St. Luke’s Hospital Lawsuit Against Ammon Bundy and Diego Rodriguez Now in the Hands of Ada County Jury
By Sarah Clendenon • July 22, 2023The trial in the civil lawsuit of St. Luke’s Hospital, et al. vs. Ammon Bundy and Diego Rodriguez wrapped up Friday and is now in the hands of the jury.
The lawsuit is part of an ongoing dispute regarding the removal of a minor child from the custody of his parents, which became known as “Save Baby Cyrus,” and included several consecutive days of protests in Boise. You can read the case information and filing in our previous article here: St. Luke’s Hospital Suing Ammon Bundy, Diego Rodriguez, and Various Other Entities Regarding Protests – Idaho Dispatch
David with the Idaho Dispatch was in the courtroom for the entire ten-day trial. Attorneys from the law firm Holland & Hart represented St. Luke’s Hospital. They used the full ten days to call multiple witnesses. Bundy and Rodriguez were not present and no defense counsel was present on their behalf.
This is a compilation of the Idaho Dispatch social media updates as the days of the trial progressed.
JULY 11:
Erik Stidham, counsel for St. Luke’s, in opening statements to the jury claimed,
“Ammon Bundy and Diego Rodriguez are cowards for not being here.”
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Erik Stidham released name of infant Cyrus during an expert slide of Dr. Wheaton. He claimed he would keep the identity of the baby confidential during opening statements to the jury.
JULY 12:
An anonymous social media post was used to allege that Ammon and Diego are antisemitic. One of St. Luke’s hired experts formerly of Center For New Community in Chicago made this claim. The post was written by a user with the pseudonym ‘Chad Natzee’ regarding the CPS case involving Baby Cyrus. It said,
“Chris Roth, that slimy Jew, is getting strung up along with everyone else who is complacent in the medical tyranny, DOTR is coming, faggots.”
Devin Burghart, Director of Institute Research Education Human Rights (IREHR), testified that People’s Rights Network is at the top of the list for their Threat Matrix. Burghart was paid to give expert testimony.
During Chris Roth’s [St. Luke’s CEO] testimony it was revealed that St. Luke’s Threat Assessment Team asked for local F.B.I. field office to monitor for posts relating to the child’s care team. Idaho Criminal Intelligence Center and Saint Luke’s Health System Cyber Security also monitored “doxxing”.
JULY 13:
Ada County Sheriff’s Department R. Krantz closed the courtroom to the public.
Judge Nancy Baskin argued with Attorney Erik Stidham, Holland & Hart, regarding admission of contents of entire Freedom Man website including comments, exhibit 351.
Judge Nancy Baskin amended Courtroom Decorum instructions and claimed the locked courtroom between 8 A.M. – 8:30 A.M. was a miscommunication.
Dave Jeppesen, Director of Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) [of which Child Protective Services is a part], during testimony claimed his agency’s support for Pride events is for “public health.”
One of the female juror motions to the Marshall she needs to exit the courtroom. Judge Nancy Baskin orders recess.
Stew Peters quote from Baby Cyrus Official Telegram Channel presented.
“This is war, and I’m not sitting in some foxhole somewhere waiting to be destroyed. I’m throwing the bayonets on and running at these satanic, killer communist leftists and RINO losers. Who’s with me? LET’S GO!”
Devin Burghart, Executive Director of IREHR out of Seattle testified that his organization uses software to compile chats, monitor, and record.
Dave Jeppesen, Director of IDHW, testified that Child Protective Services (CPS) in 2022 received 23,300 referrals, 9,300 screened, and 1,213 removed from home “came into care.” 62% return home to biological parents.
Jeppesen testified that he has cancelled parental rights for 1,400 children since 2019 and signed their adoption papers.
JULY 14:
Will Woods, St. Luke’s Meridian Security Officer, claimed in testimony that the individuals who accompanied Ammon Bundy the night of Baby Cyrus being taken to the hospital, “scattered like cockroaches” after Bundy being trespassed.
Judge Nancy Baskin admonishes Erik Stidham, Partner at Holland and Hart, for calling Ammon Bundy and Diego Rodriguez “cowards” in front of the jury during questioning Dr. Rachel Thomas. Baskin tells Stidham for the second day in a row to follow the rules of evidence and again voices her concern regarding hearsay. She also explains that repeating the answers of questions is slowing down the trial.
Judge Nancy Baskin has struck the female juror that became ill yesterday. Jury now consists of 12 jurors and two alternates.
Officer McGilvery, Meridian Police Department, claimed in testimony today that Ammon Bundy, while at the ambulance bay at St. Luke’s Meridian, was,
“happy to be arrested, those were his intentions of coming there.”
Judge Nancy Baskin, commenting on the quantity of exhibits presented by Holland and Hart said it was,
“overwhelming to the court, let alone the jurors.”
JULY 17:
Dr. James Souza, Chief Physician Executive, testified that,
“Absence of family is a direct threat to patient safety.”
JULY 18:
Mr. Abbondandolo, Senior Director of Security at St. Luke’s testified in reference to People’s Rights organizing a protest outside St. Luke’s the morning after Baby Cyrus was taken by CPS.
“I was surprised a group could function that quickly.”
Mr. Abbondandolo testified in reference to the social media postings surrounding Baby Cyrus, it was similar to,
“What we would see in domestic terrorism.”
He then mentioned his experience in Texas with the Branch Davidians.
Medical expert Dr. Wheaton of St. Al’s Pediatrics testified,
“The parents were responsible for the worsening health of the infant after the initial hospitalization. Specifically, the parents were medically neglectful with following the recommendations for feeding their infant.”
Dr. Camille LaCroix, St. Luke’s forensic psychiatry expert, has diagnosed Dr. Natasha Erickson and Nurse Practitioner Tracy Jungman [both are named petitioners in the lawsuit] with PTSD and Acute Stress Disorder from the events surrounding the Baby Cyrus CPS case.
JULY 20:
Beth Toal, V.P. of Communications and Marketing for St. Luke’s Health System, testified today that Ammon Bundy and Diego Rodriguez used social media as a,
“Deliberate, strategic, corporate level attack.”
“Their weapon was social media.”
“Sophisticated.”
“Nature of threat was something we had never experienced before.”
Jessica Flynn, CEO of Red Sky, expert witness for St.Luke’s on public relations and marketing testified that
“Idaho Dispatch is a small extremist outlet based in Idaho.”
“Disinformation campaign, intentional intent to deceive.”
Flynn testified that CISA, SPLC, IREHR were referenced to come to this conclusion.
Flynn also gave her expert opinion on damages suffered by St. Luke’s, saying the value and reach of the media campaign in regard to Baby Cyrus was,
“$23,171,917 Advertising Value Equivalency, 2.51 billion eyeballs.”
“The cost to St. Luke’s to repair defamation damages: a $16,775,054 Reputation Campaign.
Spencer Fomby, Howard University Washington D.C., Berkeley P.D. 20 years, St. Luke’s expert on extremism testified,
“Ammon Bundy’s PRN is an extremist group with a documented history of threatening and violent behavior.”
“Use typical extremist playbook.”
Fomby also said,
“The disruption of March 15, 2022 posed a serious risk of violence, not a protest.”
“The misinformation has recently taken on accusations of genital mutilation.”“The systematic doxing and harassment of Chris Roth, Dr. Natasha Erickson, Tracy Jungman and St. Luke’s was intended to intimidate and terrorize the plaintiffs.”
JULY 21:
Fomby further testified, saying,
“Examples of Radicalization: Robert Jones [is a] violent extremist, NATO Pyramid Model. Bundy made Jones a hero within PRN for his jail time. Carrying it open in a holster, it is meant to intimidate people.”
Dennis Reinstein CPA, St. Luke’s finance expert testified today:
“Present value of losses and costs to St. Luke’s Health Systems as a result of Ammon Bundy and Diego Rodriguez actions: $49,399,123.”
“Costs of new security personnel and equipment. “Tasers, Reflex Protect Spray Gel, Body Camera, Bullet Proof Vest, Drone Patrol Program – Total annual impact $4,640,203″ to St. Luke’s Health Systems as a result of Ammon Bundy and Diego Rodriguez actions.”
11:30a: St. Luke’s rests its case against Ammon Bundy and Diego Rodriguez. Holland and Hart prepares for closing arguments at 2:30 P.M. today.
Judge Nancy Baskin releases two alternate jurors from the courthouse. Jury is now in deliberation.
Idaho Dispatch will bring you the decision and results of the jury’s deliberations as soon as it is available.
Photo courtesy of East Idaho News
Tags: Ada County, Ammon Bundy, Baby Cyrus, CPS, Dave Jeppesen, Dennis Reinstein, Devin Burghart, Diego Rodriguez, Erik Stidham, Freedom Man Press, Holland and Hart, IDHW, Jessica Flynn, Lynn Norton, Nancy Baskin, Peoples Rights Network, PRN, Spencer Fomby, St. Lukes, Stew Peters, Will Woods
19 thoughts on “St. Luke’s Hospital Lawsuit Against Ammon Bundy and Diego Rodriguez Now in the Hands of Ada County Jury”
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Can’t think of the last time I read a piece from an outfit where the “journalist” and rag covering the trial was presented as evidence of wrong doing in the trial w/o a disclaimer.
You prove once again the Dispatch is propaganda at best, downright dishonest at worst.
Kartfelts & Bundy must be getting tired of Trashcan Man’s shtick….
The only ‘evidence’ presented was that the paper was accused of being a small, extremist outlet engaging in disinformation with the intent to deceive.
Why do you think this attack on the paper is ‘evidence’? Evidence of what? Framing the paper negatively to sway jurors?
It sounds like you think hospitals should help seize children in the face of flimsy reasons and you hate children and families and don’t want them to be together. CPS is a money making operation, why do you support it?
Thank you for the unbiased reporting. I appreciate that Idaho Dispatch was present during the hearing and accurately quoted the statements made in court. It is quite interesting that St Luke’s would carry out such a disastrous PR campaign publicly. So many people in the Boise area have come forward with their stories of truly awful care from St Luke’s, but the hospital continues on with no regard to patient feedback. Instead, they embarked on this vindictive campaign and publicly further damaged their reputation. Donors have to wonder if this is money well spent.
Ammon defends freedom.
It’s St. Luke’s Chris Roth, some of the staff and a few at Holland and Hart that need to be put on trial for recklessly endangering our Freedoms.
I am praying that the jurors have sense. Imagine sitting on that jury and hearing how a peaceful protest and two men caused so much “harm” that some staff now have PTSD and these two men should pay upwards of $50 million. *eye roll* I pray the jury considers the damage done to Baby Cyrus and his parents, family and friends! Imagine the PTSD young parents have after their baby was wrongfully and terrifyingly stolen from their arms!! Funny how people (St Lukes, CPS staff) don’t like their own information being publically shared and self being defamed but they will go to the ends of the earth to share and defame others. *hypocrites* The jury should also see that with no defense “beyond a reasonable doubt” cannot actually be obtained. Praying these jurors are wise and do not allow themselves to be swayed by emotion born of lies.
All conservatives need to take note of all the people involved in this attack against Ammon Bundy and Diego. This is a direct attack on the freedom to peacefully protest.. one other point they had to buy all this protection and safety equipment because of what threat there was actually no acts of violence against anyone during these protests, except the arrest of the innocent. The American people, largely are not falling for the lies of corporate and political oligarch, and their lap, dog media.
Thanks for the recap, seemed like an unbiased write up for such an extreme outlet. Cheers
This is what happens when corporate interests elect politicians – and make no mistake judges are politicians.
Poor little st. Luke’s having been treated so badly by these two bullies. Especially after being accused of killing hundreds of COVID patients with their junk science medical treatments. The audacity of these two monster fathers trying to defend their Grandson from these poor hapless, I mean helpless doctors and nurses. Certainly all elected officials in this matter must feel violated by these two men speaking out for their rights. How dare this multi-million dollar gigantic news organization send a world famous reporter to report on this trial. Maybe trial isn’t the correct word in this case.
Regardless of the outcome of this “trial”, I will never ever do business with Dr Luke’s or any physician or clinic affiliated with them. This is my legal and peaceful way of protesting St Luke’s and those bought and paid for by them.
Unfortunatey, St. Al’s is just as bad. No real choice of hospitals in the Treasure Valley (sigh).
I had a couple of moments reading this account where I wanted to wretch.The lengths St. Lukes and their henchmen have gone to during this “show trial” is astounding. As far as the way they paint Ammon and Diego and People’s Rights Network –well, there were just a little TOO MANY references to “Domestic Terrorists.” IF the jurors only knew what our own government classify as a Domestic Terrorist: Veterans, People who voted for Ron Paul, those who fly the Gadsden Flag, parents at a PTA Meeting, literally ANYONE who exercises the 1st or 2nd Amendment. It is pathetic! I pray that the Jury in this trial sees through all of the vitriol leveled at two men with integrity who were just trying to save a little 10-month-old baby from being kidnapped and put into the CPS system needlessly. I hope they heard the testimony of Dr. James Souza, Chief Physician Executive who said that “absence of family is a direct threat to patient safety.” That is KEY to this entire trial. I PRAY FOR COMMON SENSE TO PREVAIL. On that note, I’m not going to hold my breathe — so many of our fellow American citizens are woefully ignorant of our Constitution and this is, after all, a Bill of Rights issue. . . which probably few, if any of the jurors understand.
I’m with you, Jackson!
“St Luke”…. this institution must change its name. It certainly can no longer be named after the Biblical gospel writer who walked with Jesus. I could think of several more appropriate names.
I sincerely hope the jurors can read beyond the BS that St. Luke’s presented. Great update, Idaho Dispatch!
All who read this and any friends you can get to read this, please go to YouTube and watch Ammon Bundy defend himself. Through YouTube he is using the only method he can afford to do so against the multi-billion dollar institutional power of St. Luke’s and its legal counsel, and his presentation is excellent.
Please also note that, contrary to widespread belief, Ammon Bundy was tried twice for essentially “domestic terrorism,” and was found innocent both times. There is obviously so much to the stories about Bundy than mainstream media will seek or share with the public. Let him speak for himself and present the evidence as he does so effectively. While Bundy was pronounced innocent once, his other trial was declared a mistrial with prejudice, meaning it cannot be retried, due the extra-legal, conspiratorial behavior of a federal agency, just as Bundy had claimed, that the liberal leaning judge in the case found reprehensible and soundly censured the federal government for allowing to take place.
The people of Idaho need to give this man a fair hearing. That is what justice is about, not who has the most money and attorneys.
Its sad when you see what big money can buy………………..
The “domestic terrorists” are the “St” Lukes personnel and paid lawyer who are terrorizing a family of their livelihood and maligning in the hundreds of peaceful protestors to boot. I witnessed the protests and peaceful they were… not extreme at all