(Ken Silva, Headline USA) A jury trial began this week to determine how much money anti-government activist Ammon Bundy must pay to one of Idaho’s largest hospitals—but Bundy wasn’t there.
Boise news station KTVB reported that Bundy—known for his family’s years-long battle with the federal government over the use of land that the Obama administration illegally sought to commandeer from them—is refusing to participate in what he views as an unjust legal proceeding.
Bundy’s latest legal dispute stems from a protest he organized at St. Luke’s Health System in March 2022, after a baby at the hospital was allegedly taken into custody by child protective services for health problems.
Bundy’s protest led St. Luke’s to go into lockdown, forcing the hospital to close to visitors and reroute their emergency services. St. Luke’s sued Bundy and his associate, Diego Rodriguez, in May 2022, alleging defamation, invasion of privacy, infliction of emotional distress and trespassing.
After the defendants declined to appear in court, a judge issued a default judgment against them in April.
Bundy reportedly told KTVB that he didn’t show up to the damages trial this week because he was unaware it was occurring.
“The courts have become a place where the rich and powerful justify hurting people. I don’t care to witness more than I already have,” he said in a text to the news station.
Later, Bundy posted an open letter to presiding Judge Nancy Baskin that further explained his reasoning for not attending court.
Bundy said he originally told the court last year that he wouldn’t attend the proceedings. At the time, he thought St. Luke’s was only seeking $50,000 from him, and he said he thought a quick default would solve the matter sooner.
However, a judge that had been presiding over the case, Judge Lynn Norton, left the case open for more than a year and assessed damages to be upwards of $7.5 million, according to Bundy.
In a message that could portend violence, Bundy told the current presiding judge, Baskin, that he “will not allow” any of his property to be seized over this lawsuit.
“This is not justice in any way and I will not allow my property to be taken by force as long as I am alive and free. God our Father will protect,” he said.
“I have offered many times to give St. Luke’s Executives everything I own for peace, they have rejected these offers of peace and therefore I will not permit them to take all that I have earned in my life by force, nor will I consent while this matter sets the example of what will happen to others if they speak against the government or a powerful institution.”
Bundy urged Baskin to undo what he argued were wrongdoings committed by the previous judge.
His trial is expected to last all week. What’s follows that is unclear.
According to KTVB, Gem County Sheriff Donnie Wunder has declined to serve Bundy with legal papers at his home because “Bundy was too dangerous to do so.”
But the sheriff has reportedly backtracked on that statement, saying that he’ll perform his statutory duties.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
