ADA COUNTY, Idaho — On top of a jury's $52 million verdict in July, an Ada County judge entered a permanent injunction on Friday against anti-government activist Ammon Bundy, his People's Rights Network, and Bundy's associate Diego Rodriguez, ordering them to stop making defamatory statements about St. Luke's and its staff.
Ada County District Judge Nancy Baskin granted St. Luke's ask for a permanent injunction against Bundy, his People's Rights Network organization, Rodriguez and Rodriguez' Freedom Man Press. She also ordered them to take down all defamatory videos and posts they've made over the past year and a half that have repeatedly spread disinformation and intimidated hospital staff.
"The actions and conduct of the Defendants have made our community less safe," Baskin wrote in her order filed on Friday Aug. 25. "Medical providers and other employees are leaving their professions because of the damage to their reputations, the invasion of their privacy, the harassment and threats of intimidation by Defendants."
The St. Luke's civil lawsuit against Bundy and Rodriguez stemmed from their days-long protest outside the hospital that resulted in the downtown location and the Meridian emergency room going into lockdowns. The protest, in March 2022, was over the medical care and child protective services case involving Rodriguez' grandson, "Baby Cyrus." The new order from Baskin pertains to the ongoing defamation and harassment that followed those protests and lockdowns.
Baskin's order comes a month after a jury ordered the men pay the doctors and hospital $52 million in damages. She said Friday that she decided to order permanent injunctive relief after hearing and seeing all the evidence presented in the trial over damages.
The judge found the defendants encouraged their followers to use violence, threaten, intimidate and harass hospital staff. Baskin said they want to damage the reputations of St. Luke's and its staff, invade their privacy, shut down the hospital and threaten harm to everyone involved in the case with Rodriguez' grandson.
She added that both Bundy and Rodriguez used this case to garner more donations for their organizations and Bundy's failed run for governor.
Bundy also faces another lawsuit from the hospital in Gem County, which was filed earlier this month. The lawsuit accuses Bundy of fraudulently transferring money and property to other people to avoid paying those damages he owed in the Ada County civil lawsuit.
Jennifer Jensen, lead co-counsel for St. Luke's, provided KTVB the following statement:
"St. Luke’s and the individual plaintiffs are committed to enforcing the injunctive order. Mr. Bundy and other defendants continue to make false statements about St. Luke’s and the medical professionals who provided live-saving care to the Infant. Despite the fact 24 witnesses testified under oath, thousands of pages of evidence were presented to a jury, and a judge ruled against him, Mr. Bundy continues make these false statements as part of their ongoing grift to get money from their followers and publicity for themselves. My clients will take all proper legal steps to enforce compliance," Jensen wrote.
If they don't follow the judge's order to stop repeating defamatory and hurtful statements, they could be slapped with another contempt charge, sanctions and more legal consequences. Punishment for contempt includes jail time and financial penalties.
"The Permanent Injunction also provides an opportunity for my clients to get third-parties, like the entities who host websites and YouTube, to take the materials done," head legal counsel for St. Luke's, Erik Stidham told KTVB.
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