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"jurors appeared significantly more attentive when W. Joseph Astarita, who identified himself as 'Joe Astarita' to the court, was sworn in about 3:50 p.m." Late today the accused FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita took the stand at his trial in Portland. Astarita denied firing his weapon and denied removing shell casings. He testified for 40 minutes today and will resume testimony tomorrow. Much of the time was spent responding to his lead attorney Rob Cary's questions about his family background and why he joined the FBI and its "Hostage Rescue Team"......

"The only thing I'd want to do is climb the ladder and look at the top of the truck" Juror in FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita's lying trial as quoted by Maxine Bernstein of "OregonLive" Today five jurors took a look at what's been called "Impact W", the bullet hole at the top of LaVoy Finicum's truck. The truck was presented as an exhibit by federal prosecutors as they neared the end of their case in the trial of FBI Hostage Rescue Team Agent W. Joseph Astarita, accused of one count of making a false statement and two of obstruction...

Defense lawyers fought to get doubt in the jury Friday over details of the forensic evidence pointing to W. Joseph Astarita being the once who fired just before Oregon Standoff protestor LaVoy Finicum was killed (shot in the back) by and Oregon State Police trooper. Deschutes County, Oregon Detective Ron Brown testified that Ryan Bundy would not allow removal of the bullet fragment in his body unless Brown was willing to file charges in connection with the shootings that day (January 26, 2016). Its believed the person who shot Bundy was Agent Astarita. A defense lawyer wanted Brown to help...

Oregon State Police Detective Scott Hill was on the stand today (Thursday August 2nd) at the trial of FBI Hostage Team Agent W. Joseph Astarita. Astarita is charged with three counts related to his lying about two shots fire moments before LaVoy Finicum was shot in the back and killed by an Oregon State Police trooper. Hill said he had a calm interview with Astarita, a short unrecorded interview hours after the shooting at 11pn on January 26, 2016. At that time Hill wasn't aware of unaccounted for shots fired at the scene.....

"Before someone goes and hangs this guy, think of this for a minute. The threat assessment reports that this guy read and all the information and all the briefings this guy was required to listen to were all lies from the FBI and Washington DC. This guy was told that the people at the refuge were the most dangerous people in American history..." Ammon Bundy's Facebook reaction late Tuesday 7/31/2018 to the revelation of the name of the Oregon State Trooper who killed LaVoy Finicum (Captain Casey Codding) There were only enough prosecution witnesses to last half a day today....

"He seemed a little overboard with his emotions....alnost seemed like a rookie to me" Oregon State Police SWAT Trooper Bob Olson describes FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita's demeanor at the site of LaVoy Fincium's killing during Astarita's trial 7/31/2018 "They testified today in court that there were over 100 militia.... That's completely false information. That never even happened." Jeanette Finicum (LaVoy's widow) speaking with talk show host Bryan Hyde 7/31/2018 A set of witnesses today was led off by Bob Olson of the Oregon State Police......

"I felt at that point I had to use lethal force" The still anonymous Oregon State Police SWAT Trooper ("Officer 1") testifies at FBI Agent trial 7/30/2018 in Portland. "Officer 1" (also described in the past as "Trooper 1") took the stand at the trial of FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita in Portland today. "Officer 2" (he has been called "Trooper 2") also testified. "Officer 1" described his involvement in the killing of LaVoy Finicum and had to face the cross-examination from Astarita's legal team which contended that he was likely the person who fired the two shots that Astarita...

"'Does it appear agent Astarita is holding his rifle?' federal prosecutor Gary Sussman asked. 'Yes sir', B.M. replied. 'Is it aimed at Finicum's truck?', Sussman asked. 'It looks like it's oriented towards the vehicle, sir', B.M. said." Maxine Bernstein "OregonLive" story 7/27/2018 The FBI HRT (Hostage Rescue Team) direct supervisor for accused agent W. Joseph Astarita only known by his initials "BM" testified Friday along with another agent John Neidert, who was part of Astarita's team.....

"Not to my knowledge, I don't recall" FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader Michael Ferrari explains when asked about the ammo magazine of his accused Agent W. Joseph Astarita claimed to have picked up at the scene He was only known to us in the past by his initials, 'MF', but today Michael Ferrari the FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader took the stand in the trial of one of his team members, W. Joseph Astarita, for lying about firing shots along US Route 395 in Harney County, Oregon on January 26, 2016.....

"We're going to have to shoot LaVoy Finicum" State Police radio message to "Trooper 1" who killed LaVoy Finicum as quoted by FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita's lead defense lawyer Rob Cary Senior US District Judge Robert E. Jones (Age 91) opened the trial of FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita by telling jurors to avoid social media and telling them the case is about three charges related to lying against Astarita and not the killing of LaVoy Finicum, the Oregon Standoff protester Jones called a "militia leader"...

President Trump tweeted tonight that all tariffs, barriers and subsidies should be dropped by both the European Union and the United States saying "That would finally be called Free Market and Fair Trade!".... CBS News reports that a law enforcement source tells them that Toronto mass shooter Faisal Hussain visited ISIS websites and may have expressed support for the terrorist group. They are investigating whether Hussain lived in Afghanistan or Pakistan.... ..a spokesman for Toronto's mayor John Tory says the city council is considering a motion urging Canada's federal government to ban the sale of handguns and ammunition in the...

A jury of 12 and two alternates, 10 men and 4 women, have been selected for the trial of FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita. The trial will start tomorrow morning in Portland at 9am. Astarita is charged with two counts of making a false statement when he lied to supervisors and one count of obstruction of justice in connection with his interview with Oregon police investigating the law enforcement killing of LaVoy Finicum on January 26, 2016 along Route 395 in Harney County, Oregon in what was called a "felony traffic stop". 91-year old Senior US District Judge Robert E....

Yesterday's decision to delay jury selection to this afternoon in the trial of FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita followed plans published online for a protest outside the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse this morning supporting "Justice for LaVoy". There were still protesters outside the courthouse by mid day. The FBI agent, now only faces three charges after Senior US District Judge Robert E. Jones.....

The gunman in last night's mass shooting in Toronto has been identified as 29-year old Faisal Hussain. Police say they have no motive. His family says he had mental health problems. Two were killed and 13 injured as Hussain, dressed in black, walked down a sidewalk through several blocks emptying clips of ammunition from his pistol and reloading before he was killed by gunfire. Its not known whether he killed himself or was shot by police in an exchange of gunfire. Its Primary Election Runoff Day in Georgia tomorrow.... The campaign contribution reports for the second quarter of this mid-term...

The first day of the trial for FBI Hostage Rescue Team agent W. Joseph Astarita is set for tomorrow (Tuesday July 24th) in Portland. He is now charged with three counts related to lying about shots he fired at a roadblock as the truck driven by LaVoy Finicum, spokesman for the Oregon Standoff protest, swerved to avoid it. Senior US District Judge Robert E. Jones threw out two of the five charges last week. Astarita remains accused of one count of obstruction of justice and two of making a false statement (correction to previous post). One last minute change in...

"Acting upon reliable information, a federal deputation laid a deadly ambush" "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde" as recorded by Georgie Fame (1967) It was indeed the work of an informant Mark McConnell, one of at least 15 used by the FBI at the Oregon Standoff protest, that set the stage for a massive FBI led "felony traffic stop" operation that ended up killing LaVoy Finicum and injuring Ryan Bundy on January 26, 2016 along US Route 395 in Harney County, Oregon. Between the mainstream media and their own sources of biased information like former Bureau of Land Management Special...

With jury selection slated to start next Tuesday, US District Judge Robert E. Jones suddenly moved today to dismiss two of the five counts against FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita. Astarita is accused of lying about shooting at Oregon Standoff protestor LaVoy Finicum moments before Oregon State Police killed him. Jones dropped one of two counts of making a false statement saying Astarita's flippant remark to a supervisor who asked "Did you shoot?"...

The defense lawyers and prosecutors are trying to get what they want in and out of the upcoming trial of FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita, accused of lying about two shots he fired moments before Oregon State Police killed Oregon Standoff protester LaVoy Finicum on January 26, 2016. A federal judge ruled last week that prosecutors won't have to share records on three earlier shootings involving an Oregon State Police SWAT trooper. Defense lawyers want to argue that it was the Oregon trooper who fired the two shots Astarita is accused of lying about and they had hoped to use...

"All glory goes to our Heavenly Father for this tender mercy! This is a step in the right direction lets remember those still suffering whom went to expose the atrocities of the Hammonds" Ammon Bundy Facebook Post 7/10/2018 "Today President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Grants of Clemency (Full Pardons) for Dwight Lincoln Hammond Jr., and his son, Steven Hammond" White House Press Release 7/10/2018 Word of the pardons came down around 10am this morning Eastern time. The White House says they are full pardons, not a commutation of sentences. The White House issued a statement that read in part:...

On June 8th it was posted on this blog that the office of White House Counsel Don McGahn had a request for the pardon of Dwight and Steven Hammond under review. This was reported by Portland media outlet KATU. Yesterday Congressman Greg Walden of Oregon, the Republican who represents the Hammonds in Congress, finally stood up on the House floor and called for their pardon. The Associated Press quoted Walden as saying: "It's time for real justice, and President Trump can administer that." Politicians don't stick their necks out and Congressman Walden's decision to speak now reinforces my sense that...