Ammon Bundy Proposes Plea Deal, Judge Rejects and Orders Trial, but Then New Plea Deal Reached
By Sarah Clendenon • January 23, 2023Ammon Bundy has proposed a plea deal in the criminal case against him in Ada County related to his presence at St. Luke’s hospital in Meridian the night of March 11, 2022. Judge Annie McDevitt has rejected the plea deal and ordered the trial to move forward.
The incident stemmed from the removal of Baby Cyrus Anderson from his parents that evening by order of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. You can read more here.
Bundy sent out an email two days ago on January 21, 2023. In that correspondence he reports that he has proposed a deal in order to avoid going to trial, which was scheduled to begin today, January 23.
“I made a peace offering to St. Luke’s executives and settled the criminal case outside of court. Agreeing to a fine and a suspended sentence of 90 days jail. I have never done this before and it is certainly not my style. I prayed and pondered about this move for many days. I did not perjure myself and kept this agreement within the moral boundaries that all of us must live by as children of God. This was not an act in fear or desperation.”
You can view the entire statement here.
David from the Idaho Dispatch was in the courtroom this morning. Christopher McCurdy of Holland & Hart, the law firm representing St. Luke’s hospital in the civil case against Bundy, joined Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Chris Topmiller in discussion of the deal. McCurdy proposed higher penalties be imposed, including an immediate jail sentence.
Bundy’s defense included testimony that Baby Cyrus was in imminent danger by being held at St. Luke’s away from his parents. In discussing the elements of trespass in Idaho law, Bundy told the Judge that after more careful review of the video from the night of the incident, he admits St. Luke’s did communicate elements of the statutory requirements to him, which he did not realize until very recently.
He told Idaho Dispatch,
“In one of the body cam videos Eron Sanchez [The St. Luke’s Nursing Administrative Supervisor] says, ‘go to the designated area off of St. Luke’s property.’ I did not hear that when he said it at the time. No one did. Everybody who has gone through the videos did not pick that up either. But I began to transcribe that video and then caught it. This was just a couple weeks ago.
My defense in trial was going to be a necessity defense. Because the state took baby Cyrus from his nursing mother and the CPS, St. Luke’s, or the foster parents did not understand what was going on with baby Cyrus. St. Luke’s had misdiagnosed baby Cyrus multiple times. Ultimately another doctor diagnosed baby Cyrus later with Clinic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS). If baby Cyrus would have been taken to foster parents that night when they did not understand his eating schedule, his vomiting syndrome, his sleeping schedule or what to do to keep him from dehydrating, there was a significant chance he would have lost his life. The evidence shows facts of this because when St. Luke’s took him in at the Boise location and fed him bottles, he threw the formula up and when the parents got baby Cyrus back, he had a feeding tube down his throat and bruises all over his arms and legs where St. Luke’s doctors injected him with multiple needles for IVs. I believe it was not until his mother was allowed to go give breast milk that baby Cyrus began to recover after they took him.
Ultimately, I stopped the process of baby Cyrus going to foster parents that night and possibly saved his life or from serious medical complications.”
Bundy agreed to plead guilty to trespassing with the following penalties: a $1,000 fine ($500 suspended), 90 day jail sentence (89 suspended plus credit for one day served at the time of arrest), and probation.
McCurdy told Judge McDevitt that St. Luke’s was unsatisfied with that offer. Judge McDevitt commented,
“I’ll acknowledge this is a tough one.”
McDevitt then rejected the plea agreement, and ruled that the trial will move forward as scheduled. At that point, Topmiller requested to approach the bench. Bundy and McCurdy joined. Discussion ensued and eventually the judge retired to chambers to consider the additional arguments.
When the Judge returned, additional arguments and discussion occurred between all parties. Eventually an agreement was reached: Bundy would plead guilty to Trespass. He will be fined $1,000 plus $157.50 in court costs. Suspended fine $0.00. He is sentenced to 90 days jail time, credited for 12 days and 78 days suspended (will not return to jail). He is sentenced to 1 year unsupervised probation.
Bundy spoke to Idaho Dispatch right after the hearing today: (3) Facebook Live | Facebook
This article was updated with additional information at 2:15p MT, January 23, 2023.
Tags: Ada County, Ammon Bundy, Diego Rodriguez, Judge Annie McDevitt, Plea Deal, St. Luke's Hospital, Trespassing
21 thoughts on “Ammon Bundy Proposes Plea Deal, Judge Rejects and Orders Trial, but Then New Plea Deal Reached”
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The plaintiffs got what they wanted, a confession of guilt by Ammon Bundy. A confession that came by virtue of a gun to his head and the harm it would do to his family. This is not David against Goliath, it is Ammon against Godzilla.
This is not all true, Loren. Ammon watched all the videos from the night of the arrest and in one of them, quietly spoken, the hospital supervisor (I believe) can be heard telling us we were trespassing and needed to leave. With all the noise and confusion that night, no one heard that at the time. Based on that and his own personal prayer and seeking, he chose to accept the plea deal. Let us not dismiss his freedom to choose. Ammon knows what he is doing.
Don’t you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest related to the same St. Luke’s event? Unlike Ammon, you stood as he preached.
Maybe now the time is ripe for your own plea deal?
Loren, Sorry, I misspoke about Ammon’s reasons, based on hearing from friends – bad idea! That’s what I get for watching multiple group chats and trying to decipher what really happened. Please read all that Ammon submits here and elsewhere for his reasons for accepting a plea deal – I should not be speaking for him or anyone else. I do agree with you that this is Ammon against Godzilla, but again, he has the right to his own decisions and since none of us are privy to all the information available to him, we shouldn’t be second-guessing him.
Hypocrite taking a plea, telling his acolytes to stand when he does not.
Do as I say….
Ammon Bundy, November 2018.
“When someone comes to threaten your family, you stand in defense of your family and you call upon God to help you. In what ever circumstance is. Because history has proven especially in our last several decades that no rights are being preserved in the courts. In fact, they’re being taken there. Because what happens is this, is, we have a hope that … let’s say someone comes, that doesn’t matter whether it’s a federal agency or whether it’s an individual, come to take your, our, rights away. And then what do we do, we hire an attorney and we run up to a judge, and we say, “Judge, Judge! Will you please grant me the rights that I already have?” And the Judge, may go … he may very well be part of this, most likely is, part of this conspiracy. Now, do you think he’s gonna preserve your rights? No. But, what you did is you allowed him to make the decision of whether you’re going to preserve, or, be able to have your rights or not. You gave’em up. You literally gave’em up by running to the courts and running to a Judge and say, “You make the decision, Judge, of whether I own these rights or not.” No! When you know for certain that those are your rights you do not allow them to be questioned. And I know that that’s a strong thing I’m saying. But when you do that, then your friends need to come and protect you also. And it’s a duty of ours to do that. When we see somebody that is standing up for their rights, and we see that it is their rights, and we see that there’s a combination forming to take those rights it is our duty, each one of our duty, to go and to defend our neighbor.”
Chris, did you not read what Wendy Kay said about watching the video over again? Apparently, someone very quietly asked them to leave and said “trespassing” — I assume you are completely “without sin” because you are certainly casting stones! I wonder how much in the way abuse, threats, financial losses, harassment, jail time and harm to your family YOU would tolerate? This man is no hypocrite! He has ALWAYS stood up for those who have been unfairly and illegally targeted. Give him a break! A man can only take so much.
Ammon is experiencing consequences for his illegal actions, probably the first time he’s thought of those consequences in relation to his family. Next, he faces consequences for alleged defamation, of which discovery includes he & Rodriquez’ shady PRN/Dono/Freedom Tabernacle grift.
So, yes. I am free of those sins.
Leave it to the Judge of the Universe.
Chris, No one is impressed by your comments and many I’m sure not even caring what you have to say because it’s very clear that you are very lacking and have such envy. Envy that you could never, ever, get anywhere close to being the man that Ammon is. Argue it all you want, but your constant comments and belittling for so long now scream it very loud and clear. It’s actually quite humorous to observe.
Wholeheartedly agree
Who would you rather share a foxhole with—-Ammon or Chris?
Ammon
Chris, where YOU at the Trial? I was… you know not what you speak. When you spend as many days in PRISON/JAIL (as Ammon has) for what ‘he believes’ to be TRUE, then we’ll listen to you. Ammon Bundy is a HERO and a person we ALL need to follow and use as a ROLL model. If WE ALL did that, our Country/State, County’s and City’s would be a MUCH BETTER place to LIVE in.
It’s easy to cast stones when YOU’RE not the one being prosecuted.
Keep in mind ‘friends’, this is NOT OVER. The CIVIL Trial is yet to occur and could have much more long term impact to Ammon and his Family. I suspect the Criminal trial was simply a setup (to get the guilty plea) so St. Lukes could use it in the Civil Trial. Ammon needs our SUPPORT ‘NOW’ more than ever.
(also note, Ammon has no attorney or law firm representing him. The St Lukes law firm, (same one that Little, Bedke, etc, etc use for their purposes) has DEEP POCKETS and will CRUSH anyone who stands in their way.) THIS IS POLITICAL don’t believe otherwise. Do your research on trespassing charges. name me 1 case where the Defendant ‘suffered’ to this extent for this ‘supposed’ offense (unless it was Political) can anyone say JAN 6th?
If St. Lukes ‘really cared’ about the people involved (or about people at all), would ‘they’ pursue this course of action? As a medical institution, they are ‘supposed’ to care for people, help people, nurse and make well ‘people’. NOT DESTROY PEOPLE! I hope those involved at St. Lukes will do some SOUL SEARCHING and do the right thing. Drop this suit. Show some ‘compassion’ and understanding. Please…
Grocery Taxes, Communist Caldwell School Board, Inept Governor & Lt. Governor & Senate ProTem, Marxist Boise Mayor, Marxist University Presidents, Marxist leaders of St. Lukes & St. Als, Marxist, Non Profit Insurance Companies, Marxist Medias……
Ammon Bundy’s strengths would be appreciated right now if he’d been elected Idaho’s Governor to start the cleanup of Idaho’s Deep State.
This is why Idaho’s Deep State continues to try and continues to fail to bring Ammon down.
you got to know when to hold em and when to fold em, he lives to fight another
day go Ammon
Amen!
Everyone needs to learn about the great fraud done to all of us thanks to FDR and then things become clear. You are not ‘Americans’ living on the Land & Soil but U.S. Citizens living as slaves. Admiralty Law is law of the sea! Are you living on the sea? No! Wake up! American Common Law is law of the Land & Soil. When you are in an Admiralty court the judge is the captain of the ship and whatever that judge decides is your fate…you have no ‘rights’! You only have ‘privileges’ as a U.S. Citizen. There are many types of law [ecclesiastical, military, common, Admiralty and more] and these courts all have flags with a gold fringe! that gold fringe has meaning. It’s time to start opening your eyes and question things around you! When you learn the answers we can solve our problems!
When corrupt gov’t commits crime and voids our rights, it’s okay?
And they, and their colluding friends, have rules and rights we must respect, w/o question?
They have no obligation to protect or respect our rights, our family, pets or property?
And this has become okay to Idahoans?
Barb, U.S. Citizens don’t have rights! You are confused…your rights were taken at birth as a result of sending the birth certificate to the County Recorders office. They changed your status and then you were bonded and insured with the registration of that birth certificate. It is why your name appears in ALL CAPS on every government document you receive or submit to. You don’t own any property either! When you ‘register’ you turn over control to whomever you registered with…words have meaning and no one knows the meanings any more.
Many patriots paid with their lives at the founding of this nation. Many did not fight as far as Bundy and many did and many went further. The point is…..THEY DID SOMETHING!
We are revisiting a new founding all over again.
I can only guess at the pressure Bundy is under. This lawfare against Bundy is being fanned by MANY forces that see this opportunity to destroy him once and for all. He has stepped into the gap many times over to remind us what this nation is supposed to be about. It looks like there just still isn’t enough of an awakening in Idaho to recognize WHO exactly we are fighting. Too many still believe in the comfy gilded cage that we are trapped in. Too many are people calling themselves Republicans, who want to seem “respectable” in the Establishment light. I know many of them. You can’t carry a deep conversation with them before they turn and run. They have all had their Covid gene therapies (vaxxes) and boosters.
No matter, it’s gonna take some more stewing in the pot before the caffine from the coffee hits the neurons.
Bundy will have his day in the REAL court of law, and he will be vindicated. As for St. Lukes…..well, better strap on a BIGGG air conditioner.