BOISE, Idaho — Following a two-week trial, a jury has ordered anti-government activist Ammon Bundy and his friend and business associate Diego Rodriguez to pay St. Luke's and other plaintiffs damages exceeding $52 million stemming from ongoing protests and harassment.
The verdict was delivered on Monday evening by a 12-person jury. Most jurors agreed that the two were responsible for causing harm.
Bundy, Rodriguez and their businesses will have to pay $26 million in punitive damages, used to punish a defendant, and $26.5 in compensatory damages, used to compensate for a loss.
On May 11, St. Luke's, their doctors and CEO filed a lawsuit against Bundy, his campaign and his organization "The People's Rights Network," along with Rodriguez, his blog "Freedom Man Press" and Freedom Man PAC over defamation rooted in a child protective services case.
Rodriguez's infant grandson was taken into the custody Department of Health and Welfare last year because doctors observed the infant was malnourished and dehydrated. The child was hospitalized first at St. Luke's Meridian and was then re-admitted to St. Luke's Boise. This gave way to days-long protests outside the St. Luke's hospitals by Bundy, Rodriguez and their followers claiming the hospital kidnapped the child and were engaging in human trafficking, causing emergency services to re-route patients and put the property on lockdown.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit say the two had given a concerted effort to disrupt hospital business, make false statements about CPS and the hospital and that its staff were attacked online. In April, a judge issued a default judgement, meaning the allegations could move forward in court against the two because they were frequently refusing to show for depositions in the ongoing legal action.
During the trial, one security guard testified the staff was barricading the doors of the hospitals as crowds tried to enter to get the infant back. One emergency room physician, who testified the infant was so malnourished he could die, said she was harassed so much online after the protests she installed security systems in her home.
Bundy and Rodriguez have still been absent from the trial, neither replying to warrants or appearing in court, but the show went on without them.
Bundy told KTVB in a statement after the verdict that he was embarrassed for the court.
"This confirms everything I have said and I am glad that I did not participate and legitimize the process," Bundy said.
Rodriguez said that he will appeal the verdict.
"Anybody with a brain or with 2 cents of basic understanding of justice knows that you can’t have an honest or legitimate trial when the defendant has not been allowed to bring evidence to the case. And when the judge has struck all of my answers from the record. And when the jury pool was tainted with employees who work for the Plaintiff. This case is teed up for a mistrial — to be thrown out by the appellate courts," Rodriguez said.
The hospital issued a statement after the verdict was reached, saying the jury's decision affirms the importance of protecting health care workers and that the verdict sends a strong message that condemns these types of actions.
“Taking legal action is not something we take lightly. But standing up to the threats, bullying, intimidation, disruption, and self-serving actions of the defendants was necessary. Inaction would have signaled that their menacing behavior was acceptable. Clearly, it is not, and the jury’s decision validates that fact,” Chris Roth, president and CEO of St. Luke’s Health System said.
The Western States Center, a nonprofit that, "strives to create a world where everyone can live, love, worship and work free from bigotry and fear," told KTVB the verdict is a "moment of real accountability."
"(Bundy's) decision to target St. Luke’s and to use inflammatory, dishonest rhetoric about the hospital’s actions endangered both staff and patients. This verdict shows that the courts have the ability to treat this kind of threat with the seriousness it deserves," The Western States Center said.
Both Bundy and Rodriguez still have warrants out for their arrests for civil contempt of court. Bundy's warrant amounts to $10,000 and Rodriguez amounts to $25,000, according to Ada County.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: