BOISE, Idaho — Former Idaho gubernatorial candidate and anti-government activist Ammon Bundy was arraigned in Ada County Court Tuesday morning based on a civil contempt complaint filed by St. Luke's Health System.
District Judge Lynn Norton of Idaho’s 4th Judicial District issued a warrant for Bundy's arrest after he allegedly violated court orders instructing him to stop intimidating and making defamatory statements about St. Luke's, its staff and others. Bundy was arrested in Gem County on Aug. 11 at a football fundraiser and later posted a $10,000 bond.
St. Luke's originally sued Bundy after days-long protests over a child protective services case took place outside the Meridian and Boise hospital locations in March of 2022. Bundy and members of his organization, the People's Rights Network, blocked ambulance bays and attempted to enter the hospital to take the child back from doctors who were evaluating his health and well-being after they determined he was extremely malnourished. St. Luke's said in their original lawsuit that Bundy and others were part of a mass effort to disrupt the hospital's business through false statements and defamation.
Bundy and his associate Diego Rodriguez were found liable at the end of a jury trial on July 24 and ordered to pay more than $52 million in damages to the hospital and other plaintiffs listed in the lawsuit.
During his arraignment Tuesday, 4th District Judge Nancy Baskin entered a denial for Bundy, as it is a civil case. However, if the court finds Bundy is guilty of violating the orders, he could be criminally sanctioned -- meaning, the judge could issue a type of criminal punishment.
His trial in the contempt case is set for Oct. 2 at 8:30 a.m. in Ada County, expected to last up to four days.
Bundy could face up to six months in jail as the highest form of criminal sanction, Baskin said, but that doesn't mean that's what Bundy will actually receive. Under Idaho law, the penalty for each act is a $5,000 fine and/or five days in jail. It's unknown how many times St. Luke's alleges Bundy violated the court order, but if Bundy violated it multiple times, each violation will add up to a unified penalty amount of fines and jail time.
Bundy had around 20-25 supporters in the courtroom with him, some of whom were questioning the judge from the audience. Baskin had asked Bundy if there was a lawyer with him to represent the People's Rights Network, to which the supporters replied, "we do." One woman told Baskin, "You need to understand what Peoples' Rights Network really is."
Some quietly sat with tape over their mouths with the words, "no speech" written on it with a dark marker.
Bundy asked Baskin to read each affidavit filed in the complaint, including one filed by former Boise Police Capt. Spencer Fomby, who wrote that the network is purposely issuing disinformation to incite fear and create violence. Baskin read each page and paragraph word for word, which took over a half an hour.
After multiple questions from Bundy, which took around another hour, Baskin asked if Bundy would like to apply for a public defender. She strongly advised against Bundy representing himself.
Bundy said he'd consider representation, but told the court that "very few attorneys" are willing to defend their client and "stand up to a judge."
As St. Luke's attorney Erik Stidham and Bundy worked out how he will be receiving paperwork, Bundy told Baskin he doesn't want to make it "easy for them."
"They have turned my life upside down," Bundy said. "The last thing I want to do, no disrespect, I’m not going to make it easy for them to serve me or communicate with me."
After his arraignment, Bundy told the media outside the courthouse, "I've never threatened anybody, I've never intimidated anybody.... I have a right to speak."
He said the actions taken against him were "a true infringement on the right to speak, the right to assemble" and to take issue with one's government.
Bundy must file his defense of denial in one week, which can include that he was unable to comply with the court order at the time, lacks ability to comply with the order, was unaware of the order or that the court lacked jurisdiction to issue the order.
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