Judge: Possible FBI misconduct irrelevant in standoff case

(AP) — A federal judge ruled on Friday that the investigation into alleged misconduct by FBI Hostage Rescue Team officers at the shooting of Robert "LaVoy" Finicum isn't relevant to the defense in the conspiracy case against Ammon Bundy and co-defendants.

Prosecutors last month revealed the investigation into an FBI agent's apparent shooting of Finicum and alleged FBI tampering with evidence at the scene was sent to a grand jury for review, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported (http://goo.gl/ebnHai).

The circumstances surrounding the FBI's firing of shots play no part in helping the defense explain why they came to the refuge armed with guns, since the shooting occurred more than three weeks after Ammon Bundy and supporters first arrived at the refuge, the judge said.

"Whether the Court is capable of seating an impartial jury will be determined during a voir dire process in which the parties and the Court will be acutely attuned to the possibility of actual prejudice resulting from the media coverage of this case," Brown wrote.