue.

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at http://www.opb.org/thisland.

Share your thoughts on the trial with us at thisland@opb.org.

A juror in the trial of Ammon Bundy and six others sent a note to the judge Tuesday, questioning the impartiality of juror No. 11 because he used to work for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

OPB's Amelia Templeton and Kate Davidson talk about that note, and what it potentially means for prosecutors and defense attorneys as they await a verdict.

The trial of seven Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupiers is now in the hands of the jury.

OPB's Amanda Peacher joins OPB News Director Anna Griffin to walk through the final hours in the courtroom.

Then, the Oregonian/OregonLive's Maxine Bernstein explains what jurors will be deciding after weeks of conversation about adverse possession, the Constitution, the Second Amendment and who controls public land.

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at www.opb.org/thisland.

Share your thoughts on the trial with us at thisland@opb.org.

OPB's Amanda Peacher talks to journalist Leah Sottile about the last chance for the prosecution and defense to persuade the jury in the trial of the occupiers of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

In closing argument, U.S. Assistant Attorney Ethan Knight told the jury the evidence clearly points to a conspiracy to impede federal workers.

And Ammon Bundy's lawyer, Marcus Mumford, said in his closing argument that this is the jury’s chance to stand up against federal government overreach.

The defense rested its case in the trial of seven people who occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge earlier this year. The prosecution followed with a brief rebuttal case.

OPB's Kate Davidson and Conrad Wilson talk about the final moments of the trial before the case goes to the jury — including new revelations about government informants. They also discuss what closing arguments will be like before jury deliberations begin.

The occupiers argue the federal government can’t manage public lands as well as state, counties or private entities. They’d even like to see the land transferred. But that’s a pretty big political fight and a move environmental and conservation groups oppose.

On the newest episode of “This Land Is Our Land,” we look at the ideological battle for American’s public lands.

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at http://www.opb.org/thisland.

Share your thoughts on the trial with us at thisland@opb.org.

The last occupier at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was an outlier.

David Fry wasn’t a rancher. He wasn’t from the West. He wasn’t invested in the land transfer movement. He is a 26-year-old, half-Japanese computer aficionado from suburban Cincinnati, Ohio. He wore hoodies, not flannels.

On the newest episode of “This Land Is Our Land,” we look into Fry’s troubled youth, his mental health issues and what radicalized him.

Plus we get an update from OPB reporter Conrad Wilson about the latest news from court.

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at www.opb.org/thisland.

Share your thoughts on the trial with us at thisland@opb.org.

Four of the seven defendants in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge trial face a federal weapons charge.

Ryan and Ammon Bundy, David Fry, and Jeff Banta are accused of possessing firearms in the commission of a crime — namely, conspiring to impede federal employees.

But the defendants say they had guns for self-protection, and argue that possessing guns is just a way of life in rural America.

So how does the Second Amendment come into play here? What kinds of limits are there on the right to bear arms? And how do the differences in gun culture play out in the courtroom?

Plus, journalist Leah Sottile fills us in on the big week in court.

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at http://www.opb.org/thisland.

Share your thoughts on the trial with us at thisland@opb.org.

After three days on the stand, Ammon Bundy finished his testimony in the trial of the occupiers of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

U.S. prosecutors had the opportunity to challenge the narrative he presented to the jury. They took about 15 minutes.

On the latest episode of This Land Is Our Land, we dig into what happened.

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at http://www.opb.org/thisland.

Share your thoughts on the trial with us at thisland@opb.org.

Wednesday marked Ammon Bundy's second day in a federal courtroom in Portland to testify in the trial of seven occupiers of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

In this update of “This Land Is Our Land,” OPB reporter Conrad Wilson talks about some of the more notable moments in the day's testimony: the Constitution as a divinely inspired document, the reason why occupiers brought guns to the refuge and an impassioned speech by an Oregon congressman that gave Bundy hope for his cause.

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation leader Ammon Bundy briefly took the stand Tuesday in federal court to defend his actions in taking over the refuge.

He spoke about wanting to protect Dwight and Steven Hammond — two Harney County ranchers sentenced to federal prison for arson. But the testimony was cut short when the defense called a new witness.

In this update of "This Land Is Our Land," OPB reporter Conrad Wilson gives the highlights of Bundy's first day on the stand and discusses the narrative defense attorneys are trying to present to the jury about the occupation leader.

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at http://www.opb.org/thisland.

Share your thoughts on the trial with us at thisland@opb.org.

Karina Brown of Courthouse News joins us this week to talk about the defense's first witnesses. Then OPB reporters Conrad Wilson and Amanda Peacher talk to law professor Michael Blumm to break down the constitutional beliefs of Ammon Bundy and the other occupiers. www.opb.org/thisland

We dive into the opening day of the defense’s case for Ammon Bundy and six others accused of taking over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Then, we talk with Sam Levin of the The Guardian newspaper about what life is like on the Bundy Ranch in Nevada.

Sam Levin's piece about the Bundys: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/29/oregon-militia-standoff-bundy-family

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at http://www.opb.org/thisland.

Share your thoughts on the trial with us at thisland@opb.org.

On Tuesday, the US government rested its case against the seven defendants in the case of the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. OPB's Conrad Wilson fills us in on the final day of the prosecution's arguments.

Then, Portland defense attorney Kevin Sali joins us to talk about about what the occupiers and their lawyers will likely argue as they take center stage.

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at http://www.opb.org/thisland.

Share your thoughts on the trial with us at thisland@opb.org.

We take a look at the so-called patriot movement — a loosely-connected network of organizations that believe the federal government has overstepped its authority. We talk to Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center — who believes these groups pose a serious threat to the safety of our country — and Joseph Rice — who is the leader of one of the organizations.

Plus, OPB's Conrad Wilson and The Oregonian/OregonLive's Maxine Bernstein update us on the last full week of the government's case against the Malheur refuge occupiers.

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at http://www.opb.org/thisland.

Share your thoughts on the trial with us at thisland@opb.org.

In this episode of “This Land Is Our Land,” OPB’s Conrad Wilson and Ryan Haas talk about a major revelation heard in court: the government had an informant embedded with Ammon Bundy and other leaders of the occupation. They also discuss the guns prosecutors brought into the courtroom and put on display for jurors.
For more information on the trial, go to http://www.opb.org/thisland

The Malheur refuge trial is entering its second week, and the government is well into making its case right now. We’ve heard from FBI agents and government employees. On our new episode of “This Land Is Our Land,” we have a piece of evidence the government wants the jury to hear but the defense doesn’t.

OPB's Conrad Wilson joins OPB News Director Anna Griffin for a special mid-week "This Land Is Our Land" update to share what he heard in court.

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at OPB.org/ThisLand.

Share your thoughts on the trial with us on Facebook and Twitter, or by emailing us directly at thisland@opb.org.

OPB reporter Conrad Wilson and The Guardian reporter Sam Levin recap the victories and losses for the government and occupiers in the first week of the Malheur occupation trial.

Then we return to Harney County with OPB reporter Amanda Peacher. She talks to opponents and supporters of the Bundys about life seven months after the final occupier was arrested.

OPB's Conrad Wilson reports on the first witnesses to take the stand in the Malheur refuge trial: Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward and a man who was at the refuge on the day the armed protestors began their occupation.

We also hear about the testimony of a lieutenant sheriff who said one occupier encouraged him to "remove Sheriff Ward by any means necessary, including death."

Wilson joins OPB Producer Dave Blanchard for a special mid-week "This Land Is Our Land" to share what he heard.

Subscribe to "This Land Is Our Land" on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at OPB.org/ThisLand.

Share your thoughts on the trial with us on Facebook and Twitter, or by emailing us directly at thisland@opb.org.

OPB Reporter Conrad Wilson was in court to hear the opening statements from the federal government and the defense in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation trial.

He joins OPB News Director Anna Griffin for a special mid-week "This Land Is Our Land" update to share what he heard.

Subscribe to This Land Is Our Land on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at OPB.org/ThisLand.

Share your thoughts on the trial with us on Facebook and Twitter, or by emailing us directly at thisland@opb.org.

Oregon Public Broadcasting takes a deep dive into the federal trial for the people who led the 41-day armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

This week, OPB reporter Conrad Wilson fills us in on who was selected for the jury in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation trial.

Then, Wilson and OPB editor Ryan Haas talk to former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan about how the government might make its case against the militants.

We also respond to listener emails about the possibility of jury nullification and what happens to the people who have already pleaded guilty, if the defendants going to trial are found not guilty.

On Tuesday — the eve of the beginning of the Malheur trial — charges against one defendant were dropped. In this bonus episode of "This Land Is Our Land," OPB looks at why prosecutors decided not to carry the case against Pete Santilli forward.

Plus OPB reporter Conrad Wilson and editor Ryan Haas preview the jury selection process with former US Attorney Jenny Durkan.

OPB’s Conrad Wilson and Ryan Haas talk with Portland-based defense attorney Kevin Sali, who explains how defense attorneys go about trying to build a case for their clients when there is a mountain of documented evidence against them. Sali also explains why conspiracy charges are the “darling of the modern prosecutor’s nursery."

In the debut episode of This Land Is Our Land, OPB reporters Conrad Wilson, Amanda Peacher and former OPB reporter John Sepulvado take a closer look at the men and women charged with taking over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge earlier this year.

OPB's This Land Is Our Land covers the trial of Ammon Bundy and the other people charged with taking over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon earlier this year.

This week, the trial began for the second group of defendants charged in connection with the 2016 armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

To mark the occasion, we're bringing you a pair of interviews OPB reporter Conrad Wilson conducted with two jurors from the trial of the first group of defendants.

Curt Nickens, known as Juror No. 11 during the trial, believed Ammon Bundy, Ryan Bundy and Kenneth Medenbach were guilty of the main conspiracy charge in the case. But after Juror No. 4 sent the judge a note questioning Nickens' ability to be impartial, Nickens was removed from the jury, and deliberations began again. The new jury found all of the defendants not guilty of the main conspiracy charges.

On this episode, we hear from Juror No. 4 and Juror No. 11, and ask what the U.S. attorneys have to do this time if they want a guilty verdict.

A week after the verdict was delivered in the trial of the Malheur refuge occupiers, we discuss the consequences of the acquittal of Ammon and Ryan Bundy, along with five other defendants.

Did prosecutors in the Malheur occupation trial pick the wrong charges? Did race play any role in the acquittal of the seven defendants? How will the verdict affect the trial of the Bundys starting in Nevada in February?

We're joined by freelance journalist Leah Sottile, The Oregonian/OregonLive's Maxine Bernstein, and OPB's Conrad Wilson.

Subscribe to “This Land Is Our Land” on NPR One, iTunes or wherever you find your podcasts. Find comprehensive trial coverage at http://www.opb.org/thisland

Share your thoughts on the trial with us at thisland@opb.org.