Jury Convicts Bundy Militiaman in Oregon

EUGENE, Ore. (CN) - A federal jury Monday convicted a member of Ammon Bundy's militia of illegally building and occupying a cabin on a federal road in Oregon.

Kenneth Medenbach built a cabin in Josephine County in May 2015 on a road managed by the Bureau of Land Management. He claimed "adverse possession" of 320 acres of land and refused to remove the cabin.

Josephine County is in southwest Oregon on the California border. Its seat is Grants Pass.

Medenbach, who represented himself in court, claimed the federal government has no jurisdiction over public lands and courts have no authority to interpret the Constitution.

Not surprisingly, U.S. District Judge Michael McShane rejected those claims. He ordered the cabin removed after a jury found him guilty of unlawful occupation and illegal camping.

Medenbach was a member of the militia that occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in January, and was the first to be arrested after the occupation began.

Two weeks into that occupation, police charged Medenbach with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle after he drove a U.S. Fish and Wildlife car to a supermarket in Burns, Ore.

Medenbach will be scheduled for the illegal camping on Aug. 1. He faces up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine.

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit