Judge declares mistrial in Nevada Bundy case

A federal judge declared a mistrial in the criminal conspiracy trial of Nevada cattle rancher Cliven Bundy on Tuesday, Reuters reported. 

The judge cited evidence that federal prosecutors had improperly withheld evidence, including video surveillance and information gleaned from FBI interviews, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Judge Gloria Navarro said the evidence was largely favorable to the defendants, and the fact that prosecutors withheld it “undermined the confidence of the outcome of the trial,” according to the Review-Journal.

She said, however, that the mistrial doesn’t mean the defendants are not guilty.

{mosads}The prosecution was pursuing charges against Bundy and his two sons for their involvement in a 2014 standoff on their ranch against federal law enforcement officials.

A new trial date has been set for Feb. 26.

The mistrial comes after four ranch hands were found not guilty of conspiracy, assault of a federal officer and multiple weapons charges in the standoff, which was part of an effort to stop a government-sanctioned cattle roundup on federal land. 

The Bureau of Land Management said that Bundy owed more than $1 million in grazing fees on the land and had ignored several court orders to remove his cattle. Bundy said he did not recognize the government’s authority to levy the fees. 

Armed supporters from across the country came to back Bundy and defend the ranch from law enforcement officers’ attempts to remove the cattle. 

This story was updated at 1:45 p.m.