UPDATE: The leaders of an armed group who seized a national wildlife refuge in rural Oregon have been exonerated in the 41-day standoff that brought new attention to a long-running dispute over control of federal lands in the U.S. West.
A jury found brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy not guilty of possessing a firearm in a federal facility and conspiring to impede federal workers from their jobs at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Five co-defendants also were tried one or both of the charges.
The Bundys are still facing charges in Nevada stemming from a high-profile 2014 standoff with federal agents trying to round up their father Cliven Bundy's cattle.
Ammon Bundy's defense lawyer Marcus Mumford demanded his client be released immediately after Bundy and six others were found not guilty Thursday. Mumford kept yelling at the judge and wouldn't calm down, so U.S. marshals used their stun guns on the attorney and then wrestled him to the floor.
Another Bundy lawyer, Morgan Philpot, says Mumford has been arrested.
The judge told Mumford that Bundy would be held because he's also facing charges in Nevada stemming from a 2014 standoff at his father Cliven Bundy's ranch.
After Mumford was tackled, the judge cleared the courtroom.
Meanwhile, the U.S. attorney for Oregon has defended the decision to bring charges against seven defendants who were acquitted for their part in the armed takeover of a federal wildlife refuge.
U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams issued a statement Thursday saying that his office had strongly believed the case needed to be brought before a court and decided by a jury.
Williams said while he had expected a different outcome he respects the jury's decision.
ORIGINAL STORY
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- An alternate juror arrived at the federal courthouse in Portland, allowing deliberations to resume in the trial of Ammon Bundy and six co-defendants.
The woman from Central Oregon known as Juror No. 18 replaces a man who was dismissed after another juror questioned his impartiality.
U.S. District Judge Anna Brown welcomed the new juror Thursday, and reminded the remaining jurors to disregard past deliberations and start over. She told them not to discuss why the alternate was needed.
The jury was in its fourth day of deliberations when Brown stopped them Wednesday.
The nine women and three men are expected to deliberate until 5:30 p.m. If there's no verdict, they will return Monday.
The seven defendants occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge last winter. They were charged with conspiring to impede Interior Department employees from doing their jobs.
