Friday, July 15, 2016

Harney County Residents: “Danger and Intimidation” in Burns by FBI “militarized zone;” agents “aggressive and threatening” with “fingers on triggers”

In support of their motion for release, Ammon Bundy’s attorneys attached 22 affidavits of witnesses who rebutted the government narrative that the refuge was damaged by the protestors and that the protesters were intimidating.  The defense contends through these witnesses that the government siege of Harney County was intimidating to residents and visitors alike.

[Download affidavits here.]

Agents had hands on gun holsters

A 65-year-old, lifetime resident of Harney County swore that he visited the refuge a number of times and “found the people there to be friendly.” He said that “[t]hey did not stop anyone from coming or going, and anyone was welcome to go there and talk with them.”

FBI Agents in Harney County
He argued that “the town of Burns became occupied with dozens of heavily armed government troops.” 

He that approximately three days after LaVoy Finnicum’s death, he had engine problems and pulled over and popped the hood to inspect it near the Grange Hall.  He said that he was “soon approached by armed government agents. The agents had their hands on their gun holsters, and the holsters appeared to be unsnapped.”

“A Militarized Zone”

Another Harney County resident, a woman, was curious about the protest and visited the refuge in January.  She “found the people gathered at the Refuge” to be “nonthreatening and very friendly.” She said that no one was blocking the entrance or stopping people from coming and going.  She also observed that the “place was very clean and well maintained.”

She contrasted that experience with the “danger and intimidation” in Burns due to the “armed FBI agents [who] took over the town and turned it into a militarized zone.” She saw more guns on the FBI agents around town than among the people at the refuge. 

Refuge never barricaded; open to all comers

A Harney County rancher swore that the refuge was never barricaded and the public “always had an unfettered right to enter the Refuge at any time and to stay as long as anyone wanted to.” He also pointed out that it was customary to go armed to the refuge and to open carry rifles, which doesn’t alarm the surrounding community. 

The three times he visited during the protest he saw no guns displayed and he “walked and drove freely around the place.” He contrasted that to the government occupation of Harney County which “was being swarmed by hundreds of heavily-armed government agents of all types. [He] saw many dozens of military-style law enforcement vehicles around Burns” and three “Blackhawk-style military government helicopters in Harney County.”

Governments agents brandished firearms recklessly

He saw dangerous posturing by government agents at the Harney County Courthouse, recklessly brandishing firearms, many with “fingers on the triggers” that “appeared aggressive and threatening.”

USFWS Employee Not Impeded?

An Idaho “citizen journalist” claimed to have seen a uniformed US Fish and Wildlife Service  employee at the refuge talking to Ryan Bundy. That USFWS man “then casually walked to his US government vehicle and drove away.”

Aggressive FBI Agents Around Town
Another man claimed that FBI agents “appeared to drive like reckless drunk drivers, speeding up behind people and then slamming on their brakes.” He felt that the refuge was the “safest place to be in Harney County” during the occupation. 

Burns’ fire chief, Chris Briels, echoed the sentiments of the other affiants, noting that the government personnel in Burns was “very aggressive” with armed snipers on the roof of the courthouse.  He resigned as a result.

A 15-year female resident of Burns “observed that the local Burns law enforcement officials, joined by federal officials exploited and wildly exaggerated claims regarding constitutionalists camping at the [refuge.]”  She said that “Burns became a Soviet-style police state” with government agents everywhere.

Occupiers Cleaned Up Refuge

Another resident of Burns said that the USFWS “casually displayed Indian artifacts out front in the elements” and that the “condition of the place at the refuge improved and got cleaner during the four times that [he] visited during the occupation.”

A rancher from Harney County had observed the refuge before the occupation and stated that the facilities were “extremely filthy” and that “the government had allowed equipment and facilities to become deteriorated and in disrepair.”  He juxtaposed that with the protestors who “were busily cleaning up and fixing the facilities.”


A 48-year-old Cherokee/Choctaw man signed an affidavit claiming he had experience in indigenous toolmaking and stated that he was featured in a documentary on Oregon Public Broadcasting.  He swore that the Malheur Wildlife Refute “was never known as a significant or sacred Paiute Indian camping, settlement, or burial ground.”  He stated that it was no more significant than the rest of Harney County.

Release Hearing Pending

Next up for the Bundy Brothers is a new release hearing before District Court Judge Jones. 

[Download affidavits here.]

18 comments:

  1. Wait I thought you were out of this case...

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    1. We are. This was filed by Philpot and Mumford, although the affidavits were completed in March/April.

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  2. I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday so I know these witness accounts will mean the same as the witness accounts of many things. Flight 800 for example. Hundreds of eye witnesses that watched the demise of that flight were all dismissed and discredited until it was as if not a single sole saw a thing. I listened to eye witness accounts of the disaster for hours the evening it happened. None of those people had any motive for lying about it. All of them were told "that isn't what you saw, this is what you saw". Within two weeks every single one of them may as well have been called liars (essentially that is exactly what was done) . The witnesses at Burns may as well just admit they are liars right now because that is what they will all be labeled by the end of the day. I listened to these people of Burns as well at it happened, day by day. It is beyond sad how so many eye witness accounts will be buried like cattle killed by the BLM at the Bundy Ranch. Pathetic.

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  3. It is time to arrest so called agents...they do not supercede the citizens or Sheriff and no where in the Constitution does it say feds may be armed in any state.

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  4. This is typical Government against citizens of this country. Those who do this dirty work for this communist government are destroying their own freedom and do not realize it.

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  5. So the sheep just post. I hope it make everyone feel so good. Some sheep will wake up and take arms against this F-up Federal Government. Like the BLM

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  6. What we need is a convention of states and a major abolishment of most Federal org.'s.

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    1. DaveMan50 I am a supporter of the Patriot movement. I ask that you read and understand what is possible if an Art V is done. Do you and others realize that once they are in session that they can change, delete, abolish, amemd, totally throw away all of the items in the Constitution? Yes it is true. What the snakeoil salesmen are telling you is yet another hustle. And BTW..they can pick ANY one to be at the Art V. So that means there could be a majority of reps there that you or I would Not want. I loved KrisAnne Hall's Constitutional education on this. There is a 5 part series on YouTube. Hope I am helping. I hope that you sir will take the time to learn for yourself what I have said here. God Bless this mess and God Bless Patriots.

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  7. Too bad the videos show otherwise

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  8. Mike Arnold, I'm curious how you came to the conclusion that Emory Coons- a white guy with no Native American ancestry whatsoever - is "a 48 year old Cherokee/Choctaw woman." It boggles the mind that you write articles so blatantly factually incorrect.

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    1. He sore that "I am of mixed European and Native American descent, being part Cherokee and Choctaw." If fixed the "woman" reference. Thank you.

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    2. Emory Coons lied. He is of European ancestry and falsely claims expertise in Native American culture. Emory Coons uses shameless, self-serving cultural appropriation to promote his business. He should never have been asked to give a witness statement regarding whether or not Paiute burial grounds exist at Malheur NWR. It's pathetic, disgusting, offensive, and completely fabricated. Why such "testimony" is presented in defense of the Bundy gang is beyond me.

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  9. Thank you Mr. Arnold for staying the course...we need nore attorneys such as yourself. ❤❤❤

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  10. Thank you Mr. Arnold for staying the course...we need nore attorneys such as yourself. ❤❤❤

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