LAS VEGAS (AP) — A jury has been told that Cliven Bundy and followers won an armed standoff with U.S. agents in April 2014 through use-of-force and violence "at the end of a gun."
Acting U.S. Attorney Steven Myhre finished his two-hour opening summary of case against Bundy, two sons and a co-defendant casting the Nevada rancher as the leader of a conspiracy involving militia members and men, women and children.
Myhre says evidence will show they had a common objective — to get Bundy cattle back from federal agents trying to enforce lawful court orders to remove his cows from public rangeland for non-payment of grazing fees and penalties.
Bundy doesn't recognize federal authority over land in U.S. states.
His attorney, Bret Whipple, will tell the federal jury in Las Vegas that no one conspired with anyone in what amounted to a peaceful protest near Bunkerville, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas.