OPB's This Land is Our Land

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 [email protected].

At the end of our last update, we recommended you check out the full hour that OPB's daily talk show Think Out Loud did on the verdict on Friday. The show got into a lot of issues that we think the This Land Is Our Land audience will find interesting — like how Harney County residents, federal employees, and the Burns Paiute tribe reacted to the verdict.

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

At the end of our last update, we recommended you check out the full hour that OPB's daily talk show Think Out Loud did on the verdict on Friday. The show got into a lot of issues that we think the This Land Is Our Land audience will find interesting — like how Harney County residents, federal employees, and the Burns Paiute tribe reacted to the verdict.

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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.

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 [email protected].