Judge declares mistrial in Nevada Bundy ranch case

A federal judge declared a mistrial Monday for four men accused of participating in the 2014 armed standoff at Cliven Bundy’s ranch in Nevada. 

Federal Judge Gloria Navarro ended the case after the jury told her they were “hopelessly deadlocked” on charges against the four defendants, even after she told them to return to deliberations hours earlier, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported. 

On Monday morning, the jury found two other men guilty of some charges.

They convicted both former FBI informant Gregory Burleson and Idaho resident Todd Engel of obstruction of justice and interstate travel in aid of extortion, the Review Journal reported.

Jurors also convicted Burleson of assaulting a federal officer, threatening a federal officer and various firearms charges.

Those convictions will stand despite the mistrial.

A new trial for the four other men will start June 26, the Review Journal said.

The trial came more than three years after the tense standoff between scores of self-styled militia members from around the country and federal law enforcement officers.

Bundy owed more than $1 million in fees and penalties for grazing his cattle on federal Bureau of Land Management property for decades, and officials tried unsuccessfully to remove his cows, prompting the standoff. The government eventually backed down, though later arrested various people involved.

It was supposed to be the first of three separate trials scheduled in the case, but the retrial will now happen before the others. Bundy himself and his sons Ammon and Ryan will face trial later.

Ammon and Ryan Bundy were accused of being among the leaders of the early 2016 armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oregon. They were both found not guilty of various charges related to that takeover.

– This story was updated at 5:37 p.m.